Olympics viewing continues to evolve with new technology and creators

Broadcast audiences for the 2024 Olympics rose, and broadcasters are expanding streaming, data tools and creator-driven coverage as viewing shifts toward more personalised and remote production.

Molly Solomon, now president of NBC Olympics Production, began her career as an Olympic researcher in the pre‑Internet era. She oversees day‑to‑day editorial production and has been speaking about how audience habits and technology are reshaping coverage. Broadcasters and the IOC are adapting rights packaging, production methods and talent to reach viewers in new ways. Industry leaders say the Olympics still draw strong national attention and remain a scarce global event. Key developments: - Canadian audiences streamed 614,000 hours of Paris Olympics content on CBC/Radio‑Canada digital platforms in 2024, up 153 per cent from the Tokyo Games in 2021. - NBC averaged 30.6 million viewers across combined live windows in Paris, compared with 15.6 million for Tokyo, the article reports. - The CBC deal with the IOC runs from Milano‑Cortina through Brisbane 2032. Comcast NBCUniversal paid about $7.75 billion for 2014–2032 rights and later announced a $3 billion extension that extends NBC's rights through 2036, the article states. - Broadcasters are adding creator-driven segments and celebrity contributors; NBC used celebrity hosts and plans to include more than 25 social‑platform creators on site for Milano‑Cortina. - Technical trends noted include growth in direct‑to‑consumer streaming, short‑form social clips, enhanced data and augmented‑reality graphics, remote production using cloud workflows, and experimentation with AI for judging and personalised feeds. - The article reports debate about athlete biometrics and wearable cameras: some executives see potential for immersive experiences, while some athletes express privacy concerns. Summary: Experts and senior producers quoted in the article say broadcasters are investing in streaming products, data tools, creator partnerships and remote production as viewing habits shift. Major rights agreements remain in place for now, and technology suppliers such as Olympic Broadcasting Services are expected to continue supplying world feeds and new production capabilities. Undetermined at this time is how far personalized feeds, AI judging and athlete biometric data will be adopted, and how rights ownership may change as tech platforms adjust their strategies.