With the 2012 Olympics across the pond and time zones away it's hard not to learn about the action before it's broadcast on our televisions in America. YNN's Erin Clarke takes a look at how this is affecting the way we experience the games.

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UNITED STATES -- Traditional and digital media are going head to head during the games of the 30th Olympiad. Despite information being spread quicker on the internet, traditional media is doing well.

"Thirty-six million people are tuning in every night to watch the Olympics," said Le Moyne College Communications Professor Michael Streissguth.

Many, people who already knew Gabby Douglas won the gymnastics all-around competition or that Michael Phelps lost to Ryan Lochte in the 400 IM.

"It's like going to a production of Romeo and Juliet. You know, how this is going to end. Romeo and Juliet are both going to die at the end of that play, but you still go to that production to watch all of that happen," said Syracuse University Pop Culture Professor Robert Thompson.

More people are tuning in to the London games than those in Beijing and Athens. Streissguth adds that people watch delayed Olympic coverage to also learn about the athletes and says the internet adds to that experience.

"What we're also seeing on Twitter, on the Internet, are great discussions about side dramas. We're seeing people criticizing NBC's coverage, we're seeing people criticize the attitude of Michael Phelps online that you cannot get on NBC."

So while some complain of the trouble of avoiding spoiler alerts on the internet while waiting to watch NBC broadcast taped coverage of major events, media experts say this may be the model for future games.

"As much as people want to count out this old broadcast network model going on forever as being an extinct dinosaur. I think this 2012 Olympics demonstrates that it's not extinct," said Thompson.