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NBCUniversal London Olympics coverage will total 5,535 hours across TV, web, mobile apps

NBCUniversal London Olympics coverage will total 5,535 hours across TV, web, mobile apps

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NBCUniversal plans to offer 5,535 hours of London Olympics coverage across TV, the internet, and mobile apps.

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NBC Universal logo
NBC Universal logo

NBCUniversal says it will broadcast an unprecedented 5,535 hours worth of coverage throughout the 2012 London Olympic Games across cable, the internet, and mobile apps. The centerpiece of the plan is NBCOlympics.com (powered by YouTube), which the company vows will stream each and every sport / event and all 302 medal presentations for the first time ever, ultimately reaching 3,500 hours of content. But an authentication system will restrict certain coverage (anything carried on NBCU's cable-only networks) to active cable or satellite subscribers — bad news for cord cutters looking to keep up every result from London.

Thankfully NBC has also pledged to step up its network broadcasts. It will carry 272.5 hours of Olympics programming, so you should be able to catch highlights that way assuming you can put up with a tape delay. TV coverage will also extend to NBCUniversal's other cable properties; MSNBC and Telemundo will offer a variety of events, while CNBC (boxing) and Bravo (tennis) will focus on individual sports. A partnership with Panasonic promises 242 hours of 3D footage to distributors that carry the London games.

For mobile and tablet audiences, the company plans to release two separate apps: one will offer live video — requiring authorization much like the NBCOlympics site — with the other packaging highlight clips, schedules, news, and more. There's no word yet on which operating systems are set to receive the apps, however. Opening ceremonies for the 2012 London Olympics kick off July 27th, and you'll find many more details on NBCUniversal's plans via the source link.