While NBC Sports will carry a record number of hours during the upcoming Summer Olympics, its flagship broadcast network is actually seeing a reduction from four years ago.
NBC Sports announced Tuesday that the NBC broadcast network will carry more than 260 hours of coverage during the upcoming Rio Summer Olympics, down from 272 hours for the London Games four years ago.
On most days of competition, NBC’s telecast windows will be exactly the same as they were in London — 10 AM to 5 PM during the day, 8 PM-12 AM in primetime, 12:35-4:30 AM in late night — so it was not immediately clear where the network would cut back.
NBC is not alone in airing fewer hours. MSNBC’s 78.5 hours is down from 155.5 in 2012, and CNBC has seen its hours cut from 73 to 42.
Overall, the NBC family of networks will still carry about 300 more hours this year than in 2012. That is due to the return of USA Network — which did not air coverage in 2012 — the addition of Golf Channel, and increased hours on NBCSN, Bravo and Telemundo.
All told, the broadcast and cable networks will combine for 1,300 hours of coverage. Add in specialty networks for basketball and soccer, and the total rises to nearly 2,100 hours. With streaming coverage included, the number balloons to nearly 6,800.
(Tue. news from NBC Sports Group Press Box)
