NBC is changing up how it will broadcast the Winter Olympics from PyeongChang, South Korea next year. For the first time ever, it will broadcast all of its Olympic programming live across all U.S. time zones.
“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 NBC Olympics president Jim Bell. “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.”
The prime time broadcast will begin each night at 8 p.m. ET, 7 p.m. CT, 6 p.m. MT, and 5 p.m. PT, which will be 10 a.m. the following day in PyeongChang. It will be followed in all time zones by local news, then a Primetime Plus program, of live continuing coverage.
“This is exciting news for the audience, the advertisers, and our affiliates alike,” said Bell. For the West Coast affiliates, that means airing the late news around 9 p.m. before returning to Olympics coverage.
NBC’s PyeongChang prime time coverage begins Thursday, February 8, a day before the Opening Ceremony.