Michael Phelps wins 8; NBC wins, too

August 17, 2008 On Sunday, the day Michael Phelps won his record-breaking eighth gold medal at the Beijing Olympics, NBC said its networks -- in eight days of broadcasting Phelps' races in primetime in the U.S. -- have reached 185 million viewers. In the period, NBC averaged 30 million viewers in primetime and a 17.4 rating/30 share, 13% ahead of viewership in the same period in of the Athens Games in 2004, when the opening eight days averaged 26.6 million viewers, NBC said. Some senior advertising industry executives here suggest NBC will lose money.

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