NBC HAS BEST OPENING CEREMONY OVERNIGHT RATING FOR NON-U.S. OLYMPICS EVER

23.0 Rating and 40 Share is 7% Higher than Beijing, 28% Higher than Athens and 24% Higher than Sydney

National ratings and viewership will be available later this afternoon.

LONDON - July 28, 2012 - NBC's coverage of the 2012 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony from Olympic Stadium in London registered the best overnight rating (Winter or Summer) for a non-U.S. Olympic Opening Ceremony ever. The Opening Ceremony on NBC earned a 23.0 overnight rating and a 40 share (8-Midnight. ET/PT), according to data released today by The Nielsen Company.

Compared to Opening Ceremony overnight ratings for non-U.S. Olympics, the 23.0/40 is seven percent higher than the Opening Ceremony for the 2008 Beijing Olympics (21.5/37), 10 percent higher than the tabloid-fueled Lillehammer Games (21.0/34), and 15 percent higher than the Opening Ceremony for the 2010 Vancouver Games (20.0/33).

NON-U.S. OPENING CEREMONY OVERNIGHT RATINGS:
1. London - 2012 23.0/40 NBC
2. Beijing - 2008 21.5/37 NBC
3. Lillehammer - 1994 21.0/34 CBS
4. Vancouver - 2010 20.0/33 NBC
5. Nagano - 1998 18.6/30 CBS
6. Sydney - 2000 18.5/32 NBC
7. Seoul - 1988 18.3/33 NBC
8. Athens - 2004 18.0/30 NBC
9. Sarajevo - 1984 17.2/27 ABC
10. Calgary - 1988 17.0/40 ABC
11. Barcelona - 1992 16.5/32 NBC
12. Albertville - 1992 16.0/26 CBS
13. Torino - 2006 14.7/23 NBC

OPENING CEREMONY OVERNIGHT RATINGS FOR U.S. GAMES:
1. Los Angeles - 1984 29.5/55 ABC
2. Salt Lake City - 2002 27.9/43 NBC
3. Atlanta - 1996 27.2/47 NBC

TOP 20 METERED MARKETS FOR OPENING CEREMONY:
1. San Diego 27.8/49
T2. Washington D.C. 26.8/48
T2. West Palm Beach 26.8/48
4. Salt Lake City 26.6/50
5. Denver 26.4/51
6. Norfolk 26.3/42
7. Sacramento 25.4/47
T8. Kansas City 25.0/44
T8. Richmond 25.0/41
10. Columbus 24.9/43
T11. Boston 24.8/45
T11. Indianapolis 24.8/45
13. Seattle 24.4/48
14. Los Angeles 24.2/44
15. Atlanta 24.1/39
T16. Philadelphia 24.0/40
T16. Jacksonville 24.0/40
T18. Austin 23.9/44
T18. Ft. Myers 23.9/44
20. Portland 23.8/48

Jim Bell served as executive producer of NBC's Opening Ceremony coverage; Bucky Gunts, director; Molly Solomon and Joe Gesue producers.

NBCUniversal, presenting its 13th Olympics, the most by any U.S. media company, will make an unprecedented 5,535 hours of the 2012 London Olympics coverage available across NBC, NBC Sports Network, MSNBC, CNBC, Bravo, Telemundo, NBCOlympics.com, two specialty channels, and the first-ever 3D platform, an unprecedented level that surpasses the coverage of the 2008 Beijing Olympics by nearly 2,000 hours.

For the full schedule of NBCUniversal's Olympic coverage, please go to: NBCOlympics.com