Television, the Olympics and the "Hyperspectator"

This is a thesis in the discipline of Film and Television Production and, as equal elements, the thesis and accompanying video are submitted as equivalent in length to\ud a 30,000 word thesis. From the Berlin Olympics of 1936 to the present preparations for the Sydney\ud Olympics of 2000 there has been television coverage of the Olympic Games. This study examines the symbiotic relationship that has historically developed between\ud the Olympic Games and the television broadcasters who provide coverage of the Games.\ud This paper examines, by studying available tapes of the summer Olympics up to Atlanta 1996, the visual images that are available to the television viewer as a result\ud of the relationship. Images available to the television viewer which cannot be seen by spectators at the venue, or by the coaches or officials of the sport or even by the\ud competitor. The availability of these images elevates the viewer above the venue spectator to a position of 'hyperspectator'.\ud A video 'OLYMPIC RINGS' and accompanying treatment, shot list library and voice over script are submitted as half of the thesis as an integral part of the professional development process of preparing a thesis in the production-based discipline of Film and Television Production