NBC Universal will use the Olympic Games to prop up its newly acquired Oxygen network, scheduling two hours of weeknight programming during this summer’s Beijing Games.
From 6 p.m.-8 p.m. (EST) throughout the Olympics, the network will air a gymnastics show each weeknight, as well as coverage of other female-targeted sports.
While sports have long delivered "rented" audiences, Oxygen and Bravo Media president Lauren Zalaznick knows it is up to her to make the opportunity pay off.
"It is guaranteed that we won’t keep all these people, but if you believe in marketing like I do, the key to great marketing is some degree of ground-softening in the form of exposure and sampling," she said. "I think for all of the things on Oxygen, from movies to series, we can tailor the best promos to that audience."
