Answers to biggest Olympic TV questions

In three days, Olympic fans will settle in to watch the Opening Ceremony of the 21st Winter Games from Vancouver, B.C., kicking off 17 days of action.

And while there are more options for viewing than ever, there can also be more questions about what's available, when and where.

Here's a primer designed to answer the biggest questions TV viewers may have about watching the Games.

Q: What networks in the United States will carry the games?

A: NBC is the only network. It paid $820 million for the right to carry the Games — it has broadcast every Olympics, summer or winter, since 1984. But action won't be limited to just NBC, whose local affiliate is KING-TV (Channel 5). Other stations in its empire — MSNBC, CNBC, USA and Universal HD — will also take part. Further coverage will air on its new Universal Sports Channel (115 on Comcast in the Seattle area) as well as online at NBCOlympics.com. In all, the network touts that 825 hours of coverage will be available either on TV or online. However, NBC's online coverage will only be available to those who have paid for cable access — a log-in system will filter out those who don't have cable.

Q: So, does that mean we'll be able to see every event as it happens, live?

A: No. Despite all that coverage, NBC will continue with the strategy it has employed in the past: a three-hour delay in this time zone, which saves the marquee events — such as figure skating — for its prime-time block. Most nights, it will begin at 8 p.m. Because the Games will be held in North America, many events will be shown live on the East Coast. But again, following its strategy, NBC will delay the prime-time broadcast on the West Coast, meaning local residents will be forced to watch events three hours after they happen, even if the network dubs that the coverage is live.

Q: Why can't KING-TV show the events live?

A: As an affiliate of NBC, KING has no choice but to go along with the wishes of the parent company, which is to show the events in prime time. NBC says it gets the best ratings that way, and having announced it could lose as much as $200 million on these Games, it is in no mood to do anything other than try to maximize its audience.

Q: Aren't there any ways around having to depend on NBC's coverage, such as finding a Canadian broadcast or something online?

A: Not really. In the past, Washington state residents could count on turning to CBC for live coverage of all events. (CBC had covered every Olympics since 1992.) But that won't be available this time around because CTV outbid CBC for the rights. According to a spokesman for Comcast, the largest cable provider in Western Washington, CTV is available only on one system in the Bellingham area. CTV is also apparently not available on satellite (it is not listed as part of DirectTV's package, for instance).

Q: Can't I just log onto CTV's online coverage?

A: No. While CTV will have extensive coverage online, it won't be available in the United States. In fact, NBC jealously guards the rights it paid so much for, so it tries to block any other coverage of marquee events. In other words, NBC is the only place to find any coverage of the main events without doing something we probably can't ethically recommend here.

Q: Will KING have any of its own coverage of events?

A: No. NBC will have some expanded auxiliary coverage, such as basing its newscasts in Vancouver for the duration of the Games, as well as a special show Monday through Saturday called "O-Zone" that will preview that night's coverage on NBC, focusing on local athletes.

Q: What will all those other NBC networks show?

A: Lots of early-round competition and non-marquee events. Expect lots of curling and early rounds of ice hockey on USA (events on that network are live); more early rounds of hockey, speedskating, figure skating and curling on MSNBC; and biathlon, curling and early-round hockey on CNBC. The highlight of Universal HD's coverage is a five-hour block starting each day at 7 a.m. PST that will offer live updates, highlights, previews and interviews.

Bob Condotta: 206-515-5699 or bcondotta@seattletimes.com