(Refile to correct typo in paragraph 3).

Helen Coster and Sheila Dang

(Reuters). NBC, the U.S. network broadcasting the Beijing Olympics Opening Ceremony began Friday. Experts and hosts discussed China’s alleged rights violations such as its treatment of Muslim Uyghurs.

NBC featured China experts speaking out about Uyghurs’ status and the other Muslim minority groups living in China’s northwestern region, Xinjiang. This was just one of many controversies that face the host nation.

These experts were joined by Mike Tirico, host of NBC Sports. They conducted an interview at the stadium’s opening ceremonies. Savannah Guthrie, co-host of the broadcast, joined from Stamford Connecticut’s NBC Sports headquarters.

Andy Browne (editorial director, Bloomberg New Economy Forum) said that “Western governments and the White House allege the Chinese government is engaging in a systematic repression Muslim Uyghurs within Xinjiang.” He was also one of two China experts who were hired by NBC to broadcast the program.

They allege this massive program of social manipulation is directed at suppressing Muslim Uyghur language, culture, tradition and identity. The group alleges a variety of human rights violations, including forced labor, coercive contraception practices and indoctrination. This all amounts to cultural genocide.

America has declared China’s treatment Uyghurs genocide. China has denied any allegations of genocide, or other human rights violations. It claims that its camps in Xinjiang offer vocational training. They are necessary to combat extremism.

NBCUniversal was able to purchase $7.65 billion in 2014 for exclusive U.S. broadcasting rights. The contract to NBC for Beijing Games is the largest in the world.

Comcast Corp (NASDAQ) – NBC’s owner – has been urged by human rights groups as well as a U.S.Congressional committee to provide coverage of China’s rights violations in the Olympics.

Press freedom and rights groups expressed concerns over the ability of NBC to report freely during the Olympics. They cited Beijing’s restrictions.

The narrator of a pre-recorded NBC video segment Thursday detailed “other concerns that have also contributed to this latest flashpoint between the U.S. and China,” including the escalation of crackdowns on pro-democracy sentiment in Hong Kong.

NBC presented the following information to journalists last month: It would broadcast the Games’ geopolitical context, which will include China as host nation.