The Olympics are among numerous events which are free-to-air (http://pictures.thaindian.com)

By Suhayl Afzal and Myles Edwards

Proposed changes to the list of free-to-air sporting events have triggered widespread criticism.

Sporting associations and journalists have reacted negatively to the recommendations put to the Department of Culture, Media and Sport by an independent panel.

The report suggests that all of the home nations’ football qualifiers be made available on free-to-air TV, along with England’s home Ashes Tests making a return to the list. 

The Open golf championship and Wimbledon will also be retained.

Rugby league’s Challenge Cup final and horse racing’s Epson Derby will be removed from the so-called ‘crown-jewels list’, if the recommendations are adopted by Culture Secretary Ben Bradshaw.

The controversial recommendations have led to Scottish FA chief executive Gordon Smith voicing his concerns over their potential damaging consequences on the game.

He said: “It seems like a great idea to say your games should be free-to-air. It sounds like you’re really considering the public, but it would have serious financial repercussions in terms of income that we bring in to the SFA.

“We would have no problem at all provided the free-to-air broadcaster paid the same money as a satellite broadcaster.”

He added: “Maybe the government would make up the shortfall in terms of the deal that we get, in order that we can continue to offer the services we offer to football at grassroots, youth and a professional level.”

England Cricket Board chief Giles Clarke also warned that it could lead to “a decade of decay” for his sport and that the report would have “a disastrous effect on grassroots funding”.

The Independent Advisory Panel was composed of several well known names from the worlds of sports and media, including Colin Jackson, Angus Fraser, Dougie Donnelly and Eamonn Holmes.

The report made no mention of the possibility of terrestrial TV stations bidding the same price as the likes of Sky have done in the past. 

Smith and Clarke are not the only ones who are concerned that this could drastically reduce the funding towards grassroots levels of sport.

Andrew Moir, who has worked as a journalist for Sky and ESPN, said that the recommendations could have both positive and negative consequences.

He said: “It is good from a consumer point of you that all these events will potentially be aired free of charge.  They will be on offer to a far wider audience.

“However, if terrestrial TV stations are able to bid for the events at a smaller price than Sky would have had to, then it could be very damaging to the future of sports. I see no reason why the likes of BBC or ITV couldn’t bid a high amount for the events.”

Culture Secretary Ben Bradshaw has 12 weeks to consider the panel’s findings.

FULL LIST OF PROPOSED FREE-TO-AIR EVENTS

Summer Olympic Games
Cricket’s home Ashes Test matches
Wimbledon Championship
Open golf championship
Football: FIFA World Cup finals, UEFA European Championship finals, FA Cup final (England, Wales and Northern Ireland only), Scottish FA Cup (Scotland), home and away football qualifiers for World Cup and European Championship for their specific UK nations
Rugby Union: Rugby World Cup (full tournament), Wales matches in Six Nations (in Wales only)
The Grand National 

Bom, vocês sabem a minha opinião sobre as Olimpíadas serem feitas no Brasil, independentemente do local. Mas ela é nossa. E agora ?

O negócio agora é fiscalizar cuidadosamente cada ação feita pela comissão organizadora, os gastos públicos e a qualidade do que será feito (amigos contam que os prédios do Pan07 estão um lixo com tão pouco tempo).

É também momento do Estado (independentemente do governante) canalizar de forma correta os investimentos que serão feitos no nosso país durante os próximos anos, com a Copa2014 e as Olimpíadas2016.

E momento também de nós, populares, cobrarmos conciência dos nossos governantes. Chance assim não teremos tão cedo novamente.

Sejam bem vindos, Jogos Olímpicos.

It wasn’t just that I wanted Brazil to host the 2016 Olympics. It was that I didn’t think it would be right for the United States to get the Games.

“I hope Chicago loses,” I told my husband last night.

“What are you anti-American?” he asked.

He was joking, but I’m sure there are people that will interpret my statements that way.

But it’s not about being anti-American. I’m all about America. However, I don’t think the Olympics should be.

I have been alive for seven Olympics. During that span the United States has hosted two of them and seriously bid on two others (the New York’s 2012 bid and Chicago). There are 205 National Olympic Committees – 192 of which are from sovereign nations.

Why do we think that we should get the Olympics every fourth or fifth go-round?

Despite all the controversy surrounding the lead up to the Beijing games, from human rights protests to pollution concerns, having the games in China meant something to the Chinese people. It symbolized something larger than a sporting event. It provided the nation with a platform to present itself to the world in a positive light.

The Olympics allowed China, for two weeks, the opportunity to shed the image of over-industrialized Communist regime and to display the beauty and culture of the world’s most populous nation. Americans – and the world – were allowed to see a side of China that we never had.

That is the Olympic spirit: to bring out the best in the world, to see the good in other nations, to put your best foot forward, to try your hardest and succeed.

I have felt with these last two Olympic bids that we as a nation feel it is our right to host the Olympics, that we should get it again. Instead of ceding that sense of entitlement and permitting other nations the opportunity to host the world’s greatest sporting event, we spend millions on bids that I would have been shocked to see go through.

The last time we hosted the Summer Olympics was 1996. (We hosted the 2002 Winter Olympics as well.) In all, the United States has been awarded the Olympics four times – 1904 in St. Louis, 1932 and 1984 in Los Angeles and 1996 in Atlanta. That’s more than any other country.

Not only has Brazil never hosted the Olympics Games, no South American nation in history has.

I admired the FIFA plan that enabled the World Cup 2010 to be awarded to South Africa. The policy dictated that the event would be rotated between the organization’s confederations, which are divided geographically. FIFA decided the 2010 World Cup should go to a nation from the African confederation and South Africa emerged as the winner. FIFA has since abandoned the policy due to challenges it presented, but the intent was correct. The idea was to spread the event around to the world.

Why did we as a society feel that it was our turn to have the Olympics once more? The International Olympic Committee certainly didn’t. I  saw that coming, even if oddsmakers didn’t.

The IOC and the U.S. Olympic Committee have some issues, and as a nation, we’ve definitely enjoyed a higher approval rating on the global stage. But contrary to what some are saying, I don’t believe this defeat much to do with the rest of the world’s perception of us as a nation or backroom bickering between national and international governing bodies. Although, none of that helped the cause.

There are 176 countries that have never played host a Summer Olympic Games. While not all of them have the financial resources, infrastructure and other logistics necessary to put on an event of this caliber, the IOC is not so strapped for potential hosts that it feels it needs to go with a candidate that’s received the nod four times before.

It was exciting to watch the Brazilians celebrate. Their enthusiasm was contagious, their joy palpable. What would the overwhelming reaction have been stateside if Chicago emerged victorious from Copenhagen? A shoulder shrug and an ‘Oh, neat.’ We wouldn’t have, as a collective nation, poured into the streets, cheering, dancing and waving flags. We wouldn’t have felt we finally had a moment that we could point to and say, ‘That was one of the moments when we arrived on the world’s stage.’ We, honestly, wouldn’t have cared that much.

Rio wanted it. Rio needed it. Rio deserved it. That’s why Rio got it. And I was glad to see it happen.

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, will host the 2016 Summer Olympic Games, the International Olympic Committee announced Friday.

Thousands upon thousands of elated locals clad in Brazil’s green and yellow colors crowded on to Copacabana beach to celebrate what local authorities were calling a historic victory. Residents cheered on the beaches of Rio early Friday as it was announced that Rio won out over Madrid in the final round of eliminations. Chicago and Tokyo were eliminated in earlier rounds. This will be the first time the Olympics will be hosted by a South American country.

Residents of Rio, or “Cariocas” as they are better known, have had their fingers crossed for months about the decision, viewing the Olympics and the 2014 World Cup as a chance to revive their city.

For those who live in Rio, one of the most beautiful cities on earth, the prospect of watching Brazilian athletes performing before a home crowd has had sports lovers here salivating. Among those who fans will hope to see at Rio 2016 are Mayra Aguiar, an 18-year-old judo champion who was the youngest member of the Brazilian Olympic squad two years ago in China, Manchester United’s young Brazilian twins Fábio and Rafael da Silva, and Marta, currently the world’s top female footballer, who at 23 says she hopes to make an appearance in seven years’ time.

Part of the appeal of Rio is that more than half of the venues required for the Olympic Games are already build. These state-of-the-art facilities were constructed for the 2007 Pan and Parapan American Games and include: the Joao Havelange Stadium (the proposed 2016 venue for athletics), the Maria Lenk Aquatic Center, the Rio Olympic Arena (which will host gymnastics and wheelchair basketball), the Rio Olympic Velodrome, the National Equestrian Center and its close neighbor, the National Shooting Center.

The Olympic Games are scheduled to occur from August 5^th through the 21^st and the theme will be “Live your passion.”

The Games will be held in four zones:

• Barra, the heart of the Games, will house the Olympic and media villages and some venues.
• Copacabana, a world-famous beach and major tourist attraction, will host outdoor sports in temporary venues.
• Maracana, the most densely populated of the zones, will contain an athletic stadium and the Maracana Stadium, which will host the opening and closing ceremonies.
• Deodoro, with little infrastructure but the highest proportion of young people, will require construction of Olympic venues.

The city’s bid was helped by a strong economy and guaranteed funding. Brazil’s economy is now the 10th largest in the world — and predicted to be fifth by 2016.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was expected to be joined by soccer legend and Brazilian native Pele as they advertise the benefits of a Rio Games.

For those hoping to attend the games, booking a place to stay two years in advance is advisable. For the top luxury apartments, it may be best to book even earlier.  Contact Rent in Rio, one of our favorite brokers for vacation rentals in Rio de Janeiro.

I’m watching the filler presentations currently on CNN. Which is interesting they’re showing video presentations and Chicago’s was nice. Nothing stellar but certainly quite well put together. Anywho I’m struck by two things.

First, the cities so far have been eliminated in presentation order, which doesn’t bode well for Rio but I feeling really bullish on their chances. I can’t imagine the IOC would send the games to Madrid over the Americas but then again Juan Antonio Samaranch is out their hustling for Madrid so you never know.

Second,  Tokyo’s video was simply gorgeous and I have to say, simply by bid potential, I think Tokyo was my favourite, they just realistically didn’t have a shot going against this crop of cities.

This is a shocking upset. Tokyo second, however, was predictable.  I don’t think anyone was expecting that, though I should’ve mentioned earlier that it was a distinct possibility with so many Asian/South American votes tied up, that the technical proficency of Tokyo would siphon off enough European votes to send Chicago to an early defeat. I just presumed many of the backers of Non-American backers of London 2012 would’ve been behind Chicago. Apparently not.

“Chicago’s elimination elicited audible gasps from those in the Bella Center ballroom where the voting took place.”  Wow.

I’m not a big one for making predictions, but I really can’t help myself here. I’m really excited to see how this vote goes.

I think Tokyo will be out first round, though to be fair any of the four would be solid choices to win. I just think Tokyo suffers from a sentimentality gap and the votes just aren’t there. I don’t think Tokyo will get any of the Americas’ 14 votes nor many of the Europeans’ 43. It’s possible but unlikely they’ll sweep Asia’s 20 and pick up a few from Oceania and/or Africa. I just think the Rio/Chicago backers know how important it is they get through the first round, and the Europeans would rather use their votes on cities they care about.

Once Tokyo’s out. Madrid’s next. Even though Madrid’s bid is probably the next safest, the backers of Tokyo will probably/are expected to gravitate towards Chicago. Depending on how many Europeans peel off, Rio should either squeak by Madrid or fly past.

Then the final round. I don’t think early leads by either Chicago or Rio will matter as much as how many votes Madrid gets in Round 2. If Madrid squeaks by Round 2 (doubtful) or has a strong showing, I think that’ll indicate weakness for Rio in Round 3. If Madrid falters I think it’ll indicate a stronger swell of support for Rio in Round 3.

If I were to put numbers to the thing, I’d say 26,26,25,21 or somewhere there abouts. Tokyo somewhere in the 18-23 range in Round 1. Near even between the rest. No guesses to Round 2.

If this weren’t a democratic process with schmoozing, I’d put my money on Rio. The IOC’s waited a long time for this and I’m sure Jacques Rogge wants to be the President who expanded the Olympics to two continents that haven’t hosted it. Rio is basically one in the bag for the IOC and would bring with it renewed interest and passion within the developing world. Moreover, while Chicago might not bid again in 2020, I think they’d feel confident that an American city can get its act together and get either the 2018 Winter Games or 2020. After all, we’re rich enough to afford multiple bids and large enough to bid for both games.

However, there is a vote and anything can happen. The presentations won’t win anyone a games but they sure as hell can lose one so some last minute game changers could happen, Oprah could buy them all cars or something. Who knows?

On the other hand, strong bid cities do well in voting and if Tokyo makes it to Round 2, I think it could be bad news for Chicago, because it’ll mean that anything could happen in Round 2, including an early defeat for the Windy City.

Personally, I think I’d be happy with Rio or Chicago. I’m really torn. My heart wants Rio but I also don’t want the President to fail and I think it would mean a lot not just to the Obamas but also to America, more than we think it would, anyway. At the end of the day, though, I think – as much as I don’t like the emotional blackmail/populist statements to come out of Brazil – it would mean so much to so many people for a country that isn’t in the Northern Hemisphere (or Australia) to host the games. Hell, it’d mean a lot to me and I live in one these wealthy, first-world nations.  We’ll find out by 1pm eastern so until then.

The games are widely expected to return to the Americas this cycle, not least of which because NBC, or whomever buys the new rights to broadcast the games will make more if they are…and that’s how the IOC makes monies.

However, in terms of airing times, Rio is comparable enough to Chicago to fit prime viewing hours…so that’s kind of a wash, though admittedly in other terms Chicago retains its advantages. Chicago’s bid is solid, however, the handicap for American cities is their precarious financing as the federal government can’t/won’t guarantee the games. Politically, Chicago’s a strong candidate, but politics change and America has the handicap nonetheless.

Rio, however, is the strongest bid the IOC’s seen from a country in either South America or Africa and they desperately (or at least the Europeans who lead the organization desperately) want to send the games south as soon as they think they can viably do so. Rio fits that bill. The kinks in their plan aren’t anything too serious and their hosting the World Cup in 2014 will really hold the Brazillians’ feet to the fire in terms of getting everything prepped and ready to go. There’s a lot of sentimentality going Rio’s way and, I think, it’s really their vote to lose.

Clearly, President Obama’s decision to travel to the IOC, the first sitting POTUS to do so, is a big deal, perhaps even a game-changer but that just makes this a really difficult decision, not a run away for Chicago.

The Tribune’s David Greising says a lot of things and makes a point that this is do or die for Chicago, but not Rio, so that may – in the end – persuade the IOC. I think he’s wrong and on several points.

First, post-Athens, I think the IOC has made a point of choosing cities they think can execute the bids they plan. China, Canada, the UK, the Russian Federation. I think Brazil’s hosting of the World Cup is a net plus for them because it’ll force Brazil to hammer out kinks ahead of time and finish venues and on schedule. And even if his description of the IOC’s vanity is accurate, the USOC has done more to earn their ire than the close scheduling of the World Cup with a Summer Games. (Net Plus Brazil)

Second, even if Chicago loses, the USOC will have a strong bid for 2020 from another city almost assuredly. Probably San Francisco, maybe New York again (but probably not). The US has any number of potential cities to step up and bid. After the rather public courting of South America and Africa, it would be devastating for the IOC to choose a fourth, wealthy industrialized state in a row, when confronted with the first credible bid from new regions. Bidding for a games is an expensive, complex endeavour and it would be discouraging to their broader efforts, even if Rio can afford to and plans to bid again in four years time. (Again Net Brazil)

When it comes to celebrity, President Obama is basically like sending the Death Star to Copenhagen. (“Their vanity can’t repel starpower of that magnitude!”) I think that’s the wildcard. Without the President, I think the winds tilted Rio, with him, I think it’s too close to call.

President Obama said Monday he will travel to the IOC meeting in Copenhagen on Oct. 2 to support the Chicago 2016 bid.

CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR

President Obama and the organizers of the Chicago 2016 bid for the Summer Olympic Games announced that Mr. Obama will, after all, attend the Oct. 2 meeting of the International Olympic Committee at which the 2016 host city will be chosen.

The announcement is a tremendous boost for the Chicago but, perhaps saving it from what otherwise could have been likely failure.

The heads of state for the other three bid cities – Rio de Janeiro, Madrid, and Tokyo – had all announced their plans to be in Copenhagen for the Oct. 2 vote.

As a result, Obama’s initial decision not to attend could have been fatal for Chicago’s chances. It is likely that the IOC would not have looked favorably on Obama refusing to go the extra mile for a bid from his hometown, regardless of his hectic healthcare reform schedule in Washington.

Indeed, the potentially decisive role that heads of state can play in Olympic bids was underlined four years ago, when experts suggested Paris was a shoo-in as host city for the 2012 Summer Games.

The day before the vote, French President Jacques Chirac was mocking the competition, saying “the only worse food than British food is Finnish” and “the only thing the British have done for Europe’s agriculture is mad cow disease.” Meanwhile, British Prime Minister was at the IOC meeting in Singapore lobbying the IOC heavily on London’s behalf.

The combination of the two events turned the bidding in London’s favor. Mr. Blair’s lobbying effort was so aggressive, in fact, that French organizers complained to the IOC, saying it was illegal. The charges were dismissed.

This will be the first time that a US president has gone to the IOC vote. But London 2012 established a new bar for bid cities, and Obama initial unwillingness to commit to those obligations were a great concern to Chicago 2016 organizers.

At a press summit earlier this month, they made it clear that they were doing everything in their powerto persuade Obama to go, but that the decision was ultimately his.

“We could not be more pleased to welcome President Barack Obama to our delegation for the IOC selection of the host city for the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games,” the US Olympic Committee said in a statement.

Obama’s decision leaves Chicago well placed for the Oct. 2 vote. One of the top analysts of Olympic bids rates Chicago as the second favorite to win the IOC vote, just behind Rio.

In his Olympic Bid Power Index, Ed Hula of Around the Rings gives Rio 84 points compared with Chicago’s 83. Madrid and Tokyo tie at 80.

“Rio has been able to deliver an emotional edge to its appeal that the other bids haven’t matched,” said Mr. Hula in a press release. “Chicago slips to second from the June index, but still scores three points higher, helped by the addition of financial guarantees and government support.”

History of hockey:

Through the history people played of the plays implying a curved stick and a ball. There are diagrams and descriptions of such events in ancient Egypt, Greece and in the Average Ages in Europe. It there capable obviousness of the people playing hockey or the stick and of the ball like plays on the ice at the sixteenth century Europe. And naturally while the immigrants came to Americas, they brought with them several of the games which they had played in their respective countries, such as hockey of launching and other like plays.

The hockey running of ice and field must much with these ancient plays. From both, the hockey of field is the precursor and the hockey was mainly a change of the play to adapt more cold climates and such. The first play organized of hockey is recorded to have taken place in Montreal, Canada with a track of ice-skating of interior in March of 1875. It was not until 1904 that the first professional league for the hockey was formed in Michigan, the United States, called the international League of Hockey professional. The league lasted every four years, yielding in 1907. For the hockey of field, the first international play took place between Ireland and Wales, with high points from 3 to 0, profit of Ireland.

In the hockey of field 1908 fact its beginning with the Olympic Games of summer, it was dropped in 1924 but by the following Olympic Games in 1928 it was of return. The hockey started with the Winter Olympics in 1924 and was played there since, but it was not until 1960 that the United States gained their first gold medal in the hockey.

Ornaments of hockey:

Many ventilators of hockey have pleasure to decorate their houses and Christmas trees with hockey and fol�trent ornaments. Ornaments which help to transport those love or enthusiasm for a particular topic which in this case would be the love of hockey. There are a series of ornaments of sports and nut-crackers of speciality to help to embellish and accentuate all the enthusiasts of sports at the house.

Play of the plays:

For a regular play of hockey she naturally is played in a skating rink with a total of six players on each team, five regular players and a goalkeeper. The object is to obtain the roller, which is made of hard rubber with an aim of opposition of teams and the team with the highest points gains. The players must use their sticks to move the roller around or to pass the roller of one player to the other. A team can be forced to play with only 5 players instead of the 6 normal ones if a player makes a foul and then is placed in a box of penalty for one short period which is usually approximately 2 length minutes.

The hockey of field is played on a rectangular field measuring approximately 100 yards by 60 yards, with eleven players on each team. Still the idea is identical to enter the small hard ball, not a roller, in other the goal equips at the points, to do this you must employ your stick and team work. There is a definite sector of half-circle around each goal which is called the circle or the arc of shooting. The team which with the ball is called the attackers, whereas the team which does not have the ball calls the defenders. A play or a match has two referees with officer, usually they split the field in bottom of the medium and each one takes care of their half of the field. The play has two periods each one to be 35 length minutes, with the cut part-time being approximately five minutes.

BROADCAST/CABLE

CNN’s coverage of the opening night of the Democratic National Convention attracted 3.7 million viewers Monday, while Fox News tallied 3.02 million viewers of its own, both of which were about 85% higher than the opening night of the 2004 Democratic convention. MSNBC, with 2.15 million, showed an 88% gain. The Wall Street Journal (free content) (8/27)

Animal Planet scored record viewership totals for the premiere of “Animal Witness,” which spotlighted the rehabilitation of dogs owned by former Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick, who is in federal prison for his involvement in dog fighting. The Sunday night premiere pulled in 1.1 million viewers, making it Animal Planet’s most-watched series debut ever. Multichannel News (8/26)

NBC Universal tallied 214 million total viewers for the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing over 17 days, solidifying it as the most watched event in U.S. TV history, according to Nielsen. This tops the 1996 Atlanta Olympics at 209 million viewers and the 2004 Athens Games at 203 million. (Cynopsis 8/27)

TBS and “House of Payne” star Tyler Perry are developing a new sitcom based on Perry’s “Meet the Browns” movie. The series, which will be executive-produced by Perry, is expected to debut in January with an initial 10-episode order that will run over five weeks in back-to-back installments. Chicago Sun-Times (8/26) , The Hollywood Reporter (8/26)

With the start of the college football season right around the corner, Charter Communications, like several other cable providers, is closing in on a carriage deal with the Big Ten Network, according to this report. Comcast and Time Warner Cable recently finalized pacts with the network. The Post-Bulletin (Rochester, Minn.) (8/26)

As an image of Olympism, Coubertin thought the rings had deep significance: that of the union between men. He multiplied the image to create a total of five rings. He designed and commissioned the Olympic flag to mark the 20th anniversary of the IOC’s founding, on 23rd June 1914 in Paris

These five rings — blue, yellow, black, green and red — represent the five parts of the world now encompassed by Olympism and ready to compete against each other. Moreover, the six colors (including the white background) thus combined represent those of all nations, without exception. The blue and yellow of Sweden, the blue and white of Greece, the French, English, American, German, Belgian, Italian and Hungarian tricolors, the yellow and red of Spain are side by side with the new Brazilian and Australian flags, the old Japan and the new China. It is a true international emblem.”

The 2008 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, People’s Republic of China, from August 8 (except football, which started on August 6) to August 24, 2008. A total of 10,500 athletes competed in 302 events in 28 sports

Medal Rank :

Ran k	NOC Name	Men				Women				Open/Mixed				Total				Rank by Total
		G	S	B	T	G	S	B	T	G	S	B	T	G	S	B	T
1	CHN – China	24	10	8	42	27	11	19	57			1	1	51	21	28	100	2
2	USA – United States	20	13	20	53	15	23	15	53	1	2	1	4	36	38	36	110	1
3	RUS – Russian Fed.	12	8	20	40	11	13	8	32					23	21	28	72	3
4	GBR – Great Britain	11	8	7	26	7	5	6	18	1		2	3	19	13	15	47	4
5	GER – Germany	7	7	6	20	6	2	7	15	3	1	2	6	16	10	15	41	6
6	AUS – Australia	6	6	9	21	8	7	8	23		2		2	14	15	17	46	5
7	KOR – Korea	8	6	4	18	4	4	4	12	1			1	13	10	8	31	8
8	JPN – Japan	4	4	5	13	5	2	5	12					9	6	10	25	11
9	ITA – Italy	4	7	6	17	4	3	4	11					8	10	10	28	9
10	FRA – France	6	14	12	32	1	2	4	7			1	1	7	16	17	40	7
11	UKR – Ukraine	4	3	8	15	3	2	7	12					7	5	15	27	10
12	NED – Netherlands	1		2	3	5	4	2	11	1	1		2	7	5	4	16	16
13	JAM – Jamaica	3			3	3	3	2	8					6	3	2	11	20
14	ESP – Spain	4	6	2	12		3	1	4	1	1		2	5	10	3	18	=14
15	KEN – Kenya	3	2	4	9	2	3		5					5	5	4	14	18
16	BLR – Belarus	3	3	5	11	1	2	5	8					4	5	10	19	13
17	ROU – Romania			1	1	4	1	2	7					4	1	3	8	=25
18	ETH – Ethiopia	2	1	1	4	2		1	3					4	1	2	7	=27
19	CAN – Canada	1	5	3	9	1	3	3	7	1	1		2	3	9	6	18	=14
20	POL – Poland	3	4		7		2	1	3					3	6	1	10	=21
21	HUN – Hungary	2	4	1	7	1	1	1	3					3	5	2	10	=21
21	NOR – Norway	2	3		5	1	2	1	4			1	1	3	5	2	10	=21
23	BRA – Brazil	1	3	5	9	2	1	3	6					3	4	8	15	17
24	CZE – Czech Republic	1	2		3	2	1		3					3	3		6	=30
25	SVK – Slovakia	2	1	1	4	1	1		2					3	2	1	6	=30
26	NZL – New Zealand	1	1	5	7	2			2					3	1	5	9	24
27	GEO – Georgia	3		2	5			1	1					3		3	6	=30
28	CUB – Cuba	2	5	8	15		6	3	9					2	11	11	24	12
29	KAZ – Kazakhstan	2	2	5	9		2	2	4					2	4	7	13	19
30	DEN – Denmark	1	2	1	4			1	1	1		1	2	2	2	3	7	=27
31	MGL – Mongolia	2	1		3		1		1					2	2		4	=44
31	THA – Thailand	1	1		2	1	1		2					2	2		4	=44
33	PRK – DPR Korea			1	1	2	1	2	5					2	1	3	6	=30
34	ARG – Argentina	2		1	3			2	2			1	1	2		4	6	=30
34	SUI – Switzerland	2		3	5			1	1					2		4	6	=30
36	MEX – Mexico	1			1	1		1	2					2		1	3	=51
37	TUR – Turkey	1		3	4		4		4					1	4	3	8	=25
38	ZIM – Zimbabwe					1	3		4					1	3		4	=44
39	AZE – Azerbaijan	1	2	3	6			1	1					1	2	4	7	=27
40	UZB – Uzbekistan	1	2	2	5			1	1					1	2	3	6	=30
41	SLO – Slovenia	1	1	1	3		1	1	2					1	2	2	5	=38
42	BUL – Bulgaria			3	3	1	1		2					1	1	3	5	=38
42	INA – Indonesia	1		2	3			1	1		1		1	1	1	3	5	=38
44	FIN – Finland			2	2	1	1		2					1	1	2	4	=44
45	LAT – Latvia	1	1	1	3									1	1	1	3	=51
46	BEL – Belgium					1	1		2					1	1		2	=57
46	DOM – Dominican Rep.	1	1		2									1	1		2	=57
46	EST – Estonia	1	1		2									1	1		2	=57
46	POR – Portugal	1			1		1		1					1	1		2	=57
50	IND – India	1		2	3									1		2	3	=51
51	IRI – Iran	1		1	2									1		1	2	=57
52	BRN – Bahrain	1			1									1			1	=69
52	CMR – Cameroon					1			1					1			1	=69
52	PAN – Panama	1			1									1			1	=69
52	TUN – Tunisia	1			1									1			1	=69
56	SWE – Sweden		2	1	3		1		1		1		1		4	1	5	=38
57	CRO – Croatia		1		1		1	3	4						2	3	5	=38
57	LTU – Lithuania		1	3	4		1		1						2	3	5	=38
59	GRE – Greece		2		2			2	2						2	2	4	=44
60	TRI – Trinidad/Tobago		2		2										2		2	=57
61	NGR – Nigeria		1	1	2			2	2						1	3	4	=44
62	AUT – Austria		1		1			2	2						1	2	3	=51
62	IRL – Ireland		1	2	3										1	2	3	=51
62	SRB – Serbia		1	2	3										1	2	3	=51
65	ALG – Algeria		1		1			1	1						1	1	2	=57
65	BAH – Bahamas		1	1	2										1	1	2	=57
65	COL – Colombia		1		1			1	1						1	1	2	=57
65	KGZ – Kyrgyzstan		1	1	2										1	1	2	=57
65	MAR – Morocco		1		1			1	1						1	1	2	=57
65	TJK – Tajikistan		1	1	2										1	1	2	=57
71	CHI – Chile		1		1										1		1	=69
71	ECU – Ecuador		1		1										1		1	=69
71	ISL – Iceland		1		1										1		1	=69
71	MAS – Malaysia		1		1										1		1	=69
71	RSA – South Africa		1		1										1		1	=69
71	SIN – Singapore						1		1						1		1	=69
71	SUD – Sudan		1		1										1		1	=69
71	VIE – Vietnam		1		1										1		1	=69
79	ARM – Armenia			6	6											6	6	=30
80	TPE – Chinese Taipei			2	2			2	2							4	4	=44
81	AFG – Afghanistan			1	1											1	1	=69
81	EGY – Egypt			1	1											1	1	=69
81	ISR – Israel			1	1											1	1	=69
81	MDA – Rep. of Moldova			1	1											1	1	=69
81	MRI – Mauritius			1	1											1	1	=69
81	TOG – Togo			1	1											1	1	=69
81	VEN – Venezuela							1	1							1	1	=69
Total:		165	165	202	532	127	128	141	396	10	10	10	30	302	303	353	958

BROADCAST/CABLE

With 16 days of its 17-day Summer Olympics run in the books, it’s looking as if NBC Universal is going to set a few records of its own. According to NBCU’s analysis of Nielsen data, its cable and broadcast platforms attracted 211 million viewers during that time period, 2 million more than the previous pace-setter, the 1996 Atlanta Games. Financial Times (8/24) , The Hollywood Reporter (8/24)

The 2008 U.S. Open tennis tournament begins today on USA, but that hasn’t stopped the Tennis Channel from planning for a year from now, when it will kick off its coverage of the Grand Slam event. The network, which will split 2009 U.S. Open coverage with ESPN and CBS, has even been busy signing up advertisers for the year-from-now tourney, including Longines, GlaxoSmithKline and Johnson & Johnson. Adweek (8/25)

The CW’s series debut of Stylista is now slated for October 22 at 9p, a week earlier than originally planned. This series will follow eleven fashion assistants working for Elle’s Fashion News Director, Anne Slowey as they battle to be the best. After weekly eliminations, the final winner will receive a one-year stint on Elle magazine’s editorial staff, a paid lease on a Manhattan apartment and a clothing allowance at H&M all valued at $100,000. (Cynopsis 8/25)

BET’s season two finale of Baldwin Hills on August 19 at 10p averaged 1.6 million total viewers. (Cynopsis 8/25)

Gamers chomping at the bit to get their hands on Will Wright’s latest sim masterpiece Spore may want to check out How to Build a Better Being on National Geographic Channel tomorrow night at 10 p ET/PT. The documentary offers insight into the genetic engineering research that went into Spore, which enables players to design life forms utilizing a menu of creator tools. The Spore Galactic Edition, which includes a DVD of the documentary, is due out for PC and Mac on Sept. 7. (Cynopsis 8/25)

Travel Channel Media picked up the exclusive U.S. cable rights to reality series The Amazing Race from CBS Television Distribution. The deal, with terms not disclosed, includes the most recent seasons of the show: 12 and 13 (now in production) plus Season 14 (based on production considerations). Episodes from Season 12 will air on the Travel Channel each Wednesday at 8p starting September 3. (Cynopsis 8/25)

Looking to establish its credentials in the reality-programming arena, Lifetime has ordered six episodes of a competition series about makeup artists. The show, to be titled “Blush: The Search for America’s Greatest Makeup Artist,” is expected to premiere in November and will serve as a companion to Lifetime’s newly acquired “Project Runway,” which moves to the network this fall. Variety (8/24)

Fox Cable Networks has signed a new carriage deal with Comcast to present the high-definition versions of the FX and Speed channels. The networks will be shown in the 720p format and will be rolled out on HD basic tiers across Comcast’s systems by the end of next year. Multichannel News (8/24)

BROADCAST/CABLE

Saturday night, as Phelps went for his historical 8th Gold Medal at the Beijing Olympics and his 14th Gold in his swimming career, NBC enjoyed its most viewed Saturday night in 18 years with 31.1 million tuning in, and jumping to 40 million during the half hour Phelps swam.  NBC has averaged 30 million viewers each night since the Olympics kicked off on August 8th, thanks in large part to Phelps and the gymnastics teams.  NBC certainly is looking for its Week #2 darling as the Olympics heads into its second week. (Cynopsis 8/18)

The Summer Games from Beijing have meant huge ratings for NBC as well as big ripple effects for NBC Universal’s cable networks. During the first six days, USA Network’s coverage averaged more than 1 million viewers, MSNBC’s was 649,000, CNBC’s was 638,000 and Oxygen, in its first appearance covering the Olympics, had an average of 713,000. Multichannel News (8/15)

AMC’s hit “Mad Men” isn’t the first attempt at packaging the drama of the American ad industry. For decades, the trials and travails of Madison Avenue types has fed TV and films from “Bewitched” to “The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio.” The New York Times (8/17)

The Food Network is developing a pilot episode for a series called “Eat the Clock,” which follows contestants as they bolt around to various Los Angeles restaurants and eat as much food as possible. Producers are describing the show, which potentially could premiere in the first quarter of 2009, as a melange of “The Amazing Race” and an eating competition. The Hollywood Reporter (8/18)

Nearly half of those polled in a new study by the Pew Research Center — 46% — say they use television as their main source of news information. The study went on to say that about 23% of participants, which Pew referred to as “integrators,” get their news about equally from traditional and nontraditional media. Google/Associated Press (8/17)

While I have been watching the Olympics on TV, I have been keeping up with it on the Internet too. One thing that I found out is that there are a lot of sites out there pertaining to the Beijing Olympic.

So you’ve gotta love All My Faves!! They have links to the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. They have made it much easier to follow the Olympic Games.

10,500 athletes from 205 countries are expected to compete in 302 events in 28 sports. The opening ceremony of the Olympics in Beijing will be held in the Beijing National Stadium, and will begin at 8:08 PM. The Olympic slogan, One World, One Dream, calls upon the world to unite in the Olympic spirit. Enjoy our Olympic Faves!

Beijing 2008 Official Site – It is said that in order to prepare for the games China invested nearly $40 billion, it is a shame they haven’t invested part of it in creating a fun and appealing official site. The official site is quite dull and lacks a professional touch. However it is still the official site, maybe you will like it – I doubt it.

Collectors Item – The Official Beijing 2008 Olympic Teddy Bear Mascots. I wouldn’t be surprised if these are sold in the future as collectors’ items for more than their current face value. The 5 names of the Teddy Bear’s form the Chinese phrase “Bei Jing Huan Ying Ni“, which means “Beijing Welcomes You”.

NBC Olympics – The NBC Olympics website offers full coverage of the Olympic games. The site is very useful and is easy to navigate through, it features all your Olympic needs, such as: athlete profiles, daily online blogs, videos, photos, countries participating, sport events, a comprehensive schedule and online results. If you are an Olympic enthusiastic, this is the place for you. Additional coverage is brought to you by Yahoo Olympics and AOL Olympics. May the best man/woman/team win.

Team USA – 595 athletes will represent the United States at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The U.S. Olympic Committee’s mission involves training, entering and underwriting the full expenses for the U.S. teams. Meet The Team!

Time and Date – What is the time in Beijing? Time and Date offers not only Beijing time but an easy to use world major cities time.

Impossible is Nothing – Adidas is one the major Olympic sponsor’s, the Olympic campaign (and many other Adidas campaigns) is followed by a powerful slogan – Impossible is Nothing. I love this slogan, it goes far beyond the spirit of sports and competitions. It is a way of thinking, a way of living. Make sure you enter the site and walk through the videos, they are inspiring. It is always interesting analyzing things backwards – Nothing is Impossible. Do you feel me?

Legendary Olympians – Learn more about 20 special men and women around the world who have earned their place in history as some of the greatest athletes of all time. Mark Spitz is my fave legend – The U.S. swimmer’s haul of seven gold medals (four in individual events, three in team competition) in Munich 1972, remains the greatest tally ever achieved by an athlete at a single Olympiad. It is said that Michael Phelps has a chance of becoming the new swimming legend and even break Mark Spitz’s record and bring home 8 gold medals. Michael – take in mind that winning eight, starts with winning the first. Make sure you don’t miss the first and most exciting race. The men’s 400 Individual Medley (All four strokes are swam in the following order: butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, and freestyle), which goes off at 10 AM Sunday morning (10 PM EST, Saturday).

Olympic History – The Olympic Games are an international multi-sport event. The Modern Olympic Games were inaugurated in Athens in 1896, and are held at the beginning of every Olympiad. At the first Olympics, a total of 14 nations competed, including the United States, Australia, Chile and 11 European countries. The US is the most honored medalist country and until the current Beijing Olympic has aggregated 2197 medals. View all time medals by countries.

Paralympic Games – The 2008 Summer Paralympic Games, the thirteenth Paralympics, will be held in Beijing, China from September 6 – 17, 2008. About 4,000 athletes from 145 countries are expected to take part. It would be the largest ever number of nations at the Paralympics (nine more than in Athens).

Olympic Daily Photos – DayLife presents a wide view of what’s out there, and let you dive in for more. DayLife will simplify all your visual Olympic needs by gathering news from thousands of news sources across the world and organizing it into a landscape of related stories, quotes and images of every perspective. This is a site that I will definitely visit on a daily basis through the Olympics. It is relevant, accurate and the pictures are simply astonishing. The torch has arrived!

Thanks to All My Faves for putting this list together!

ONLINE SERVICES/INTERACTIVE MEDIA

NBCOlympics.com got off to a promising start garnering 70 million page views on Friday – 10 times the usage achieved on opening day of the Athens Games in 2004. Some 4.8 million people watched 3.1 million video streams on Saturday, more than four times the peak number of daily streams during the 2006 winter Games in Torino, Italy. Features such as a 4-screen video display, the ability to schedule alerts and the capability to jump back and forth to specific periods within an event make the Olympics online a whole new ballgame. Better yet, NBC’s exhaustive online coverage of the Games (designed to complement and protect the broadcast schedule) is only helping to boost linear ratings. More viewers tuned in to watch the first two days of Olympic telecasts than any summer games in 10 years.

(Cynopsis 8/11, http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/10/sports/olympics/10stream.html?scp=1&sq=olympics%20online,%20with%20a%20hook&st=cse 8/9)

The stats above prove that the required download is a barrier in this case, given that no other destination allows for so many hours of online content. I am very impressed by the shear volume of content available to watch online. My only disappointment, thus far, is in the navigation of that content. I have found it difficult to find the particular video I’m looking for. Given the time difference between Beijing and NYC, I have also found it difficult to navigate the online site without reading a headline which ruins the planned TV viewing later in the night. I can see from the numbers above that the online site is complimenting the TV viewing, I’m a bit of a frustrated viewer. In essenceNBC, stop blowing up the linear TV spot.

Google pulled in $5.37 billion in revenues last quarter, and $1.25 billion in net profits (nearly ten times what Yahoo made last quarter). Yet behind the consistently amazing financial performance, a few chinks are beginning to appear in Google’s armor. The biggest one may be the increasing gap between its organic revenue growth and its total revenue growth. (http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/08/09/does-google-have-an-organic-growth-problem 8/9)

Google and Yahoo are releasing excerpts of the pact covering their proposed search advertising partnership. The U.S. government filing keeps secret financial terms and the extent of other ties. The contract is heavily redacted in an area that covers “other business opportunities.” (Iwantmedia 8/11, http://www.reuters.com/article/businessNews/idUSN0840128220080809 8/9)

Google’s new Knol ad-supported online encyclopedia is raising new fears that the Internet search giant is becoming a “media company.” Knol is seen as a potential rival to the New York Times’s About.com. (Iwantmedia 8/11, http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/11/technology/11google.html?_r=1&oref=slogin 8/11)

Twitter isn’t for everyone, and you may have dismissed the service a long time ago. But regardless of your own use, it’s hard to dismiss the phenomenon itself and the passion of so many that has built up around it. (http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/08/10/why-twitter-hasnt-failed-the-power-of-audience 8/10)

Google’s YouTube is launching a Beijing Olympics channel — accessible in the United States — aggregating video from news outlets covering the activities in China. The channel does not air sporting events but offers news and footage from the New York Times, Reuters and others. (Iwantmedia 8/11, http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6585816.html 8/8)

The spoof U.S. presidential campaign video clip starring Paris Hilton is attracting millions of visitors to Funnyordie.com. However, “in terms of advertising sales, that’s yet to happen,” observers point out. “It is questionable how many of these sites the market will sustain.” (Iwantmedia 8/11, http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/technology/article4492694.ece 8/10)

The plan by Barry Diller’s IAC/InterActiveCorp to split itself into five parts is set to be completed Aug. 21. HSN, Interval Leisure Group, Ticketmaster and Tree.com will become stand-alone public companies. Also: The restructuring is expected to bring IAC shareholders “a lot of value.” (Iwantmedia 8/11, http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/080811/iac_spinoffs.html 8/11)

Time Warner Cable is taking heat from players of the “World of Warcraft” video game who are griping over lags in their Roadrunner Internet connections. The lags, they say, are forcing them to drop TWC for Verizon’s FiOS service. TWC execs insist they are not causing the problem. (Iwantmedia 8/11, http://www.nypost.com/seven/08102008/business/twc_blamed_for_internet_interference_123880.htm 8/10)

BROADCAST/CABLE

Sci Fi is working on a two-hour “Battlestar Galactica” movie that will begin shooting at the end of the summer in Vancouver, Canada, and will be directed by star Edward James Olmos. On the series side, the 10-episode final season will debut early next year. (Yahoo!/E! Online 8/7)

The Olympic flame is still burning … at least on Madison Avenue, which has committed more than $1 billion in ad spending to NBC Universal’s coverage of the Summer Games in Beijing. Besides the NBC broadcast network, advertisers have snapped up Olympic-related inventory on NBCU cable nets such as USA, MSNBC, CNBC, Oxygen and Universal HD. (Variety 8/7)

One rumor making the rounds within various News Corp. outposts is that president and COO Peter Chernin might leave if private equity money were to buy a big media concern and he is offered a piece of the action to run it. Chernin is declining to comment. (Iwantmedia 8/8, http://money.cnn.com/2008/08/08/news/newsmakers/siklos_chernin.fortune/index.htm?postversion=2008080809 8/8)

RCN Corp. President and CEO Peter Aquino said the company had increased revenue-generating units in its TV, telephony and broadband divisions during the second quarter, which helped the cable provider boost total revenue 16%, to $184 million, against the comparable period a year earlier. “Our growth strategy of winning customers from both cable and telecom incumbents across multiple products and customer segments is paying off, as we continue to leverage our unique metro and regional fiber platform,” he said. (CED Magazine 8/2008, OneTRAK 8/7)

Top Cablevision executives including CEO James Dolan, Chief Operating Officer Tom Rutledge and Chief Financial Officer Michael Huseby will meet next week with some of the company’s largest shareholders to discuss ways to improve its stock price, according to this article. Strategic moves considered to be up for discussion include the sale of Rainbow Media, the parent of cable nets such as AMC and IFC, or Madison Square Garden, the home of the New York Knicks and the New York Rangers, or both. (The Wall Street Journal 8/8)

It’s still subject to the approval of the mayor and City Council, but Verizon has received preliminary approval to bring its FiOS service to Washington. If it happens, FiOS will compete with Comcast, the prospects of which don’t seem overly worrisome for the country’s top cable provider: “Competition is not new to Comcast,” said spokeswoman Jaye P. Linnen. “The phone company is simply trying to catch up to where we have been for years.” (The Washington Post 8/8)

Perhaps picking up some of the 25,000 customers Dish Network lost, DirecTV posted higher than expected revenue growth as net profit rose to $455 million during Q2. The satellite provider reduced churn, added 129,000 net new subscribers and enjoyed healthy growth in Latin America. Average revenue per user also rose by 7%, thanks to HD and DVR signees. (Cynopsis 8/8)

I always enjoy watching the Olympics – be it the Summer or Winter Games.  The awesome pageantry of the opening and closing ceremonies, the thrill of victory, and the agony of defeat are all elements that entertain as well as inspire.  The caliber of competition and competitors at this level is intense and impressive.  I believe the Olympians from these games teach us valuable lessons that can be applied to other arenas of life.

These elite athletes set goals, visualize their success, train daily, focus their effort, eat right, rest, have fun with the sport in which they compete, and believe they can achieve greatness.  They exude purpose, passion, persistence, and preparedness.  These champions walk the talk.  They embody what is possible when you earnestly seek what seems impossible.  Adopt their mindset and action to achieve the dreams and goals of your life.

Did you know that there are thirty-three (33) sports events in the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing? Here are the 33 events:

1) Track & Field                                            18) Wrestling                                    

2) Badminton                                                   19) Diving

3) Baseball                                                       20) Water Polo

4) Basketball                                                    21) Modern Pentathlon

5) Boxing                                                          22) Softball

6) Canoe/Kayak                                                23) Taekwando

7) Rowing                                                         24) Tennis

Cycling (BMX, Mountain, Road, Track)          25) Shooting

9) Equestrian                                                    26) Table Tennis

10) Fencing                                                      27) Archery

11) Soccer                                                        28) Triathlon

12) Gymnastics (Artistic & Rythmic)                29) Sailing

13) Handball                                                    30) Volleyball

14) Field Hockey                                             31) Beach Volleyball

15) Judo                                                          32) Weightlifting

16) Swimming                                                 33) Trampoline

17) Synchronized Swimming

BROADCAST/CABLE

HBO has picked up a project based on the novel by Liza Palmer called Conversations with a Fat Girl.  The story focuses on Maggie and her now not-so-fat friend who is getting married to a guy Maggie thinks is all wrong.  Author Palmer won’t be writing any of the episodes, reports Variety. (Cynopsis 7/30)

On Aug. 24, IFC will premiere “Z Rock,” a comedy about a band that plays heavy-metal music at night and children’s birthday parties during the day. The 10-episode series will feature the actual band members of ZO2 as they perform hard-driving rock sets and then transform into the Z Brothers to entertain the kids of the rich and famous. The New York Times (7/30)

Advertising sales for NBC Universal’s coverage of the Summer Olympics are moving so briskly that the company will soon have to hold back inventory so that it can be sold during the event, NBCU said. With the opening ceremonies set for Aug. 17, NBCU has sold 96% of its inventory during the Games, according to Seth Winter, senior vice president of sales for NBC Sports and the Olympics. Mediaweek (7/29)

MTV parent Viacom is reporting lower-than-expected advertising sales at its cable television networks, and says the short-term economic outlook is “difficult to predict.” CEO Philippe Dauman adds: “Low ratings at a few of our networks also contributed,” citing BET. (http://www.reuters.com/article/industryNews/idUSN2937112520080730 7/29)

DirecTV is still winning the HD race, confirming plans to add more than 30 new HD channels next month including Planet Green HD, ABC Family HD and 23 regional sports nets, bringing its total offering to 130 HD channels. DirecTV will also be the first to offer all of its HD programming in MPEG-4 coding standard and Dolby Digital audio and plans to offer HD movies in 1080p later this year. (Cynopsis 7/30)

It’s official … Cablevision now owns 97% of Newsday. Cablevision Chief Operating Officer Tom Rutledge, who will oversee the newspaper, said Cablevision now would develop a strategy to pump up Newsday’s circulation in digital forms and introduce the newspaper’s subscribers and advertisers to the cable company’s offerings. Newsday (Long Island, N.Y.) (7/29) , Editor & Publisher (7/29)

TECHNOLOGY

Saying it delivers “the most realistic home theater performance in the world,” Meridian has unveiled its new 810 Reference Video System, a video-projector and scaler combo that produces a resolution of 10 megapixels. The 810 Reference Video System costs $185,000. ElectronicHouse.com (7/30)

A company is now selling what it calls the “world’s cheapest laptop,” which at $130, is not a bad deal if you can bear some hardware limitations. (http://www.infoworld.com/article/08/07/28/Worlds_cheapest_laptop_now_available_1.html?source=NLC-MOBILEHARDWARE&cgd=2008-07-30 7/28)

Not since Sam Raimi strapped a camera to a flying eyeball in Evil Dead have we seen such technical innovation with cameras. NBC camera guru Garrett Brown and colleagues have come up with a few whiz-bang inventions to enhance coverage of the Summer Olympics, reports The AP. (Cynopsis 7/30)

• Tiny HD “lipstick cams” will be placed on the athletes themselves to provide POV shots
• The submerged “Dive Cam” will shoot down a plastic tube to capture the point of impact from the high dive
• The “Sky Cam” will capture rowers and kayakers from far above the water course
• GPS and digital course maps will be deployed to help viewers keep track of athletes progress on longer events

Shanghai United Optical Disc has completed the initial production run of a disc that the company hopes can compete against the now-entrenched Blu-ray technology. The so-called China Blue High-definition Disc is based on Toshiba’s HD-DVD format and is expected to be cheaper to manufacture than Blu-ray discs. The Hollywood Reporter (7/29)