• by Wayne Friedman , August 8, 2012

New Olympic research says about a quarter of NBC's viewers of the London Olympics are watching programming live during the day -- and that overall, the coverage is excellent or good.

Pew Research says most Olympic followers -- 68% -- say they are watching events in the evening after they have already occurred, with 23% watching the NBC coverage live.

There has been much criticism around the tape-delayed viewing of the Olympics -- as well as what specific sports are shown in prime time. Still, Pew's research says 29% of Olympic watchers describe the coverage as excellent; 47% as good; 13%, as fair; and 5% as poor.

Pew adds that "although there has been criticism of NBC’s coverage expressed online on social media sites like Twitter, the coverage is rated equally well by those who are watching online and following on social networks." Those numbers are 70% excellent or good.

It adds there is little difference in the ratings given by those watching events live (85% excellent/good) and those watching in the evening after the events have occurred (75%).

The study say young viewers are more likely to have followed Olympic coverage on social networking sites than older Americans. Thirty-one percent of 18-29 viewers have followed coverage on social networking sites like Facebook or Twitter compared with 11% of those 30-49, 6% of those 50-64, and just 2% of those 65 and older.

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