Source link : https://las-vegas-news.com/winter-olympics-ratings-rebound-in-italy-double-the-drama-double-the-viewers/
A Surge in Viewer Engagement (Image Credits: Flickr)
Italy – The Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics concluded with audiences nearly doubling those of the Beijing Games four years prior, highlighting a vibrant contrast in global appeal.[1][2]
A Surge in Viewer Engagement
NBCUniversal reported an average of 23.5 million viewers across platforms for the Milano Cortina Games, marking the highest Winter Olympics audience since Sochi 2014.[3] This figure represented a 96 percent increase over Beijing 2022’s average of around 12 million viewers.[2] Every full competition day topped 20 million viewers, underscoring sustained interest throughout the event.[4]
In the host nation, two out of three Italians tuned into Rai’s coverage, surpassing engagement levels from the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics.[5] Peak moments, such as alpine skiing events, drew nearly 5 million viewers on the public broadcaster.[6] This domestic fervor fueled broader international excitement.
Beijing’s Muted Response
The 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics recorded the lowest primetime viewership in NBC history, averaging 10.7 million on television alone.[7] Factors like time zone challenges and pandemic restrictions contributed to the decline, but the controlled atmosphere played a key role.[8] Athletes faced surveillance and directives to avoid controversy, limiting the event’s narrative depth.[1]
Global audiences sensed the restraint, resulting in disengagement. The Games struggled to capture the…
—-
Author : Matthias Binder
Publish date : 2026-02-26 20:33:00
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.
—-
1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7 – 8