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00:00From postcard cliches to stages of sporting history.
00:05Despite logistical headaches,
00:07Paris 2024 organisers were determined to transform the city's iconic landmarks
00:13into unconventional event venues.
00:15It's a choice the Olympic Games broadcasting chief says is paying off amid soaring TV ratings.
00:22It's not just that you have somebody finishing a road cycling event and crossing the line.
00:29It's that we zoom out and on top of the biggest cyclist in the world at the moment,
00:34it's the Eiffel Tower.
00:36This creates a moment which is unique.
00:39In France, where some had voiced indifference over hosting the Games,
00:4323.2 million people tuned in to watch the opening ceremony live,
00:48a record for broadcaster France Télévisions.
00:52Bonjour!
00:54Meanwhile, the Olympics have so far been a runaway hit for US broadcaster NBC Universal,
01:01welcome news for advertisers,
01:03who have committed a record $1.25 billion for the Games period.
01:08The opening ceremony attracted 28.6 million US viewers,
01:13the most watched start to a summer Games since London in 2012,
01:17and compared to 16.7 million in Tokyo in 2021.
01:22Plus, in the first five days, an average of 34 million people tuned in to primetime Olympic coverage
01:28on NBC platforms, up 79% from Tokyo.
01:32The discrepancy is unsurprising.
01:34Still in the grips of the pandemic, no fans were allowed into the venues in 2021,
01:39which was unlikely to have inspired audiences at home,
01:43while many of the biggest events took place either early in the morning or late at night
01:47for American viewers on the East Coast.
01:50The Olympic Broadcasting Services say it's producing a record 11,000 hours of content
01:55to feed the growing appetite of broadcasters and digital platforms.