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NBC crosses $1 billion ad sales mark for Olympics
MUMBAI: NBC has been able to cross its target of a record $1 billion in ad sales for the Athens games, which kicked off last Saturday.
In India Doordarshan is airing the games and the situation is very different. As reported earlier by Indiantelevision.com, while DD will net Rs 80 million from the games, the acquisition costs were substantially higher at Rs 240 million.
Coming back to the US, an NBC Sports spokeswoman Cameron Blanchard was quoted in Newsday saying that the network, which is broadcasting 1,210 hours of coverage across six channels which is nearly three times the amount it aired from Sydney in 2000, sold out its inventory before Friday’s Opening Ceremony. NBC paid $793 million for the rights. It is airing Olympic programming on NBC, CNBC, MSNBC, Bravo, the USA Network and Telemundo.
Trade magazine Television Week added that NBC charged $700,000 per 30 seconds for broadcast prime-time spots, $250,000 for weekend day air time and $75,000 for late-night and weekday spots.
Visa, Mazda, AT&T Wireless, BMW, Allstate and McDonald’s are among the marketers that have launched new campaigns tied to the Olympics. US Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps who has so far won three Gold medals, tennis players Venus and Serena Williams and weight lifter Shane Hamman are among the athletes starring in the ads.
Earlier the parent NBC Universal had stated that it expected to make a profit of about $50 million from the Olympics. This figure is less than it was two years ago, when NBC raked in $75 million from broadcasting the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympic Games. NBC had to pay more for the rights to carry the Athens games compared to Sydney. It also had to absorb higher security costs.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
