NBC’s Olympic coverage started off lukewarm after the network decided to tape-delay the Opening Ceremony. What was billed as “the most live Olympics ever” didn’t appear to fit the billing.
When author Bill Carter took to Twitter to complain about waiting to watch the men’s swim relay, NBC Olympics Executive Producer Jim Bell chimed in, unprompted. Bell told Carter to stream the games live. Carter stated he was at a bar without a laptop. Bell responded by suggesting Carter move back east.
The comments Bell made might be sarcastic banter to Carter, but it didn’t impress fellow internet users.
How does someone so ignorant get to such a high position? Oh yeah, it's NBC
— GatorWills 🐊 (@GatorWills) August 9, 2016
All this does is encourage people to steal it of the net. How dumb can an EP be. I can't wait till the internet kills cable.
— Paul Dawkins (@PDawkins84) August 9, 2016
Bell’s comments also blew up on Reddit, as a screen captured picture of the exchange was trending on the site, with more than 600 comments posted as of the time of this post.
A user pointed out how disappointed he was upon learning the Opening Ceremonies were delayed.
Another user commented (NSFW) comparing NBC’s coverage, to CBC’s Olympic coverage.
Bell’s Twitter etiquette was also called out.
It’s likely Bell and Carter are buddies as the comments might have been entirely sarcastic. Still, it’s not encouraging to see the Executive Producer of NBC’s coverage of the Olympic Games make such snide remarks online. Frustrated viewers see them and clearly, aren’t impressed. NBC’s decision to delay the games keeps creating more and more friction with viewers and thus far smaller ratings than London’s games.
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