NBC to Kohl: Americans had 'record' access to Olympics coverage

Even though some online coverage of the Winter Olympics required subscriptions, NBC chief executive officer Jeffrey Zucker said viewers had access to more coverage than in any prior Winter Olympics.

Zucker's letter, sent to Sen. Herb Kohl's (D-Wis.) office yesterday, was in response to a pointed letter sent by the senator back in February. Kohl said he was "concerned" NBC had appeared to restrict online access to Olympics content to only those viewers who subscribe to cable, satellite or other pay TV service with whom NBC has partnered.

"The fact that a broadcast network such as NBC is requiring consumers to subscribe to a pay TV service in order to access this content raises serious concerns," wrote Kohl, Chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights.

NBC's restrictions are especially troubling to Kohl in light of Comcast's proposed acquisition of the network. 

"We wonder if this policy is a harbinger of things to come should this merger be consummated, and whether requiring a pay TV subscription to access NBC internet content will be a standard policy in the future after this merger is completed," he said.

The Internet, Kohl said, should be a competitive alternative to traditional cable or satellite subscriptions, but NBC's apparent actions could diminish that potential.

In his response to Kohl's letter, Zucker said NBC spent close to $1 billion  covering the Vancouver Games. In an attempt to recoup those costs, NBC had three ways to offer coverage. More than 190 hours of programming were available on NBC's free, over-the-air network stations, with additional coverage on NBC's national cable networks (USA, CNBC, MSNBC).

NBC supplemented its coverage on NBCOlympics.com, where ad-supported video content was available as well as long-form content available only to subscribers who had paid to receive additional Olympics coverage via the NBC Universal cable networks.

After a certain time period, that subscription-required content was made available to everyone, Zucker said.

"NBC has long had a hybrid approach to televised programming of the Olympics," he wrote. "Without this hybrid approach to ad-supported broadcast households and (pay-TV) households, NBCU would simply not be able to bring our complete Olympics coverage to the American public."

The issue of tethering online video access to pay-TV subscriptions has gotten criticism as Comcast rolls out its "TV Everywhere" initiative, through which Comcast subscribers have access to additional content online.