Monitors in a production control room at the NBC Sports Network in Stamford, Conn. during the network’s coverage of the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Patrick Raycraft/Hartford Courant/TNS)
Television coverage of the upcoming winter Olympics is on track to be more accessible to people with disabilities than ever before.
NBCUniversal said it is adding features to its broadcast and online content to reach viewers of all abilities during the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics next month.
Closed captioning will be included for all events airing on NBCUniveral properties and on Gold Zone, a Peacock show that will offer continuous coverage of the most exciting Olympics events. The on-screen text will also be available on digital livestreams on Peacock, NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app for live events and full-event replays, the company said.
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In addition, NBC is increasing the use of audio description, which allows individuals who are blind or who have low vision to hear descriptions of scenes and context. The service will be provided by NBC Sports’ Paralympic broadcast team for Olympics coverage on NBC and Gold Zone, all in stereo for enhanced sound quality, NBCUniversal said.
Audio description will also be offered for some livestreams and replays on NBCOlympics.com, NBC.com, and the NBC Sports app. NBCUniversal indicated that other improvements on the digital platforms will include keyboard navigation, color contrast and support for screen readers.
“We’re thrilled to continue our commitment to providing all viewers with more accessibility to our Winter Olympics coverage than ever before,” said Amy Rosenfeld, senior vice president of NBC Olympic Production. “It’s only fitting that an event of such magnitude deserves top-tier audio description and closed captioning services.”
Coverage of the Olympics will begin with the opening ceremony on Feb. 6.
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