BizJournals Portfolio
Aug 18 2008 8:52am EDT

Idle Chatter: Swimming in Olympic Gold

-NBC's set to clear about $100 million in profit from the Olympics thanks to sky-high ratings. Jeff Zucker wants to you remember this moment next time you're accusing him of failing upward. [NYT]

-Coincidentally, Michael Phelps could also end up making $100 million from the Olympics. The swimmer's eight-gold-medal performance in Beijing has prompted an avalanche of sponsorship offers, licensing deals and celebrities' phone numbers. [WSJ]

-Meanwhile, Sports Illustrated is shooting Phelps in an update of the iconic poster showing Mark Spitz, the previous record holder, posing in his seven gold medals. [NYP]

-Time Warner chairman Dick Parsons says you can't force him to be mayor, so just give it up, okay? [NYM]

-The Los Angeles Times has a new publisher: former DirecTV CEO Eddy Hartenstein. [LAT]

-Family Guy creator Seth McFarlane is officially a sellout. [NYT]. □


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