Meet the NBC executive producer who's responsible for the delaying broadcast of 100m Olympic final by SIX hours (and he's in the job until 2020)

Jim Bell, 45, is overseeing all Olympics scheduling on NBC

First time in the role - but also executive producer on Today Show

Has repeatedly defended delayed broadcasting, citing financial interests

Viewers outraged that NBC did not show Usain Bolt's 100m win for hours



NBC also faced criticism for editing 7/7 tribute out of Opening Ceremony



Broadcasting Usain Bolt's record-breaking sprint hours late and editing out a tribute to the victims of the London terrorist attacks - a pretty shaky start to your first time on the job.

But despite outcry from viewers across the nation, the man overseeing NBC's London Olympic coverage refuses to apologise for its problematic scheduling and string of embarrassing gaffes.



Executive producer Jim Bell, 45, is overseeing the Olympics coverage for the first time - and it won't be the last, as he has been entrusted with producing as many as four more Games through 2020.

It will no doubt outrage sports fans left exasperated by the network's delayed coverage, including the hotly-anticipated men's 100m race on Sunday, where Usain Bolt set a new Olympic record.

In charge: Today executive producer Jim Bell, center, is pictured with Meredith Vieira, Ann Curry, Matt Lauer, and Bryant Gumbel earlier this year

But Bell has repeatedly stood by his decision to broadcast the biggest events during prime time, blaming financial pressures and interests of advertisers.



'When a company invests the kind of money that we have in the Olympics we have absolutely every right to protect that investment,' Bell told Media Bistro .

It shows a surprising lack of empathy from the executive producer, who himself was a sportsman. Bell was a defensive linesman for Harvard in his college days.

Bell, who is married with four sons, joined the network in 1990 when he was hired to profile athletes for the 1992 Barcelona Games, and joined the Today show as its executive producer in 2005.

Top job: Bell, right, chats with Ann Curry, Bill Clinton and actress Mindy Kaling on the Today show, where he has worked as executive producer for seven years

Stubborn: Bell, pictured with morning TV hosts Hoda Kotb, Joy Bauer and Kathie Lee Gifford, has refused to apologise for delaying Olympic broadcasts, citing financial pressures

This is the first time he is in charge of the coverage of the Games after taking over from Dick Ebersol, who oversaw eight Olympic productions.

'I feel very comfortable,' Bell, who has worked as executive producer for the Today show for seven years, told the New York Times before the Games.



'There's still a huge audience out there who want to watch this stuff at a time when it is convenient for them' Jim Bell defends delayed broadcasts

The relaxed attitude comes despite fans lambasting the delayed coverage.

'How can NBC be so inept? How many senior execs will be canned? How high will the cleaning go? It'll probably be delayed,' one angry viewer tweeted after Bolt's race on Sunday.

'Would have been nice if NBC chose to broadcast it live. NBC really values its audience,' a fellow track fan tweeted.



James Poniewozik, Time magazine TV critic, tweeted: 'NBC tape delay coverage is like the airlines: its interest is in giving you the least satisfactory service you will still come back for.'



Bell responded: 'You do know that all sports events are being streamed live right?'



Way behind: NBC was lambasted for broadcasting Usain Bolt's 100m victory four hours after it happened

Highlight: Even web users had trouble viewing live streaming of Bolt, pictured with teammate Yohan Blake

Annoyed: Viewers flocked to Twitter to rant about the delayed viewing - and question who had been in charge

'I do, indeed!' Poniewozik said. 'Have enjoyed it. Apparently a lot of folks still prefer watching it on TV.'

A LIFE AT NBC: JIM BELL'S RESUME

Birthdate July 20, 1967

Hometown Branford, Connecticut

Education B.A. in government, Harvard. Played football as a defensive linebacker

Marital status Married with four sons

Work history Joined NBC out of college in 1990 to profile athletes for 1992 Barcelona Olympics; became coordinating producer and programming supervisor for NBC Olympics; producer for NBC broadcasts of the NFL, MLB, and the NBA; joined Today in 2005 as executive producer; won Emmys for his work on 1992, 1996, 2000 and 2002 Olympics



Despite these claims, web users complained they were unable to watch Usain Bolt's race live as the NBC's live streaming began 'buffering' just before the race.

'Usain Bolt outruns the NBC live stream's buffer!' one Twitter user, Zach Mast, joked.

'NBC live stream completely failed to keep up with the men's 100M. Usain Bolt is faster than the internet,' another added.

Bell, who is based in Midtown in Manhattan, has repeatedly stood by his decision to delay the best moments until prime time.



'We’ve tried to utilise new technology to stream everything live,' he added to Media Bistro.



'But the fact is, and the numbers would seem to bear this out, there's still a huge audience out there who want to watch this stuff at a time when it is convenient for them, when there are mass audiences.

'This is one thing you watch together. And if you kind of end up giving it away on TV you’re not protecting your investment and you’re not serving the audience and you’re not serving the affiliates and you’re not serving the advertisers.'

Smile of a winner: NBC also came under fire for showing an advert of a monkey competing in gymnastics shortly after African American Gabby Douglas, pictured, won the gold medal

Outrage: The network was forced to apologise after the advert of the monkey, pictured

The network spent $1.2 billion for the rights to the Games and producing the coverage is expected to cost $150 million. Despite earning $1 billion on advertising, it will be operating at a loss.

The Bolt fiasco is just the latest in a string of scheduling faux pas.

During the Opening Ceremony, the network cut a tribute to the victims of the 2005 London terrorist bombings, which claimed the lives of 52 people, including one New Yorker.

Despite the global impact of the tragedy, NBC cut the dance routine and tribute, claiming it wasn't tailored for an American audience.

Instead, it showed a bland interview between Ryan Seacrest and U.S. swimmer Michael Phelps.

Bad start: NBC edited out a tribute to the victims of the 2005 bomb attacks in London in the Opening Ceremony

'Not for the U.S.': The tribute featured an image gallery of loved ones who had lost their lives

Shock: Viewers flocked to Twitter to vent their anger - but Bell said the cut was down to time constraints

Bell defended the decision, claiming it was edited out due to time constraints.

'We’re sitting there at 12:30 in the morning in London, that’s 7:30 in the United States,' said Bell. 'We’re on the air and we’re having to make decisions in real time.'

The network was also forced to apologise after airing an ad featuring a monkey performing gymnastics, right after showing the performance of Gabby Douglas, the first African-American to win Olympic gold.