NBC plans extensive coverage of Olympics

Network and cable rivals are mostly writing off August, avoiding the launch of fresh programming to dodge the tsunami better known as the Summer Olympics across NBC Universal’s outlets.

In what’s being called the most ambitious single media project in history, NBC will swamp the airwaves and cyberspace with a whopping 3,600 hours of coverage from Aug. 8 to 24.

While the bulk will be live streaming video on NBC Olympics.com, 1,400 hours will air on NBC and sister stations USA Network, Oxygen, MSNBC, CNBC and Telemundo (in Spanish), plus high-definition coverage on USA HD and Universal HD cable channels.

All told, there’ll be more hours of coverage in Beijing than the combined total of every previous Summer Olympics televised in the United States.

NBC benefits from the 12- to 15-hour time difference between Beijing and most of the U.S. With many key sporting events scheduled for mornings, they’ll air live in prime time in most of the country.