NBC to Broadcast Olympics Live Across All Time Zones

Bowing to the realities of a digital world that doesn’t wait for primetime, NBC said it will broadcast all of its Olympic programming live across all time zones.

Live coverage will appear in primetime, daytime and late night.

On most nights during the 2018 games taking place in PyeongChang, South Korea, NBC’s primetime broadcast will begin at 8 p.m. ET, 7p.m. CT, 6 p.m. MT and 5 p.m. PT. It will be followed in all time zones by local news and then a Primetime Plus program, consisting of live continuing coverage.

A replay of the primetime broadcast will follow Primetime Plus, the network said.

Related: Discovery Takes TLC OTT, Adds Olympic Snapchat Channel

“Nothing brings America together for two weeks like the Olympics, and that communal experience will now be shared across the country at the same time, both on television and streaming online,” said Jim Bell, president, NBC Olympics Production and Programming. “That means social media won’t be ahead of the action in any time zone, and as a result, none of our viewers will have to wait for anything. This is exciting news for the audience, the advertisers, and our affiliates alike.”

Mike Tirico will host NBC’s primetime program during the Olympics, which begins Feb. 8, 2018. The Opening Ceremony takes place Feb 9.

Jon Lafayette

Jon has been business editor of Broadcasting+Cable since 2010. He focuses on revenue-generating activities, including advertising and distribution, as well as executive intrigue and merger and acquisition activity. Just about any story is fair game, if a dollar sign can make its way into the article. Before B+C, Jon covered the industry for TVWeek, Cable World, Electronic Media, Advertising Age and The New York Post. A native New Yorker, Jon is hiding in plain sight in the suburbs of Chicago.