or


[07/16/08 - 01:17 PM]
NBC Announces Talent Roster for Beijing Olympics - 106 Commentators in All
The lineup is led by 19-time Emmy Award-winner Bob Costas, returning for his seventh Olympics as primetime host.

[via press release from NBC]

NBC ANNOUNCES TALENT ROSTER FOR BEIJING OLYMPICS � 106 COMMENTATORS IN ALL

Costas Returns for 8th Olympics, 7th as Primetime Host

NBC Talent Roster Has Won 42 Olympic Medals Including 25 Gold Medals

Collinsworth, Carillo, Roberts Olympic Correspondents

NEW YORK � July 16, 2008 � A record 106 NBC Olympic commentators will broadcast an unprecedented 3,600 hours of Beijing Olympic Games coverage, the most ambitious single media project in history. NBCU's Olympics coverage features the most live coverage in the United States (nearly 2,900 live hours in total), across the most platforms, of any Summer Olympics in history when the Games of the XXIX Olympiad commence on Aug. 8. The lineup, led by the 19-time Emmy Award-winner, Bob Costas, returning for his seventh Olympics as primetime host, was announced today by Dick Ebersol, Chairman, NBC Universal Sports & Olympics and Executive Producer of NBCU's Olympic coverage and returns virtually every one of the network's signature Olympic hosts, play-by-play announcers and analysts.

"My first Olympics in Mexico City in 1968 were the first Olympics live in primetime and we had maybe two dozen commentators," said Ebersol. "To have a roster of 106 commentators broadcasting 3,600 total hours is simply astounding. It's a tribute to David Neal and Molly Solomon that we're able to put together such a talented and versatile roster, with a great mix of Olympic veterans and newcomers, particularly considering many of these sports are rarely televised."

NBC Universal's roster of Olympic commentators:

� Roster includes 28 Olympians who won a combined total of 42 Olympic medals (25 Gold, 5 Silver and 12 Bronze). "Team NBC" would have finished sixth at the Athens Olympics with 42 total medals behind Australia and Germany with 49 and ahead of Japan who amassed 37.

� Ranges from Jim Lampley � who is working his record 14th Olympics � to Olympic gold medal wrestling legend Rulon Gardner making his Olympic announcing debut.

� Cris Collinsworth, who will serve as an Olympic correspondent, makes his second Olympic appearance for NBC and his first since 1996.

� Mary Carillo pulls double duty as NBC's late night host and Olympic correspondent, her ninth Olympic Games and sixth with NBC.

� Bela Karolyi, arguably the most successful coach in the history of his sport, one of its most recognized personalities and who has coached and trained world-renowned gymnasts for the past eight Olympics, makes his broadcast debut.

Here is a rundown of NBC's Olympic talent:

HOSTS:

� The 2008 Beijing Olympics will be Bob Costas' eighth for NBC Sports and his seventh as primetime host. After serving as late night host in 1988 from Seoul, Costas has won acclaim and Emmy Awards each year for his work as primetime host from Barcelona, Atlanta, Sydney, Salt Lake City and Athens. Costas, who has the longest tenure of the network's sports announcers, joined NBC in 1980. He has handled a wide array of assignments, including play by-play, studio hosting and reporting.

� Jim Lampley, America's most experienced Olympic broadcaster, will work his record 14th Olympics in Beijing. Lampley possesses the record for the most-ever Olympic broadcast assignments for any television commentator. He will anchor NBC's afternoon Olympic telecasts in his seventh Olympics with NBC.

� Mary Carillo will host NBC's late night coverage. Carillo will also serve as an Olympic correspondent in her ninth Olympic games and sixth for NBC.

� Alex Flanagan makes her Olympic debut as host of CNBC and USA Network's coverage.

� Matt Vasgersian, who made his Olympic debut as the play-by-play announcer for both softball and baseball during NBC's broadcast of the 2004 Athens Games, will serve as host of USA Network's coverage. In 2006 in Torino, he served as the ski jumping play-by-play commentator.

� Melissa Stark will work her third Olympic Games for NBC serving as an anchor for MSNBC's coverage. Previously, Stark served as the speed skating reporter during NBC's coverage of the 2006 Torino Games and the swimming and diving reporter at the 2004 Athens Games.

� Bill Patrick will serve as the host of MSNBC's coverage of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, making his debut as a full-time Olympic host.

� Fred Roggin, the sports director at KNBC-TV, NBC's owned-and-operated station in Los Angeles, will work his fifth Olympics for NBC as host of CNBC's Boxing in Beijing. Roggin's previous Olympic assignments have included hosting CNBC and MSNBC's curling coverage from the 2006 Torino Games, CNBC's coverage from the Athens Games, serving on the "Special Features Unit" at the Salt Lake Games in 2002 and working as the boxing reporter at the 2000 Sydney Games.

� Lindsay Czarniak will make her second Olympic appearance and her first as host of Oxygen's coverage and as a Sports Desk reporter for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. She made her Olympic debut as a Sports Desk reporter during NBC's coverage of the 2006 Torino Games.

OLYMPIC CORRESPONDENTS:

� Cris Collinsworth: The most honored studio analyst in sports television, Collinsworth, who is a co-host with Costas on NBC's "Football Night in America" will serve as an Olympic correspondent, providing on the scene reports throughout Beijing. This will be his second Olympic assignment having reported from the track & field venue in Atlanta in 1996.

� Mary Carillo: In addition to her role as host of NBC's late night coverage, Carillo will serve as an Olympic correspondent and provide a look into life in China through a collection of features done in her own inimitable style.

� Jimmy Roberts, a 13-time Emmy Award winner, will contribute feature stories and essays and serve as an Olympic correspondent during NBC's coverage of the 2008 Beijing Games.

SPORT BY SPORT:

NBC's signature announce teams return in gymnastics, swimming and track and field. Following is a partial rundown, sport-by-sport. A complete roster is attached.

� GYMNASTICS: Play-by-play commentator Al Trautwig is once again joined by Olympic gold medalist Tim Daggett and Elfi Schlegel, who have provided analysis on NBC's Olympic gymnastics coverage since the 1992 Barcelona Games and veteran Olympic reporter Andrea Joyce. This Olympics will also mark the broadcast debut of Bela Karolyi, arguably the most successful coach in the history of his sport and one of its most recognized personalities who has coached and trained world-renowned gymnasts for the past eight Olympics. He will serve as a gymnastics studio analyst.

� SWIMMING: Dan Hicks has the call alongside analyst Rowdy Gaines � working their fourth Olympics together � with Andrea Kremer reporting in her Olympic debut. Gaines, who won three gold medals at the 1984 Los Angeles Games, is working his fifth Olympics for NBC.

� TRACK & FIELD: Tom Hammond, who has won acclaim for his memorable calls at the last four Summer Olympics, will once again call track & field. Dwight Stones, Carol Lewis and Lewis Johnson return as analysts. New analysts include Ato Boldon and Ed Eyestone. Bob Neumeier returns for his second Olympics as a reporter and Craig Masback, who worked as a track & field commentator for NBC in Barcelona in 1992 and Atlanta in 1996, returns to provide analysis on the men's marathon.

� DIVING: Ted Robinson, working his fifth Olympics, debuted as the diving play-by-play commentator for the 2004 Athens Games. Cynthia Potter, who made three Olympic teams and won bronze in 1976, returns as analyst, a role she's handled for NBC since the 1992 Games. Reporters for the diving venue are Neumeier and Kremer.

� BASKETBALL: Mike Breen, working his fifth Olympics, will handle the play-by-play of both the men's and women's competitions, alongside two respected analysts: Doug Collins (men's) and Ann Meyers (women's). Collins, a member of the 1972 U.S. Olympic basketball team, takes on his third Olympic broadcasting assignment. Meyers, who won silver as a member of the U.S. Olympic basketball team in 1976, is working her fourth Olympics as a broadcaster. Craig Sager returns as reporter for both men's and women's hoops. Other basketball commentators include Chris Carrino (play-by-play), Mike Crispino (play-by-play) and analysts Steve "Snapper" Jones, Bob Salmi and Teresa Edwards.

� BOXING: Bob Papa and analyst Teddy Atlas will call boxing. Athens is Papa's seventh Olympics, as he previously called the boxing play-by-play in Barcelona in 1992 and Athens in 2004. Atlas analyzed the boxing competition from Sydney in 2000 and Athens in 2004. Jim Gray, reporter, returns for his first Olympics for NBC since 2000 where he served as a reporter for swimming and track & field for the Sydney Games. In 1996 he received critical acclaim for his reporting from the scene of the Olympic Park bombing at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.

� SOCCER: Veteran soccer play-by-play commentator JP Dellacamera calls his second Olympics, working alongside analysts Marcelo Balboa, who made his debut as a soccer analyst at the 2004 Athens Games and first time Olympic analyst Brandi Chastain. Balboa, a longtime star in Major League Soccer, was the first American to play in three World Cups. With the Women's National Team, Chastain has played in three Olympics (Athens, Sydney and Atlanta) and three Women's World Cups (1991, 1999 and 2003).

� BEACH VOLLEYBALL: NBC's beach volleyball coverage will once again include analyst Karch Kiraly, the most accomplished player in the history of the sport and the only man to win Olympic volleyball gold both indoors and on the beach. Kiraly made his Olympic broadcasting debut in Athens in 2004. Entertaining play-by-play announcer Chris Marlowe, who won a gold medal as captain of the 1984 U.S. Olympic volleyball team, returns for his fifth Olympics as an NBC commentator. Heather Cox returns for her second Olympics as a reporter.

� VOLLEYBALL: Paul Sunderland, a member of the gold medal-winning U.S. volleyball team at the 1984 Olympics, returns to call indoor volleyball, an assignment he had for NBC in Barcelona, Atlanta and Sydney. He is joined by two-time Olympian Kevin Barnett, who is making his debut as an Olympic analyst.

� WATER POLO: Bob Fitzgerald makes his Olympic debut for NBC as the Water Polo play-by-play announcer. His previous Olympics broadcast assignments included commentating for basketball at the 2004 Athens Olympics and swimming at the Atlanta Games in 1996. He is joined by Wolf Wigo, a three-time Olympian and former captain of the USA Water Polo Men's National Team.

� WRESTLING: Veteran commentator Matt Devlin returns for his second Olympic assignment and first calling wrestling. He is joined by Olympic gold medalist and American wrestling legend Rulon Gardner, who is making his Olympic broadcasting debut. In 2000 at the Sydney Olympics, Gardner won the gold after defeating Aleksander Karelin. Karelin had been undefeated for 13 years and had not given up a point in six years prior to his loss in the gold-medal match to Gardner. At the end of the 2000 Olympics, Gardner was selected to serve as the U.S. flag bearer at the Closing Ceremony. He then followed with a bronze in 2004 at the Olympic Games in Athens, where he left his shoes on the mat, the sport's traditional symbol of retirement. Gardner is also renowned for surviving several near-death experiences.

The 3,600 total hours of coverage on seven NBC Universal networks: NBC, USA, MSNBC, CNBC, Oxygen, Telemundo and Universal HD, as well as NBCOlympics.com, is 1,000 hours more than the combined coverage for every televised Summer Olympics in U.S. history (Rome 1960 � Athens 2004, 2,562 hours). NBCOlympics.com will feature approximately 2,200 total hours of live streaming Olympic broadband video coverage, the first live online Olympic coverage in the United States.

SPORT-BY-SPORT RUNDOWN:

GYMNASTICS: Al Trautwig, Play-by-play Elfi Schlegel, Analyst Tim Daggett, Analyst Andrea Joyce, Reporter

TRAMPOLINE GYMNASTICS: Al Trautwig, Play-by-play Elfi Schlegel, Analyst Tim Daggett, Analyst

RHYTHMIC GYMNASTICS: Andrea Joyce, Play-by-play Elfi Schlegel, Analyst

TRACK & FIELD: Tom Hammond, Play-by-play Lewis Johnson , Analyst Carol Lewis, Analyst Dwight Stones, Analyst Ato Boldin, Analyst Craig Masback, Analyst Ed Eyestone, Analyst Bob Neumeier, Reporter

RACE WALKING: Ron Vaccaro, Play-by-play Ed Eyestone, Analyst Carol Lewis, Analyst

SWIMMING: Dan Hicks, Play-by-play Rowdy Gaines, Analyst Andera Kremer, Reporter

OPEN WATER SWIMMING: Craig Hummer, Play-by-play Rowdy Gaines, Analyst

DIVING: Ted Robinson, Play-by-play Cynthia Potter, Analyst Bob Neumeier, Reporter Andrea Kremer, Reporter

BEACH VOLLEYBALL: Chris Marlowe, Play-by-play Karch Kiraly, Analyst Heather Cox, Reporter

INDOOR VOLLEYBALL: Paul Sunderland, Play-by-play Kevin Barnett, Analyst

CYCLING (Road/BMX/Mountain Bike): Pat Parnell, Play-by-play Craig Hummer, Play-by-play Kenan Harkin, Analyst Paul Sherwin, Analyst Marty Snider, Reporter

TRIATHLON: Craig Hummer, Play-by-play Siri Lindley, Analyst Marty Snider, Reporter

BASKETBALL: Mike Breen, Play-by-play Chris Carrino, Play-by-play Mike Crispino, Play-by-play Pete Pranica, Play-by-play Eric Collins, Play-by-play Teresa Edwards, Analyst Doug Collins, Analyst Ann Meyers, Analyst Bob Salmi, Analyst Craig Sager, Reporter

ROWING: Tim Ryan, Play-by-play Yaz Farooq, Analyst

CANOEING (Flat Water): Tim Ryan, Play-by-play Joe Jacobi, Analyst

CANOEING (White Water): Craig Hummer, Play-by-play Pat Parnell, Play-by-play Joe Jacobi, Analyst

SYNCHRONIZED SWIMMING: Craig Hummer, Play-by-play Heather Olson, Analyst

WRESTLING: Matt Devlin, Play-by-play Rulon Gardner, Analyst

WATER POLO: Bob Fitzgerald, Play-by-play Wolf Wigo, Analyst

BOXING: Bob Papa, Play-by-play Teddy Atlas, Analyst Jim Gray, Reporter

MODERN PENTATHLON: Ron Vaccaro, Play-by-play Rob Stull, Analyst

WEIGHTLIFTING: Pete Pranica, Play-by-play Shane Hamman, Analyst

EQUESTRIAN: Kenny Rice, Play-by-play Melanie Smith-Taylor, Analyst

SOFTBALL: Joe Castellano, Play-by-play Michele Smith, Analyst

SOCCER: JP Dellacamera, Play-by-play Glenn Davis, Play-by-play Adrian Healey, Play-by-play Steve Cangialosi, Play-by-play Marcelo Balboa, Analyst Brandi Chastain, Analyst Shep Messing, Analyst Lori Walker, Analyst

TENNIS: Barry MacKay, Play-by-play Jimmy Arias, Analyst

BASEBALL: Eric Collins, Play-by-play Joe Magrane, Analyst

HANDBALL: Andrew Catalon, Play-by-play Dawn Lewis, Analyst

TABLE TENNIS: Bill Clement, Play-by-play Sean O'Neill, Analyst

BADMINTON: Jim Kozimor, Play-by-play Steve Kearney, Analyst Bill Clement, Analyst

FENCING: Joe Castellano, Play-by-play Pete Pranica, Play-by-play Andrew Catalon, Play-by-play Mika'il Sankofa, Analyst

ARCHERY: Joe Castellano, Play-by-play Denise Parker, Analyst

SHOOTING: Bill Clement, Play-by-play Shari LeGate, Analyst

FIELD HOCKEY: Mike Corey, Play-by-play Nick Conway, Analyst

SPORTSDESK REPORTERS: Lester Holt Peter Alexander Eyee Hsu Julie Foudy Lindsay Czarniak Alan Abrahamson Lindsay Soto Nancy Snyderman

NBCSPORTS.COM: Julia Mancuso

TELEMUNDO: Andres Cantor, Host Jessi Losada, Host Monica Noguera, Host





  [july 2008]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
  


· SHOWATCH
(series past and present)
· DEVWATCH
(series in development)
· MOVIEWATCH
(tv movies and mini-series)





[05/11/26 - 04:58 PM]
Prime Video Orders "Fourth Wing" to Series
Lisa Joy, co-founder of Kilter Films and executive producer of the series, is set to direct the pilot.

[05/11/26 - 04:38 PM]
Prime Video Announces Premiere Date for "The Terminal List" Season Two Starring Chris Pratt
All eight episodes, executive produced by Chris Pratt, Antoine Fuqua, David DiGilio, and author Jack Carr, will premiere on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.

[05/11/26 - 04:14 PM]
Prime Video Kicks Off 2026 "Thursday Night Football" Season with Lions at Bills, September 17
Today's announcement arrives in advance of the full-season "TNF" schedule, which will be released on Thursday, May 14.

[05/11/26 - 03:15 PM]
Prime Video Confirms Season Three Premiere Date of "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power"
The eagerly awaited third season of epic fantasy series will premiere on November 11, 2026.

[05/11/26 - 03:01 PM]
Prime Video Orders "Escorted" to Series
The eight-episode, half-hour single-camera comedy stars and is executive produced, written, and co-showrun by Emmy Award winner Brett Goldstein.

[05/11/26 - 02:46 PM]
Prime Video Orders "Rose Hill" to Series from Temple Hill
The series follows best friends and neighbors West Belmont, a rancher with commitment issues, and brooding record label owner Ford Grant, aka Forbes' "World's Hottest Billionaire," who's long carried a torch for West's sister, Rosie.

[05/11/26 - 02:31 PM]
Amazon MGM Studios Confirms Nia DaCosta to Direct Pilot and Second Episode of "Sex Criminals"
Imogen Poots and John Reynolds star in the project, based on the acclaimed Image Comics title by Matt Fraction and Chip Zdarsky.

[05/11/26 - 02:15 PM]
Prime Video Announces Premiere Date for "Ride or Die" Starring Octavia Spencer and Hannah Waddingham and Releases First Look Photos
From Paramount Television Studios, the fast-paced series will debut all eight episodes globally on July 15, exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories around the world.

[05/11/26 - 12:12 PM]
"The White Lotus" Season 4 Welcomes Ben Kingsley, Max Minghella and Pekka Strang
New company is on the way.

[05/11/26 - 11:42 AM]
ESPN Presents "Last Train to North America," A New Documentary Series Following North America's Road to the 2026 World Cup
Hosted by ESPN's renowned journalist, Martin Ainstein, the nine-episode series follows a unique rail journey across the United States, Mexico and Canada as the three nations prepare to jointly host the biggest sporting event of the summer.

[05/11/26 - 11:37 AM]
Great American Media Renews Beloved Original Series "When Hope Calls: Brookfield" for Season Four
Set in the picturesque town of Brookfield, the series continues to follow the evolving lives of its residents as they navigate love, hardship, and new beginnings together.

[05/11/26 - 11:01 AM]
Video: "Little House on the Prairie" - Official Teaser #2 - Netflix
Independence isn't just a way of life, it's a place to come together.

[05/11/26 - 11:00 AM]
Prime Video Renews Global Hit Series "Reacher" for Fifth Season Ahead of Season Four Premiere
The third season reached 54.6 million viewers globally on Prime Video in its first 19 days and stands as the most-watched season on the service since "Fallout" season one over the same timeframe.

[05/11/26 - 10:53 AM]
Viaplay Announces June Slate - Greek Noir Thriller, Acclaimed Nordic Series & Films
New U.S. debuts include "Save Me" and "Black Sands."

[05/11/26 - 10:31 AM]
Wellness Gets Wild in Amazon MGM Studios' New Reality Series "Reality Retreat," Bringing Together Some of TV's Most Iconic Women
The series will premiere in 2027, exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.