Jim Bell

Jim Bell joined NBC News’ “Today” show as executive producer in April 2005.  Bell oversees all aspects of America’s top-rated morning news program.

Prior to joining “Today,” Bell was Coordinating Producer, NBC Olympics.  In that role, Bell, a six-time Emmy Award winner, oversaw the production hiring for the NBC Olympics unit and was responsible for all aspects of nearly 100 hours of afternoon and late night Olympic programming on NBC during the 2004 Athens Summer Games.  In addition, Bell managed the integration of Telemundo into the NBC Olympic family and coordinated planning of NBC’s HDTV coverage in Athens and the inaugural U.S. HDTV broadcast for a Summer Olympics.

Bell’s Emmy-Award winning career as a producer for NBC began in 1990.  After graduating from Harvard, Bell moved to Barcelona and it was there he met Randy Falco, then NBC’s Vice President of Olympic programming, and was hired to work in the profiles unit for the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games.  In that role, he traveled to more than 15 countries shooting features on Olympic athletes.   Bell has gone on to work each subsequent Summer Olympic Games for NBC, the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City, as well as virtually every premier sports property the network has been associated with over the past 14 years. 

During the 1996 Atlanta Summer Games, Bell produced the network’s morning show, as well as a two-hour daily show for the NBC Atlanta affiliate, WXIA.  Bell was subsequently promoted to senior producer and produced the network’s inaugural Olympic cable coverage on CNBC for the 2000 Sydney Summer Games.  For the Salt Lake Olympic Winter Games, Bell oversaw the production of the network’s weekday afternoon show as well as the late night shows.  Bell has collected an Emmy for each of the four Olympic Games he has worked.

During his tenure with NBC between Olympic Games, Bell has worked on a variety of properties in various capacities, including producer for NBC’s broadcasts of the NFL, MLB, and the NBA, for which he earned an Emmy for the 1997 NBA Finals; producer for the French Open and Wimbledon, where he earned an Emmy in 1998; and coordinating producer for Notre Dame and Arena Football League telecasts.

Bell is credited with developing NBC’s critically acclaimed AFL in-game interviews, where the NBC game announcers interview the sideline coaches during the live game telecast.   This has provided unprecedented access and information for the viewers.   

In addition to his roles with NBC Sports and Olympics, Bell created and produced “Gameday NY,” a four-time New York Emmy award-winning football show for WNBC.  He also created and produces “Mike’d Up,” a weekly Sunday night sports program that also airs on WNBC.

Bell graduated cum laude from Harvard with a B.A. in government in 1989. He was an All-Ivy defensive tackle and a member of the school’s Ivy League Championship team in 1987.   He resides in Greenwich, Conn. with his wife Angelique and their four sons.

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