Great show

Press, 27 September 1988, Page 27

Great show

NZPA-Reuter Seoul Numbers tell the story — the Olympics is the greatest show on earth. Two thirds of the world’s five billion people are following the Seoul Summer Games through television, radio and newspapers, according to official estimates. Olympic pomp and ceremony, and the palpable ambition of the world’s best athletes hungry for their stab at glory, combine for two weeks of spell-binding razzmatazz. “All sport is entertainment. But the Olympics add an international flavour,” said Terry Ewert. Mr Ewert should know. He has worked for two and a half years

to set up and co-ordinate coverage of the Games for the United States network National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC). “As entertainment, the Olympics are successful and will continue to be successful,” he said. NBC acquired sole United States rights to the Games for about $302 million. About 1100 reporters, producers, engineers and managers are beaming 179.5 hours of Olympic coverage to American living rooms. In all, 3500 NBC staffers have been involved in the process, Mr Ewert said. “It’s an army.” The battles have been going well, but the war is not yet over.