Countdown Beijing -- U.S. Broadcaster to Set Olympic Revenue Record

Performances from Dara Torres and other top athletes during recent Olympic trials are credited with helping boost enthusiasm around the Games. (Getty Images)NBC to Break Billion Mark?

Ninety percent of NBC's Olympic advertising is already sold, says the network, putting it on track to beat ad revenue from the 2004 Games.

Anything over $1 billion breaks the Athens record plus fattens the profit on NBC's $893 million outlay for 2008 Games broadcast rights. NBC aims to earn more than $1 billion with advertising space across its networks NBC, USA, MSNBC, Oxygen, Telemundo and online and mobile outlets. Olympic ads average some $750,000 per 30 seconds.

"Advertisers across all categories are recognizing the power of premium content and the strength of the Olympic brand," says Seth Winter, SVP sales at NBC Sports & Olympics.

Improved ratings for the recent Team USA trials in swimming, gymnastics and track and field are causing momentum around the Olympics, says Winter. He says advertisers are also impressed by ratings for the U.S. Open and Wimbledon.

NBC will screen some 3,600 hours of Olympics coverage on its group networks, and 2,200 hours live online.

Beijing Waits for Air to Clear

Beijing waits to see if a massive pollution control scheme can clear the air in the Olympic city, with less than three weeks to the Games.

Traffic is visibly lighter 48 hours into the part of the plan that removes half the city's cars from the roads each day. On July 20, about 1.8 million vehicles with odd-numbered plates in Beijing were prohibited from the road under the even-odd license plate number system to be in place through the Paralympics.

“Before we would be at a dead standstill. Now it’s better,” AP quotes a taxi driver by the name of Zhang about city traffic. Car drivers who violate the odd-even law are fined $14 by the traffic police and given a time allowance to go back to their original destination. (Getty Images)

“Most of the drivers are very responsible and they abide by the rule. I have not given any ticket to anyone the whole morning,” a traffic police officer in Fuxingmen tells the Beijing Daily newspaper.

Many city residents are dusting off their bicycles while the system is in place. The Carrefour supermarket parking lot was surprisingly devoid of cars but full of bicycles, Beijing media report.

Three new subway lines inaugurated on July 20 will help Beijingers commute; it is estimated that as many as four million city residents will switch to using public transportation during this period.

Besides the traffic plan, chemical plants, power station and foundries in Beijing neighboring cities were also ordered to cut down their emissions by 30 percent starting from Sunday. All construction works that generate dust are ordered to stop entirely.

The deputy director of Beijing's environmental protection office expects conclusive results from the reduction exercise within 20 days, state media report. That date is August 9.

Torch Reaches Olympic City

The sailboat Qingdao ferried the Olympic torch through an algae-free sailing venue on July 21. Four sailors aboard, Two torch-bearing sailors pose on the Qingdao. (BOCOG)including the sailing competition director, handed the torch to one another during a 20-minute voyage. The other 255 torchbearers all stayed on land for a 14.5 km relay in the morning.

In the early evening, the torch arrived at the town of Linyi, southwest of Qingdao and the second stop in Shandong province. The 109 torchbearers covered a route of 5.6 km.

Two Fatalities in Bus Attacks

At least two people are dead after a pair of bus explosions in the southwestern China city of Kunming. City police describe both as deliberate attacks, but have yet to name any suspects.

The first explosion happened at 7:10 a.m., the second at 8:05 a.m. Photos of one bus show visible elements of a charred frame where the explosion ripped a hole in the side of the vehicle.

Police in Yunnan province are on high alert while a manhunt is on for suspects.

Both Olympics organizers and members of the Beijing government consider terrorism a threat to the Games. About 100,000 officers are on Games-time duty. Separatists from Xinjiang or pro-Tibet groups are cited as major threats.

Beijing Briefs…

The Olympic Village is open for the advance delegates of 12 national Olympic committees. "We call it a soft opening," a BOCOG staff member is quoted in state media. Team GB is among the NOCs; a vanguard of team staff are already preparing the athlete residential areas, according to a statement from London. The Village officially opens on July 27.

Written by Maggie Lee

For general comments or questions, click here

Click here to see the latest Around the Rings Olympic Bid Power Index -- the only authoritative ranking of the 2016 bid cities.