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CNN Saturday Morning News

Interview With Matthew Felling

Aired February 09, 2002 - 07:42   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Let the Games begin, now that the opening ceremony pageantry is behind us; time to get on with the competition. There was plenty to see last night, including a parade of the torn ground zero flag, an eloquent reminder of the tragedy of September 11. You will recall there was a little brouhaha over that, but it ultimately was displayed during the opening ceremonies, a solemn moment, not a sound heard in the stadium as it came in.

And joining me from Washington to talk about the 19th Winter Games and coverage of the competition is Matthew Felling of the Center for Media and Public Affairs -- Matthew, good to have you with us.

MATTHEW FELLING, CENTER FOR MEDIA & PUBLIC AFFAIRS: Good morning, Miles.

O'BRIEN: That was an emotional moment when really you couldn't -- you could have heard a pin drop in that stadium; 52,000 people. But the controversy that kind of led up to it bespeaks the Olympic movement in general a little bit, doesn't it?

FELLING: Yes, it does. And it's just further emblematic of the trouble that a lot of times the Winter Olympics has in building buzz for the event. We didn't have a whole lot of other news stories to be talking about in advance of the Olympics opening ceremony last night. So the flag became an event unto itself, and also it's a stigmatizing thing to have this ripped, torn, emotional flag and have some brouhaha over it, as you said. If they could play it in the Super Bowl, why can't they play on the world's greatest stage?

O'BRIEN: All right. So what do you think of -- what are the prospects for NBC as it embarks on this coverage of this particular Olympic Games. I mean, it is February. There's not a lot else to watch on TV anyway.

FELLING: Exactly.

(CROSSTALK)

O'BRIEN: And I guess that's one of their big advantages, right?

FELLING: Yes. If you remember, the XFL tried to fill that post- Super Bowl vacuum last year, and their ratings were off the charts for the first couple of weeks, because we are in that February lull, where there is not a whole lot going on. NHL-NBA playoff races, for instance, really haven't begun in earnest; and the Super Bowl, as we said, is done. So there is that unto itself.

And then there is also the post-September 11 rawness that America is still feeling emotionally, and the intersection of those two events is a great opportunity for NBC to really, not cash in, but draw support for these Winter Games, which are notorious for lack of support, because face it. The United States of America is not really a Winter Olympics country. The biggest two events that we can think of in the past for the Winter Olympics is the '80 Olympic hockey team, and is Tanya Harding's boyfriend taking a whack at Nancy Kerrigan's knee.

We don't really -- the Winter Olympics are to the United States as that football is to Charlie Brown. We try really hard. We train for four years, but we have never really (UNINTELLIGIBLE) that.

O'BRIEN: Well, a couple of things. First of all, the interesting irony there is that miracle in ice of 1980. Many people would say that was the greatest sporting moment of the 20th century. I have heard it said, and I kind of believe it. So it is kind of interesting that it was such a high point, and yet it is not one of the sports that we consider part of our fabric as much.

I am curious though. When you talk about NBC's coverage of the Games, and the criticism aimed at NBC in the past and likely this time around it will be the same, is that they're a bit saccharine, and they go for the human interest at the expense of just plain old covering the events.

FELLING: Yes, I mean, there is something to that. We saw a marked change in the '80s away from coverage of the events, just clean, and then we tried to make it almost a drama, a human drama. They attempted to bring in the feminine audience by giving you the story behind the story. Oh, look at this poor figure skater. He was a troubled youth, but then his godfather gave him a pair of ice skates, and he found his inner calling.

O'BRIEN: Yes, whatever.

FELLING: That is the kind of story...

O'BRIEN: Yes.

FELLING: That is the kind of story that we are always pelted with, when it comes to the Olympic Games. It's a little bit insulting to people, who actually watch the Games and are a big fan of Alberto Tomba or the giant slalom or the luge. But they are trying to get the largest audience possible, and it's not going to be done with strictly sports events.

O'BRIEN: All right. So what are the highlights going to be? Look into your crystal ball. Michelle Kwan, obviously if she gets the gold. That would be important. And...

FELLING: Michelle, the women's figure skating is a great example. It is a soap opera. Michelle Kwan, she recently split up with her coach, so she is there all by herself, and she has an up-and- coming American challenger, Sarah Hughes, who is 16 years old. And there is also a Russian named Slutskaya, who is a very entrepreneurial type skater. She always wants to try the newest, latest thing. And it's funny. I was looking at this yesterday. We think Michelle Kwan has been around forever. I think she is only 21, but she is the elder stateswoman of her sport.

O'BRIEN: She is about ready for social security in the figure skating world.

Now, you know, my kids call it sledding, but in the Olympic world they call this the skeleton. Tell us about this, because it is an interesting story there on the Shea and kind of a poignant story as well. And the skeleton rider, Shea, was there last night as part of the ceremonies.

FELLING: Yes, the skeleton is an old concept that they are bringing back. We haven't had it since 1948. We have gotten used to the bobsled. We have gotten used to the luge. But this skeleton is just a sled for one person, where they are heading down, they are thrust down head-first through the luge course. It's an amazing, very stressful, almost Mountain Dew X games type of sport.

But I am sure that they think it is going to draw in a younger audience. It's very thrilling. It's very exciting, and it should be interesting to see if America, I think that we are the favorites for this medal event, and maybe we will boost our stats by having the gold medal winner in this sport as well.

O'BRIEN: All right. The skeleton is one to watch as well -- Matthew Felling, thank you very much, and maybe we will check in with you as the Games progress to see how you feel things are going television-wise and games-wise.

FELLING: All right.

O'BRIEN: We appreciate your insights this morning.

FELLING: Have a good day, Miles.

O'BRIEN: All right.

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