TV & VIDEO - Sept. 14, 1988

NBC officials have asked Olympic advertisers to allow silent live coverage of certain events to continue during commercials in a corner of the television screen, according to the New York Daily News. NBC Sports executive producer Michael Weisman confirmed that the plan had been presented to certain advertisers and said some have indicated interest, the Daily News reported. Under the plan, unprecedented in Olympic coverage, NBC would superimpose a silent picture in the lower-right-hand corner of the television screen during commercials in sports such as basketball, volleyball, cycling and long-distance track events. NBC’s actions, said the Daily News, are a reaction to the harsh viewer criticism ABC’s coverage of the ’88 Winter Olympics received earlier this year, when hockey goals and others were scored during commercial breaks.