NBC: We Have 'Comprehensive Security Plan' for Sochi

NBC says it has a comprehensive security plan for its personnel in Sochi, Russia, to cover the Winter Olympics.

The State Department Jan. 10 issued a travel warning to U.S. citizens attending the games, saying that "(T)he Department of State alerts U.S. citizens planning to attend the 2014 Olympic Games in Russia that they should remain attentive regarding their personal security at all times." More recently, Russia has put out alerts about possible suicide bombers, including so called "black widows" targeting the games and Olympic torch run.

"NBCUniversal's top priority is the safety of its employees and guests," an NBC spokesperson said Wednesday of security. "We have committed substantial resources toward the development and implementation of a comprehensive security plan."

The spokesperson did not elaborate on what those plans entailed, but at a Jan. 7 press event, NBC Sports Group Chairman Mark Lazarus said that the company had a team in place "making sure we are all safe."

The terrorist threats are an unsettling reminder of the attack at the 1972 Munich games that took the lives of 11 members of the Israeli Olympic team.

John Eggerton

Contributing editor John Eggerton has been an editor and/or writer on media regulation, legislation and policy for over four decades, including covering the FCC, FTC, Congress, the major media trade associations, and the federal courts. In addition to Multichannel News and Broadcasting + Cable, his work has appeared in Radio World, TV Technology, TV Fax, This Week in Consumer Electronics, Variety and the Encyclopedia Britannica.