Large numbers of Chinese are going online to watch the Olympics while at work as employers prevent them from watching the events on television.
In a survey by marketing company Carat China, half of respondent said they watch the Olympics online while at work. Online live streaming or replays of the Games increased on weekdays when fans were not able to watch television due to work.
Television was still the most popular choice for respondents with more than 90 percent saying they watched the Games on TV, compared to 80 percent who also watched online.
“Consumers have turned to the Internet for Olympic information in large numbers,” said Seth Grossman, communication planning director for Carat in Shanghai.
The 2008 Games are on track to becoming the most watched in history, with record audiences for NBC, according to the International Olympic Committee.
Americans are also watching the Olympics at work with online traffic spiking during lunch time.
A Nielsen online survey revealed higher numbers accessing the Games online during weekdays. Yahoo’s Olympic site is the most popular, averaging 4.7 million visitors a day followed by NBC’s Olympic site averaging 4.3 million visits.
The most popular events for Chinese viewers have been the opening ceremony, which attracted 956 million viewers, primarily on state-run China Central Television (CCTV). The preliminary basketball game between the U.S. and China attracted 378 million Chinese viewers.
