Independently owned NBC affiliates in medium-sized markets are drawing the strongest local viewership for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina, according to Nielsen data released by the network.
Fort Myers, Florida (Hearst-owned WBBH-TV), and Minneapolis, Minnesota (TEGNA-owned KARE-TV), tied for the top spot nationwide during the first week.
Both stations posted a 14.9 rating and 22 share for NBC's prime-time coverage, from the Opening Ceremony through February 12 events.
All of the top 20 markets by local ratings feature independently owned affiliates—not NBC-owned stations—and none are in the nation's top 10 TV markets. Tied for 15th overall (highest among larger markets) is Denver's KUSA-TV (Channel 9).
According to TheDesk.net, the pattern echoes the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics, where 19 independently owned NBC affiliates led prime-time viewership.
Executives from station groups like E.W. Scripps, Nexstar Media Group, and TEGNA attributed the strong performance to localized coverage, including stories about hometown athletes and community ties to the Games.
Despite budget pressures on local news, many affiliates invested in Olympic reporting: some sent reporters to Italy, while others localized content creatively. For example, Hearst-owned KCRA (Channel 3) in Sacramento produces a nightly Olympics recap show broadcast live from Tahoe Palisades (site of the 1960 Winter Games), with one reporter on-site in Italy and support from a national Hearst correspondent.