[Scarlett.]

The US broadcaster NBC is facing growing criticism after editing their delayed coverage of the London 2012 opening ceremony to replace the "memorial wall" tribute section with a Ryan Seacrest interview with Michael Phelps.

NBC, exclusive holders of the US rights to the Games, chose to broadcast the entire ceremony on a time-delay to maximise primetime advertising revenue, and were further criticised for refusing to provide a live online stream.

NBC's broadcast, which began as the live ceremony was finishing in London, left out sections including the reflective moment when the Scottish singer Emeli Sandé sang Abide with Me.

The section included images of loved ones lost by those in the stadium, and was also widely interpreted as a tribute to the 52 victims of the 7/7 terrorist attacks in London in 2005.

On the BBC's coverage, commentator Hazel Irvine said: "The excitement of that moment in Singapore seven years ago when London won the Games was tempered with great sorrow the very next day, with the events on 7 July."

However NBC instead cut away in order to show Seacrest, the host of American Idol, interview Phelps.

Criticism of NBC's handling of the broadcast rights comes after it revealed its advertising income from the event has passed $1bn (£630m). It earned $850m from the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

In reaction to complaints over the lack of a live stream from the ceremony, NBC said: "We are live streaming every sporting event, all 32 sports and all 302 medals … The opening and closing ceremonies, however, are entertainment spectacles.

"Our award-winning production team will present them on a medium that best demonstrates their grandeur and majesty, and at a time when friends and family are able to gather together to watch, which is in primetime."


The Guardian

[Niall]

Idiots.

[Doogle]

why the ****

and of all things they could've ****ing replaced it with it was Ryan ****ing Seacrest?

[Saph]

America always tries to hide controversial stuff like this from viewers :s They've always been bad for it but ever since the Janet Jackson boob thing they've been 10x worse

[Harry!]

Also some of the more controversial songs from the digital era segment were cut. Canada TV cut the NHS segment out too. Terrible!

[Jordan.]

Disgusting. Imagine how they'd react if we edited a 9/11 tribute?

[Shaun]

Class.

[King Gizzard]

Didn't they say something like ''Who?'' when Sir Tim Berners Lee came on as well?

[BBfanUSA]

I know also they kept cutting out for commercials along with not showing the queen checking her fingernails when GB came out. (Okay cutting out constantly for the march is PERFECTLY understandable but for the rest of it? No)

[Tom4784]

Completely disgusting, I hope they catch holy hell for this.

[BBfanUSA]

Yeah, IOC should revoke the rights to the 2014/16 cycle and give them to CBS/FOX/ABC.

It'll make them really irrelevant.

[Benjamin]

Originally Posted by Jordan.

Disgusting. Imagine how they'd react if we edited a 9/11 tribute?

My sentiments exactly.