NBC spoils Missy Franklin's gold medal race - Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog)

7:07 am July 31, 2012, by Joel Provano

Missy Franklin poses with her first gold medal (NBC).

Missy Franklin is the star of the London Olympics for the United States, so naturally NBC wanted to delay her 100-meter backstroke race for prime time Monday night.

But the network spoiled the event for millions of viewers just six minutes before the race, airing a promo for Tuesday’s “Today” show that began, “When you’re 17 years old and win your first gold medal, there’s nobody you’d rather share it with. We’re there when Missy Franklin and her parents reunite …”

And for the benefit of those who might have had their TV muted, NBC showed a full-screen photo of Franklin posing with her gold medal.

The Twitterverse wasn’t kind to the Peacock Network:

• Emma V. Haberl‏: Dear NBC, thanks for promoting the interview with “first time olympic gold medal winner missy Franklin”…MOMENTS BEFORE AIRING THE RACE.
• Matt Knisely‏: Biggest failure in Olympic TV History? NBC showing the promo of Missy Franklin winning Gold in the commercial break before she raced.
• Cecil Hurt‏: NBC airs Missy Franklin gold medal promo before the Missy Franklin race. In headline style: Network Extends Middle Finger To America.

The 17-year-old Coloradan is trying to match East German swimmer Kristin Otto’s women’s Olympic record of six individual gold medals. Will NBC spoil them all?

Source : NBC spoils Missy Franklin's gold medal race - Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog)