When the Olympics kick off on Friday, several local stations will be in Rio to cover the games.
WCNC anchor Beth Troutman is there and is already engaging viewers on social media.
I made it to Rio! We’re days away from the @NBCOlympics Opening Ceremony! Catch all the action on @wcnc #BethInRio pic.twitter.com/ZU3TdFIk1o
— Beth Troutman (@Beth_Troutman) July 31, 2016
WTHR is is also there. Dave Calabro did a Facebook Live yesterday showing viewers around the WTHR condo. He showed off an odd garden hose sprayer thing hooked up in his bathroom and revealed that someone in his building had a toilet explode on them.
The Indianapolis NBC affiliate also sent Anne Marie Tiernon and Bob Kravitz.
“Security is tight with armed guards in the highways and all over the venues,” said Calabro. “We are praying for a safe 3 weeks. Our crew is ready to roll. Keep following us on social media for the behind the scenes fun!”
Pittsburgh NBC affiliate WPXI sent Damany Lewis and Gordon Loesch to Rio.
Lewis did a Facebook live where everything is sideways.
Sports reporter and anchor Kevin Nathan is in Rio. He works for the NBC-owned station WVIT.
Here’s his Facebook live from Christ the Redeemer.
If you know other reporters or stations at the games, please drop us a line and let us know at tvspy@adweek.com
KPRC in Houston sent Rachel McNeill, Andy Cerota, Dominique Sachse and Keith Garvin.
Rio team assemble! .@KPRC2 @KPRCRachel @KPRCkeithg @KPRCDominique Let the games begin! #RoadToRio #Rio2016 #kprc2 pic.twitter.com/K8b6Q5upvl
— Andy Cerota (@KPRCAndyCerota) August 1, 2016
NBC-owned stations sent Jessica Aguirre from KNTV in San Jose and Jacqueline London from WCAU in Philadelphia.
WTLV-WJXX in Jacksonville sent sports director Chris Porter.
A quick pic in front of the Olympic rings in Olympic Park here in Rio. #FCNinRio #Teamsidelilne pic.twitter.com/EZroBORyBI
— Chris Porter (@ChrisPorterFCN) August 1, 2016
NBCUniversal Owned Television Stations is sending 40 anchors, reporters, photographers and producers to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
“With the majestic scenery, fascinating storylines and amazing competitions, Rio promises to be among the most closely watched Games ever,” said Valari Staab, president of NBCUniversal Owned Television Stations. “We’re proud to bring our NBC and Telemundo viewers back home a localized and personalized perspective of this global event, and we know our team will do a great job.”
From an NBCUOTS press release:
The NBCUniversal Owned Stations team has a dedicated location inside Olympic Park from which the local anchors and reporters will deliver live reports and updates on television, mobile, social and online platforms as well as digital out-of-home platforms, such as taxi cabs to their respective NBC or Telemundo stations each day. The journalists will also have access to Dejero backpack units, giving them the flexibility to broadcast live from various locations to their viewers back home, including the picturesque Copacabana Beach.
The team in Rio offers a wide range of skills and Olympic experience: NBC 4 New York’s Bruce Beck will be covering his seventh Olympic Games, NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth’s Brian Curtis his fifth Games and NBC 7 San Diego’s Steven Luke and NBC Connecticut’s Kevin Nathan their fourth Games, while NBC4 Southern California’s morning anchor team, Whit Johnson and Daniella Guzman, are making their Olympic debut. Additionally, NBC4 Washington’s longtime Assignment Manager, Charlie Bragale, will be heading to Rio as a Portuguese translator for his NBCUniversal colleagues as well as a live shot producer. While Bragale was born in the United States, his parents are Brazilian and he grew up speaking Portuguese and traveling to Brazil often.
Kika Bronger, a native of Brazil who now lives in Vermont and works as a photographer for regional news network necn, will also work as a translator and photographer. As part of the group, the Telemundo stations are sending a four-person team to cover the Games and Telemundo Puerto Rico is dispatching a three-person reporting team.
In collaboration with NBC Sports, the NBCUniversal stations team will also produce and deliver The Olympic Zone, a half-hour Olympic news magazine show to air on all of the NBC-owned stations. The Olympic Zone will highlight local U.S. athletes, preview prime time coverage and explore the unique stories of host country, Brazil and will kick off on Thursday, August 4 at 7:30 PM EST and air nightly Monday to Saturday through August 20 (excluding the night of the Opening Ceremony on August 5).
Viewers can sign up to receive daily Olympic newsletters on the stations’ websites and through mobile and web apps, where they will also find medal counts, photo galleries, athlete bios and information on the day’s key competitions of local interest and how they can watch them across all platforms, including a livestream option. Additionally, all platforms will also feature “Rivals in Rio,” which will track the performance of the various U.S. colleges based on how their athletes and alumni are doing during the Games.