Stay Tuned: Viewer Earns World Record in NBC Promo
Terrye Jackson will take a very long, well-deserved nap. She broke the Guinness World Record for consecutive television watching in an NBC promotion to drive viewers for its Olympic coverage.
Jackson was one of 22 contestants who qualified for the attempt through local radio contests nationwide and on NBCOlympics.com. The event was held at Universal Orlando Resort, where it tied NBC round-the-clock Olympic coverage and its Universal properties.
Jackson watched 50 hours and seven minutes of consecutive television, besting the old mark of 50 hours, five minutes by two minutes.
“It really wasn’t that hard,” Jackson said in a prepared statement. “I was just trying to watch the Olympic Games. I’m not really tired, I’m just a little fatigued. It’s going to be tough to go to sleep now. I’ll probably have to take a warm bath and then I’ll be able to sleep.”
Jackson, of Springdale, MD, began watching NBC’s Olympic broadcast at 8 p.m. on Sunday and finally called it quits at 10:07 p.m. Tuesday, two minutes after passing the old mark. While watching the coverage she cheered on the athletes and danced to the music in commercials to help stay awake.
“When they told me I beat the world record, I was watching the gymnastics,” she said. “I wanted to finish watching it.”
Jackson will receive a trip for two to the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Torino, Italy and a high definition home theater.
