Bell will have editorial oversight for NBC Universal's coverage of the London Olympic Games and will work closely with Gary Zenkel, President of NBC Olympics.

"Jim's unique background in both sports and news at NBC Universal makes him the perfect choice to lead our London Olympics production," said Mark Lazarus, the chairman of NBC Sports Group.

"He knows the people at NBC Sports, the intricacies of the Olympics, and how to work within NBC Universal.

"Jim's leadership combined with the extensive experience of our existing Olympic production team - led by head of production Bucky Gunts, coordinating producer Molly Solomon, creative director Mark Levy, and executive editor Joe Gesue - has us well positioned to present the London Olympics in a manner consistent with the high standards that viewers have come to expect from NBC."

Prior to joining Today in 2005, Bell spent 16 years with NBC Sports & Olympics.

He has worked on every Olympic Games NBC has broadcast since 1992 in either sports or news, working under Dick Ebersol, who resigned as chair of NBC Sports Group in May.

Bell's NBC Sports & Olympics career began in 1990 when he was hired to work in the profiles unit for the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games and concluded in 2004 when he served as coordinating producer for NBC Olympics, overseeing all aspects of nearly 100 hours of afternoon and late night Olympic programming during the 2004 Athens Olympics.

"It is an honour to return to the Olympics, the pinnacle of sports television," said Bell.

"And for nearly 25 years no one has done it better than NBC, with innovative, comprehensive coverage and signature storytelling of the world's greatest athletes.

"It is especially exciting to be working with so many good friends and former colleagues on the 2012 London Summer Games."

Bell won Emmys for his work on the 1992, 1996, 2000 and 2002 Olympics and a Peabody for NBC's coverage of the 2008 Beijing Olympics Opening Ceremony.

"Jim's unmatched talents producing both live news and sporting events reach from the control room to the studio and straight to viewers at home," said Steve Capus, NBC News President.

"He is at the helm of the strongest, most dominant team in morning television.

"With the success of the Today show, which has Olympic-production similarities on a daily basis, Jim has proven time and again that no one is more suited to handle both roles."

For the first time, the network plans to show every event live in some form - even if it's just raw video streaming online, NBC also revealed today.

But the prime-time broadcasts will still use the raditional formula of human-interest features and taped competition.

At the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, NBC showed 172 total hours of coverage.

In London it is estimated that about 275 hours a day will be shown from London across all its platforms.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]

Related stories

June 2011: NBC retain US Olympic television rights after multi-billion dollar deal