The deal, reported in The New York Times, means NBC will be able to tap Facebook data to inform its TV coverage. One manifestation will be a "Facebook Talk Meter," that will display what viewers are chattering about related to the Games. In an interview with The Times, Gary Zenkel, the president of NBC Olympics, said that the social network's huge size (900 million users and counting) plus its young-skewing demographics were a key draw. Zenkel characterized the Facebook overlay as part of “our continuing efforts to reassemble the audience” that has splintered with the introduction of digital media.
No money is changing hands in the deal, according to the report, which assumes that both will benefit from the collaboration. NBC will be streaming the games online, but users will have to verify that they have a cable or satellite provider. For its part, Facebook has already attempted to position itself as the go-to destination for information about the Games with its 2012 Olympics Hub, which it introduced last month.
The deal also follows a similar collaboration with CNN for 2012 political coverage that was announced on Sunday.