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Previous studies of NBC’s primetime Olympic commentary have revealed differences in how the network describes male figure skaters as compared to the composite of other male Olympians. To determine if NBC presented male Olympic figure skaters differently than the composite of other male Olympians during its 2018 primetime Winter Olympic broadcast, all 63.5 hours of NBC’s primetime broadcast television coverage of the PyeongChang Games were examined using a taxonomy that categorized NBC’s commentary about Olympic athletes into macro categories of success/failure, and personality/physicality. This study revealed 10 significantly-different mediated dialogue trends between male figure skaters and the aggregate of other male Winter Olympians. Male figure skaters were more likely to receive success comments related to strength, composure, and commitment, and failure comments related to a lack of concentration, strength, and composure. They were also more likely to receive comments related to being outgoing/extroverted. Other male Olympians were more likely to receive success comments related to intelligence and were more likely to receive comments about their size/body parts and comments in the “other/neutral” category. The findings are analyzed in the context of the PyeongChang broadcast and longitudinal research.

Content analysis was used to examine NBC’s primetime broadcast commentary from the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympic Games (62 hours) and the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games (61.5 hours) to ascertain differences in how male and female athletes were described. Using an expanded taxonomy to analyze the descriptor word(s) assigned to each athlete, NBC’s commentary diverged based on athlete sex in a number of categories in both Games, though differences were not consistent between the two Games, with one notable exception. A number of firsts were found with respect to significant differences in descriptors in the Tokyo Games, while significant differences found in the Beijing commentary repeated previous findings. Commentary during the Tokyo Games appeared to present females as athletes first, as compared to men, focusing on their commitment, intelligence, and athletic backgrounds. Men were significantly more likely to have their attractiveness discussed, a result in opposition to previous studies. The attractiveness finding from Tokyo was also replicated for men during the Beijing Games. Overall, Tokyo commentary presented significant differences in 10 different categories, while the Beijing commentary presented significant differences in 5 different categories. The divergences are examined within their given Olympiad and also analyzed in a longitudinal context.

All 63.5 hours of NBC’s 2018 primetime Winter Olympic broadcast from PyeongChang were analyzed to determine differences between the network’s treatment of male and female athletes. For the first time in any Winter Olympiad studied, women received more athlete mentions than men and women accounted for the majority of the most mentioned athletes. A woman was the most mentioned athlete, the first time this finding has appeared on an NBC Winter Olympic broadcast. When individual sports were examined, however, men received more mentions in nine of the 15 winter sports, and a male was the most mentioned athlete in 10 winter sports. Analysis of NBC announcer dialogues revealed significant differences in only three areas, differing from past findings in previously studied Olympiads. Longitudinal context is articulated.