The official Olympics broadcasting partners pay millions (and in NBC’s case billions) of dollars for the rights to televise the games. That exclusivity has its perks. Clips from the games may only be used in extremely specific circumstances by other networks, and none of them can broadcast from inside any Olympic venue.
As we noted last month the unaccredited networks can get creative in how they cover the games. A perfect example: how exactly do they get such great views of the Olympic stadium in their shots (see CNN’s Piers Morgan interviewing swimmer Missy Franklin, above right), if they can’t get into the complex?
The solution: take over a local’s apartment.
Yes, many of the unaccredited broadcasters, including CNN, took advantage of some of the old apartment complexes that overlook what is now Olympic Park. In the picture below, taken near the aquatics venue inside the Park, you can see a bright light in the upper right of the building. That is a broadcaster not lucky enough to get Olympics rights, but with enough wherewithal to get a decent view of the action.