Broadcasting in tandem with NBC Universal's unprecedented 418 hours of coverage of the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Torino, NBC News, and its cable and online outlets, will be on the scene with coverage of breaking news, reaction, results, analysis and in-depth features on the athletes and the region that only NBC News can provide. Coverage begins the week leading up to the Games on "Today" and "Nightly News," and is already underway on MSNBC.com.
"Coverage of the Olympics is a hallmark of this network, and this News divison," said NBC News President Steve Capus. "Our commitment to covering the news, the compelling human stories and the competition in Torino is evident in the powerful lineup of anchors, correspondents and programs we have on location. We are looking forward to a terrific three weeks of programming from the region."
America's number-one morning news program, "Today," with Katie Couric, Matt Lauer, Ann Curry and Al Roker will once again have the Olympics blanketed. Leading up to the Opening Ceremony, during the week of February 6, Couric will report live for a special split-show broadcast of "Today" with co-anchor Matt Lauer in Studio 1A and Couric from Rome on Monday, Florence on Tuesday and Milan on Wednesday. On Thursday, February 9, Lauer and Roker will join Couric in downtown Torino to debut their Olympics' set located in the Piazza San Carlo. Couric, Lauer and Roker - with the help of NBC News' vast roster of correspondents including Campbell Brown, Natalie Morales, and as a special contributor for "Today" during the Games, Picabo Street - will broadcast daily from downtown Torino, other designated Olympic locations and various locations throughout the region for the duration of the Games.
Exclusively on Today.MSNBC.com, Couric, Lauer, Roker, Morales and Brown will participate in a daily video blog from the Games. Each day, a different anchor will offer a behind-the-scenes look at covering the Olympics and personal experiences about traveling to Torino.
As with past Games, viewers can expect to get the latest Olympic news and full access to Team U.S.A. and other Olympians on "Today." During the Athens Olympics in 2002, "Today" drew a whopping 6.5 million viewers, leading the competition by and average of 54 percent — a 2.3 million viewer advantage. With daily live broadcasts from Athens, "Today" had a 35 percent increase in the key demographic (A25-54) over pre-Olympic numbers.
NBC News' weekend "Today" show co-anchors Campbell Brown and Lester Holt will broadcast the weekend program live from Torino on February 11-12, 18-19 and 25. Brown and Holt will also serve as news correspondents during the Games. Holt will also co-anchor a split-show from Torino on February 5.
As in years past, NBC's flagship broadcast "NBC Nightly News" will provide extensive coverage from Torino. Beginning February 8, Brian Williams will anchor "Nightly News" live from Torino, with all the latest news and information on the Games.
NBC News correspondents Richard Engel, Hoda Kotb, Kerry Sanders, Mike Taibbi and Kevin Tibbles will also report from the Games.
On NBC's 24-hour cable news channel, MSNBC, Chris Jansing, Alison Stewart and Tucker Carlson, will anchor special Olympic coverage. U.S. Olympic gold medalists Sarah Hughes and Natalie Coughlin will join as on-air contributors. MSNBC will offer special live programming leading into and out of its Olympic coverage, which begins on Monday, February 13 and will include men's and women's hockey and curling. Jansing and Stewart will anchor the network's pre-Olympic coverage from Torino, highlighting the athletes, their families, emerging stars and dramatic stories from the Games as well as the beautiful country where the Olympics are being held. Tucker Carlson will anchor MSNBC's daily post-event coverage from MSNBC headquarters and will take a look at the day's events with contributions from Jansing and Stewart. Hughes, a gold medalist in women's figure skating and Coughlin, a five-time Olympic medalist in women's swimming, will join MSNBC's Olympic coverage for analysis and commentary.
MSNBC.com has dedicated a special Winter Olympics news section that covers event results, medal winners, rosters, schedules and more. Subsections dedicated to major sports and multimedia items also provide in-depth coverage. MSNBC.com writers offer original and insightful commentary, including an exclusive on-site blog, a daily, non-sports diary and a Q&A from Olympic fans. User-interactive applications give fans a chance to better understand each sport by using video — such as "It's All Downhill," where readers can see what a downhill skier does — or with flash animation that breaks down "Figure Skating Essentials," among others. Photo slideshows, votes and an Olympics newsletter are other daily features that round out the coverage at olympics.msnbc.com.