Social Media Olympics
Saturday February 27, 2010 - Email this article to a friend

Facebook, Twitter, news websites, TV and even newspapers have all been full of Olympic coverage over the past couple of weeks. 

The BBC has been tweeting away on Twitter and keeping people in the picture on Facebook, whilst individuals at the Games have also frantically been posting pictures and the latest news; the athletes themselves have joined in but they have been under some tight Olympic restrictions, as we reported here.
 
Timo Lumme, head of Television and marketing for the International Olympic Committee, said non-traditional media had already matched the 20,000 hours from traditional broadcasters so far these Games. 

They have contributed to a total audience he expects to reach 3.5 billion; that's half the world's population.
 
Individual BBC reporters have been tweeting and blogging too; even, rather controversially writing that the Downhill has had its day and is a thing of the past.

Though we can't say we agree with that as some of us at PlanetSKI rather like our racing. Sorry Rob Hodgetts.
 
With an eight hour time difference conventional media has been struggling to stay on top of their coverage. 

For example, Amy Williams won her Gold Medal at 2am on Saturday morning; the first editions had long gone to print by that time meaning the stories didn't make the nationals until Sunday.  The same applied for the medal ceremony.
 
We've been keeping an eye on the British Alpine Skiers Facebook's and on many of the athletes Twitter accounts.

It's not been so easy in previous years when have all relied on the press in resort for interviews, this year much of the news has come 'from the horses mouths' over the Internet.
 
From the magic of Facebook we can report that Ed Drake is on his way back to the UK following the completion of his events and recently wrote from the airport.
 
Would it have been the Games it was without the internet?

Well, probably not; with many delays and postponements Social Media has kept us all in the picture. 

UK Ski Magazine editor, Neil McQuoid, wrote on his Racer Ready Twitter on Tuesday evening simply, "P O S T P O N E D" in reference to the Women's GS second run.

The social networking sites and the web sites have kept us all up to date and are here to stay.

If you are a new reader to PlanetSKI we are an independent news and information web site about anything ski related; check out the other areas, you may like them.

See our special Olympic Section on PlanetSKI; as well as the latest news it has some in-depth features and a few stories that you won't see elsewhere.

While the latest blog from our content editor reveals he has got rather swept up in it all too.

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