live from sarajevo

🎧Audio version

In February 1984, Sarajevo wasn't just a city—it was the world's most advanced television studio. The American network ABC paid a record $91.5 million for broadcast rights, a staggering fee that financed a huge portion of the Games. In return, the world expected a flawless show, and a monumental effort connected every moment from these mountains to an estimated two and a half billion viewers.

A Global Stage

The world was watching. Over 7,800 media professionals from 39 countries descended on the city. The colossal broadcast was led by Yugoslav Radio-Television (JRT), which united all eight of its regional centers in the biggest production in its history. They were joined by an army of nearly 1,000 employees from ABC, including legendary anchor Jim McKay and a team of former Olympic champions providing expert commentary. With a penalty of $32,000 for a single minute of broadcast interruption, failure was not an option.

The Olympic Nerve Center

The heart of the operation was the brand-new RTV Building, a state-of-the-art hub nicknamed "the Grey House." A fleet of 22 broadcast vans and 106 cameras—including 17 right here on Trebević—were linked by 55 kilometers of special cable. For a truly immersive experience, tiny microscopic cameras were even fixed onto bobsleighs, giving viewers at home a breathtaking ride down the ice.

Information at Lightning Speed

To support nearly 6,000 journalists, the Main Press Centre in Skenderija operated 24/7. For the first time, a dedicated RTV Press Centre gave electronic media the same priority as print. Information flowed instantly via the advanced ISOS computer system, delivering results to 300 terminals moments after an event finished. Behind it all, the PTT service performed a technological miracle, with 1,200 workers installing 50,000 kilometers of new telephone cable. The hospitality was just as memorable; one journalist was so touched by the city's workers, he wrote that he wished he could give medals to them all, because "they all do more than they have to."