• CNNMoney.com, Thursday, June 14, 2007 10 AM

NBC's broadcast of the Summer Olympic Games in Beijing next year may suffer from a growing backlash against China's ties to the government of Sudan. Actress Mia Farrow, who also acts as the as Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF, has been calling them "Genocide Olympics," due to the carnage in Darfur.

China is a big investor in Sudan's oil industry and has done little if anything to stop the violence in Darfur. Farrow has urged people to contact sponsors of the Olympics and ask them to withhold support of the games until there is a peaceful resolution. During its upfront presentation this year, NBC heavily touted the games and media buyers say that the Sudan issue does not yet appear to dampening enthusiasm for buying time.

"It's still a little early, but I have not heard any concerns or backlash yet," says Andy Donchin, director of national broadcast with Carat USA. But that could change, notes John Rash, senior vice president and director of broadcast negotiations with Campbell Mithun. "Any time there is a negative dynamic associated with something as positive as the Olympics, it's one of many concerns that a network and advertisers could have."

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