• On 27th July 2012, London hosted the opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympics. During this show was a tribute, in dance sequence form, to those who had fallen and specifically those who fell during the "7/7" terrorist attacks on the London transport system in 2005.
  
  This was an important part of the ceremony, as BBC commentator Hazel Irvine pointed out: "The excitement of that moment in Singapore seven years ago when London won the [bid for the Olympic] Games was tempered with great sorrow the very next day, with the events on 7 July." (http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012/jul/28/london-2012-nbc-opening-ceremony)
  
  The American network NBC decided to cut the 7/7 tribute from their delayed broadcasting of the event in the States, stating that it "wasn't tailored to U.S. audience" (Source: http...://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2181011/NBC-coverage-Outrage-claiming-7-7-tribute-Olympic-Opening-Ceremony-wasnt-tailored-U-S-audience.html?ito=feeds-newsxml). Now facing criticism, their move has been taken as a show of tasteless disrespect. Their country has a rather sizeable British ex-pat community, strong trade links, and a friendly ally in Great Britain.
  
  During the part where the tribute had been performed, NBC cut away to Ryan Seacrest (well-known television personality and host of the British import American Idol show) interviewing Michael Phelps (Olympic athlete and multiple Gold medal winner). News reports state that the NBC's advertising income from the event is over $1 billion, a considerable increase from what it earned from the 2008 Beijing Olympics. (http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012/jul/28/london-2012-nbc-opening-ceremony) A spokesman for the NBC said "Our award-winning production team will present [the opening ceremony]… at a time when friends and family are able to gather together to watch, which is in primetime." (http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012/jul/28/london-2012-nbc-opening-ceremony) Understandably, the NBC television network is a business and in thus needs to make as much money as possible.
  
  However, we feel this modification of the opening ceremony was tremendously disrespectful. We hold a moments peace as respect on 9/11 every year, and simply wanted a few minutes during the opening ceremony of the London Olympics to portray some gratitude to those fallen because of this atrocity. If the Americans had held the Olympics in NY, and included a dance sequence honouring the fallen of 9/11, we wouldn't have cut it in our own broadcast here. It is doubtful that this sort of action would even be considered by the BBC.
  
  We are petitioning to ask for a public apology from NBC for their lack of compassion, sympathy, solidarity and respect to those who have had to endure the tragedy of a terrorist attack. They should know better.

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