Gold Medal Technolgy

For the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the digital revolution is poised to attract a younger, more tech-savvy audience. In the United States, NBC will offer 3,600 hours of coverage of the Games. This is triple the coverage that was provided in Athens (2004), and about one third of this additional coverage will be streamed over the Internet.

The Summer Olympic Games is one of the sporting and television highlights of the year. In addition, the average age of viewers for the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens was over 40 and it shows no signs of falling. With the help of technology however, the Olympic experience now reaches a broader audience.

According to Shoba Purushothaman, CEO of Web-based video marketing platform, The NewsMarket, digital media will have a transforming impact on the Olympics at multiple levels. "It will change story-telling for the Games by making it more human and personal,” believes Purushothaman.

It has been said the he Summer Games in Beijing is the first digital Olympics and access to communities in the digital world are important in deciding if the Olympics will retain their high profile. With the increased fascination of social networking sites among young people, the Olympic Games are being played out on Facebook, YouTube and Flickr. 3G mobile phone technology also has a huge impact on the Olympics, allowing athletes and visitors in Beijing to share their experiences with those back home. People taking photos and video with their cell phones have changed the way we watch the Games.

Watching the Olympics is no longer limited to a viewer’s living room TV. The "digital marketplace has the potential to re-engage hundreds of millions of people. In every facet of sports and entertainment, technology wins a gold medal. Enjoy the Summer Games through a variety of mediums and stay connected!