print this page
By Lauren Hard
If you’ve watched Shaun White dominate the halfpipe, or Lindsey Vonn fight through an injury on a mobile screen, you know all about the kind of work that Ellen Rose does. As a digital media editor for NBC Sports and Olympics, Ellen is one of the people that makes sure you don’t miss a second when it comes to watching athletes like Apolo Ohno do laps around the competition. Read on for more about her experience with NBC Universal, mobile trendsetting and which events she can’t wait to see.
What made you interested in working at NBC, particularly with the Olympics?
Working in sports communications has always been a dream of mine and to have the opportunity to work on the Olympics at NBC is just icing on the cake. It's a unique experience to be a part of because it captures the attention of so many people around the world. Not many other events can rally that kind of involvement. I’m from Atlanta and when the city was awarded the Centennial Olympic Games in 1996, everyone was beyond excited. You could feel the energy throughout the community. It was incredible to see the entire city come together and prepare to welcome the world.
What's it been like working in the sports-focused department of NBC, which is traditionally a male-dominated area?
Since the first day I started my role with NBC Sports and Olympics, I’ve been in constant amazement of the people I am working with, both male and female. I honestly can’t say enough positive things about all of my colleagues. If anything, what’s stood out to me the most is the amount of smart, sports-savvy women throughout the department. The experience of working with women who have the same passion for sports as I do is pretty amazing.
What helped you get to such a successful point in your career?
The ability to pick up new skills quickly has been a big success of mine. You have to be open and willing to keep up with the latest advances in your field to get to the next level. I've worked in both broadcast and web production and because I've learned both sides, I think it's made me versatile and knowledgeable about the latest technologies and methods used in the industry.
Is mobile content going to be important for this Olympics? Are there any new types of technologies being implemented?
Everyone was blown away by the traffic of NBC Olympics Mobile during the Beijing Summer Games. What we saw was that users wanted to stay connected to the Olympics, and over the course of a 17-day event, they needed to find that content via whatever device they had at hand. For the Vancouver Olympics, NBC Olympics Mobile has two mobile applications, a Smartphone version of the mobile site and new social media features that will cater to users wanting the most current content wherever they are. To me, that's the most amazing thing about mobile and I feel very proud to be working on such impressive products that will give users the full Olympic experience.
What event are you looking forward to covering most?
It's hard to point out which event I'm most excited to cover because there’s going to be so much good competition at the Vancouver Olympics. I think the Alpine Skiing, Figure Skating and Snowboarding events will be extremely interesting, especially with the strong competitors representing Team USA. I love the elements of uncertainly and surprise that all of these sports involve. The athletes have trained so hard and given up so much to get to this point. When their moment finally comes, it's going to be very emotional to watch.
Stay updated on Ellen’s Olympic work by visiting the NBC Olympic mobile homepage.
Join NYWICI on these social networks: