Olympics on YouTube, But Not For You

The IOC has launched a YouTube channel to show the event, but it won't be accessible from the US.

The International Olympic Committee today launches its YouTube channel to offer coverage of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. It will be accessible in a total of 77 countries – but the US won’t be one of them.

Why? NBC has the US broadcast rights for the games.

The channel will only be accessible in countries where digital video-on-demand rights have not been sold or acquired for exclusive airing, said Information Week. Most of the countries where YouTube footage will be offered are in Africa, the Middle East and Asia.

The IOC claims it’s the first time coverage has been made available for free around the globe. In a statement, IOC director of television and marketing services, Timo Lumme, said:

"The IOC’s priority is to ensure that as many people as possible get to experience the magic of the Olympic Games and the inspirational sporting achievements of the Olympic athletes."

"For the first time in Olympic history we will have complete global online coverage, and the IOC will have its own broadcast channel and content production facilities. The IOC’s channel will make fantastic Olympic footage available where young generations of sports fans are already going for online entertainment and will complement the footage offered in these territories by our broadcast partners across all media platforms."