As Athens officials discussed the Games with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) at an executive board meeting, senior NBC representative Alex Gilady said reports from Greece that Athens was scheduling finals an hour later from 1900 GMT onwards because of the network were incorrect.
"Anyone who does not understand the way American television works would easily fall into that trap," Gilady said. "Prime time in the U.S. is eight to 11 at night. That is 2.30 in the morning in Athens."
NBC, which owns the U.S. television rights for the Summer and Winter Olympics until 2008, suffered dismal ratings and huge criticism during the Sydney Games after screening mostly much-delayed highlights because of the huge time difference.
Games in Europe, however, are easier for the broadcaster since the gap between the action and the highlights packages at U.S. prime time would not be so great. Changing the schedule by an hour would make little difference to NBC which tends to concentrate its efforts on delayed highlights.
Television chiefs held a meeting with Athens last week to discuss schedules. Gilady said the discussions about delaying an hour were largely aimed at European broadcasters who are more interested in live action from Greece.
An hour delay would certainly help track and field athletes since temperatures in the Greek capital often exceed 40 degrees C during the summer months.
Athens is still under pressure to intensify its preparations for the Games after IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch handed the Greeks a severe warning last year about dragging their feet in its organisation.
IOC leaders stress that every bidding city cannot relax until the Games are over but there is no danger that the Games could be taken away from Greece.
Although Athens has an excellent complex for athletics, swimming and basketball which has already staged global events, the IOC has expressed worries about the construction of other facilities. There have also been concerns about security and transportation.
IOC leaders are due to visit Athens in the middle of this month to assess the preparations of the Greek capital. With the IOC visit so close, Athens chief Gianna Angelopoulos did not attend Tuesday's meeting.
Greek officials were advised to improve communications with the media by the IOC and discussed their plans for new sports facilities at the city's former airport.
Reuters
U.S. network NBC has denied that it was trying to exert pressure to put back the times of events at the 2004 Athens Olympics because of prime time television at home.
