Questions and answers from Nagano

Posted: Thu February 12, 1998 at 4:33 PM ET

Q: How many cameras are in use at the Olympics? What event has the most cameras? How many were used at the last Olympics?

Ron Gaston
Mobile, Alabama

Answer from TNT producers: Thousands. It is impossible to pinpoint. Television coverage of all of the events at all of the venues is provided by Olympic Radio & Television (ORTO). It is called a "world feed" and provides coverage for all of the world's broadcasters. The ORTO coverage is sent to the International Broadcast Center in Nagano, where the feed is distributed to each broadcaster. Many broadcasters, in particular CBS and TNT, have supplemental cameras and personnel to enhance and expand the coverage received from ORTO.

For example, there are more than 250 people working for TNT in Nagano and close to 1,000 people working for CBS. When you count all of the permanent cameras, hand-held cameras and robotic cameras -- such as on the alpine skiing course or in the nets of the hockey goals -- we are told by ORTO that there are thousands of cameras involved in television coverage of the Olympics.

We do not have statistics from past Olympics, although CBS and TNT are using considerably more equipment in 1998 than was used in 1994.

Q: During the skiing, luge and speed skating, we keep hearing horns being blown. Are the fans doing this instead of cheering? It sounds like a nuisance.

Jane Martin
Waukomis, Oklahoma

Answers from TNT producers: The horn noises you hear are fans blowing small plastic horns that are a way of cheering in Japan. The horns are a very popular item as souvenirs. There is also cheering, but at the majority of the venues where there are large crowds -- such as Alpine skiing, speed skating, ski jumping, etc. -- horns seem to be the most popular method of cheering.

Q: Can a team lose one game in the hockey round and still win the gold medal? What do you think of Russia chance to win gold?

Greg Flakus
Vancouver, Washington

Answer from TNT hockey expert Mike Emrick: There is a three-game round robin tournament that sets the seedings for a single game elimination. A team can lose a game in round robin play and still win the gold medal.

Canada is certainly favored with its very powerful lineup, and the United States also figures to contend. While Russia is not the favorite, any of the six teams playing for the Olympic medals can win. Russia is a very talented team with NHLers such as Sergei Federov, who is not with the Red Wings as you probably know, Pavel and Valerie Bure and Valerie Kaminsky, to name a few.

Thank you for your interest in Olympic hockey. We hope you enjoy our coverage of both the men's and women's search for Olympic gold.

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