BBC Journalist and blogger Stuart Hughes says:
"The Olympics were a huge success for NBC.200 million viewers. A "halo effect" that boosted other channels and programmes. An estimated $60-70 million profit (Source: Hollywood Reporter) Before the Games started, NBC boasted of the depth and breadth of its coverage.1210 hours of events.103 commentators. 28 Olympians on the commentary team. A week from now, I'll be heading back to Athens for Greece's second remarkable major sporting event of the year. The Paralympics will boast:4000 athletes. 140 countries represented.525 gold medals at stake. 19 sports. There will be no American TV coverage of the Paralympics. Let me repeat that. There will be NO AMERICAN TV COVERAGE OF THE PARALYMPICS. Not one hour of live coverage. Not one commentator. Not one Olympian on the commentary team. Nothing. This at the same time that a record number of journalists are preparing to cover the Paralympics."
Link to complete post on Stuart's weblog. See also these related previous BoingBoing posts: Stuart Hughes covers Olympics on his blog; BBC journalist survives landmine; Xeni on NPR: Tech helps triple amputee Cameron Clapp to run again (thanks, Karim)
Update: Author, Memory Hole editor, and former BoingBoing guestblogger Russ Kick says,
"I wrote about the disgraceful treatment of the last Paralympics: Link. Some of the specifics are obviously dated, but the overall gist – that America ignores the event and treats the athletes like shit — is still very much valid. Just rereading it pisses me off all over again."
Image: Cameron Clapp competes in the 2004 Endeavor Games, a sports competition for amputees. Clapp won four gold medals. Credit: Courtesy Hanger Prosthetics & Orthotics, Inc.
BoingBoing reader Scott says, "Russ Kick's article on the TV coverage of the 2000 Paralympics mentions that there was no broadcast in Australia. While it's true there was no coverage on commercial channels, the 2000 Paralympics were broadcast in Australia by the ABC (Aust Broadcasting Corp – Link) – and they rated through the roof! The 2004 Paralympics will be broadcast by SBS (Link) – who outbid the ABC for the rights. See this story for more info: Link."
