Why are Ryan Seacrest and Meredith Viera on the Olympics?

[Miami84]

I thought Ryan was E!/Fox property and Viera quit NBC because she disliked Matt Lauer who she cohosted with for 4.5 hours last night. Seacrest seems to be there to talk about twitter and YouTube and make everyone under 30 look even dumber than most are normally with a lack o awareness and a me me me sense of life

[Steve915]

I wish Viera had found something else to do. She's pretty bad.

Here's an idea for Olympic TV coverage....less athlete interviews (Unless they do something really spectacular) and more coverage of the actual events.

[Horvath]

They deliver the desired ratings numbers in the target groups NBC cares about in this case.
Viera delivers Moms... (the audience they "have"), and Seacrest delivers the youth market... (the audience they "want more-of"). For example - for Procter & Gamble, whose products are purchassed by Moms... doesn't it make mom feel good to see someone "her" age hosting with young Seacrest ?

And if your CocaCola, Samsung or Nintendo, whose products are largely marketed to Young Adults 18-25... doesn't it help to have Ryan Seacrest giving the deets and keeping those youngsters' attention for at least enough time to see one of their expensive commercials ?

Short answer: Ratings.

[lana_sands]

The NBC sports staff is only so big. The Sunday football bunch would seen out of place talking swimming or Track. Seacrest is a frelancer. ABC has him for the Ney YEars show remember? As for Viera? I don't get her appeal at all. Poor Ann Curry got shafted. The show has not improved with the new girl.