Media & Press: Covering the 1984 Games

In February 1984, Sarajevo was more than just a host city; it was the nerve center of a massive, hybrid communication network. While athletes chased gold on the slopes of Bjelašnica, a separate army of 7,852 media professionals occupied a sophisticated infrastructure designed to bridge the gap between traditional print journalism and the digital future. Through the implementation of the Information System of Olympics in Sarajevo (ISOS), the 1984 Games transformed media operations from a series of isolated filing desks into an integrated, 24-hour global data loop.

Fast Facts

Total Accredited Media: 7,852 (including 2,204 print/radio/TV journalists and 409 photographers).
Main Hub: Skenderija Cultural-Sports Centre (6,120 ).
Sub-Press Centres: 6 venues (Igman-Veliko Polje, Igman-Malo Polje, Bjelašnica, Jahorina, Trebević, and Zetra).
Service Hours: 24 hours a day (January 25 – February 25, 1984).
Global Reach: 41 countries, 769 newsrooms, and 67 Radio-Television (RTV) companies.
Data Backbone: 300 terminals connected to two large-scale IBM host computers.
Network Scale: 50,000 km of underground telephone cable and 1,400 direct lines.
Visual Output: 22,000 films developed by the on-site Kodak laboratory.
Telecom Traffic: 20,324 telephone conversations and 7,480 telex messages processed.
Production Force: 3,178 personnel dedicated to Yugoslav Radio-Television (JRT) operations.

Defining “Media Operations” in 1984: The Shift to ISOS

In the early 1980s, "media operations" traditionally meant providing a desk, a phone, and a telex machine. Sarajevo 1984 upended this by introducing ISOS (Information System of Olympics in Sarajevo). This wasn't just a results service; it was a comprehensive electronic ecosystem designed by the University Computer Technique Centre and the University Data Processing Centre (SRCE) in Zagreb.

Beyond Paper: The Rise of Electronic Data Processing

ISOS moved the Games into the digital age by using computers as the primary tool for processing and transmitting data to journalists. The system functioned through an extensive network of 300 terminals installed at venues, press centers, and even hotels.

Electronic Mail: For the first time, journalists could use an "electronic postal service" to exchange individual messages or receive official announcements from the organizers.
Self-Service Data: Terminals provided instant access to competitor biographies, historical data, and real-time results, reducing the reliance on physical paper runners.
Automated Agencies: The system selected and sent results directly to major news agencies via telex, ensuring that the world’s wire services were updated within seconds of a competition's end.

Integrating the “Parallel” RTV System

The organizers recognized that the needs of "electronic media" (Radio and TV) had evolved beyond those of the written press. To address this, they established a Parallel RTV Press Centre within the International Radio-Television Centre (IRTVC).

This 16-story hub ensured that TV commentators and radio reporters had access to the exact same ISOS data flow as their colleagues at the Main Press Centre. With three special TV channels broadcasting live from the venues and a closed-circuit system providing data directly to commentators' booths, the "parallel" operation ensured that the two billion viewers worldwide received information as quickly as the journalists on the ground.

The Operations Hub: 24-Hour Workflows at Skenderija

At the heart of the city, the Skenderija Cultural-Sports Centre served as the "nerve system" for the world’s media. While the complex hosted high-profile figure skating and ice hockey matches upstairs, its basement was transformed into a 6,120 hive of 24-hour activity known as the Main Press Centre (MPC).

The Main Press Centre (MPC) Layout

The MPC was designed to be a self-contained city for journalists, ensuring they never had to leave the facility to complete a filing. Managed by Director Pero Ivačić, the center routinely accommodated over 1,500 journalists simultaneously—double the capacity of any previous event in Yugoslavia.

The facility was strictly zoned into functional areas to handle the high-pressure workflow:

Main Work Hall: A massive space equipped with desks and portable typewriters featuring various alphabets.
Telecommunications Center: The primary interface for telephone, telex, and facsimile services.
Agency Room: Dedicated space for major news wires to house their private equipment.
Photo-Film Laboratory: A large-scale facility operated by Kodak, which provided free film and development for accredited photographers.
Support Services: On-site facilities included a restaurant, a Nikon camera repair shop, a post office, an exchange office, and transport desks.

The Venue Network: Sub-Centres and Newspaper Alliances

To manage the flow of information from the mountains to the city, the Organizing Committee (OCOG) decentralized its operations through six sub-press centres. In a unique logistical move, each sub-centre was managed by a different "eminent Yugoslav newspaper," leveraging their existing editorial expertise to run the local hubs:

Zetra (Ice Sports): Managed by the Zagreb-based agency Vjesnik.
Bjelašnica (Men’s Alpine): Run by Sarajevo's own Oslobođenje.
Jahorina (Women’s Alpine): Managed by Belgrade’s Politika.
Igman - Veliko Polje (Nordic/Biathlon): Run by Borba (Belgrade).
Igman - Malo Polje (Ski Jumps): Managed by Delo (Ljubljana).
Trebević (Bobsleigh/Luge): Jointly run by Magyar Szó and Dnevnik (Novi Sad).

Sorting the “Seventh Estate”: Accreditation Logic and Access

With nearly 35,000 total participants across all categories, the accreditation process was a massive data-management exercise. The OCOG’s goal was "confidence which is twofold": providing security for the host and efficiency for the participant.

Mapping the Categories: From “E” to “OE”

The 1984 Games used a strict alphanumeric coding system to determine a participant's level of access. For the media, the primary marker was the "E" index (Yellow).

Code	Typical Users	Access Rights
E	Print Journalists & Photographers	Press Village, MPC, Sub-centres, Venue workspaces
EC	TV & Radio Commentators	Commentator booths, RTV Centre, Press Village
ES	RTV Technical/Production Staff	Technical zones, IRTVC, Press Village
EF	Film Cameramen	Designated filming positions at venues
OE	JRT (Yugoslav Radio-Television)	Full production access across all host-broadcaster sites

The Logistics of Identity: Five Strategic Posts

To prevent bottlenecks, the OCOG abandoned the idea of a single central accreditation office. Instead, they established five decentralized posts based on accommodation logic, ensuring participants could be "processed" where they slept:

Dobrinja Press Village: The primary hub for the 8,500 media representatives. This desk operated 24 hours a day and included an on-site photo studio for those who arrived without pictures.
Mojmilo Olympic Village: For competitors and team personnel.
Holiday Inn Hotel: Reserved for the "Olympic Family"—IOC members, International Sports Federations, and distinguished guests.
Young People’s Theatre: For judges, expert observers, and Games organizers.
Republican Secretariat of Internal Affairs: Dedicated to security services and social self-protection personnel.

This system was remarkably efficient; records show that a group of 110 representatives from ABC Sports was fully accredited and processed in just 13 minutes.

Field Support: Results, Briefings, and the Daily "Informer"

Operational success in 1984 was measured by the speed of the "paper trail." Even with the electronic ISOS system in place, the physical distribution of data remained a massive logistical undertaking to ensure that every journalist, regardless of their technical setup, had the facts.

The Two-Minute Rule: Real-Time Result Distribution

The OCOG established a performance standard that was remarkably ambitious for the era: the "Two-Minute Rule." With rare exceptions, result lists from any venue were copied and distributed in the Main Press Centre no later than two minutes after the end of a competition.

Accuracy Hierarchy: Results checked and certified by the competition secretariat were indexed as "APPROVAL," while any subsequent changes were marked "CORR" to prevent the spread of misinformation.
Volume: To meet this demand, the MPC used high-capacity Rank Xerox (UK) and Rotaprint (Austria) machines capable of producing approximately 400 copies per minute.
Archiving: At the conclusion of the Games, all results were compiled into a final "Book of Results," available at the MPC and International RTVC.

Technical Logistics: Kodak Labs and Nikon Repair

Journalism in 1984 was a physical craft, and the OCOG partnered with global industry leaders to provide on-site infrastructure that would be impossible for individual newsrooms to transport to Sarajevo.

The Kodak Laboratory: Located in the MPC, this facility was staffed by 58 young local personnel working alongside Kodak experts. They developed over 22,000 films for photo-reporters free of charge and provided complimentary film stock to accredited media.
The Nikon Service: A dedicated workshop provided free servicing for Nikon cameras and cine-cameras. In a significant logistical assist, they also offered camera rentals without a cash deposit, ensuring that equipment failure wouldn't end a reporter's assignment.

E-Lines: The Press Transport Network

To move the "Seventh Estate" between the Dobrinja Press Village, the city hub, and the mountain venues, the OCOG operated a dedicated transport vertical known as the "E-Lines." Access was strictly limited to those with yellow "E" or "E-RTV" accreditation. The network consisted of several key routes:

Line E 1: Connected Dobrinja to the MRTVC, Skenderija (MPC), and Zetra.
Line E 3/E 3a: A grueling but essential link to Jahorina (Women’s Alpine) via Trebević.
Line E 5/E 6: Directed journalists to the Nordic and jumping venues at Igman.

The Telecoms Backbone: A Hybrid Network of Data and Voice

The PTT (Post, Telegraph, and Telephone) system was the invisible infrastructure that allowed Sarajevo to talk to the world. Preparation for this network began in 1980 and involved a workforce of 1,200 people at the sports sites alone.

The IBM/PTT Infrastructure: 50,000 km of Cable

The scale of the physical network was staggering. To ensure Sarajevo could handle the sudden surge in international traffic, the PTT installed 50,000 km of underground telephone cable specifically to service the Olympic and Press Villages.

Capacity: Automatic telephone switchboards with 3,000 links were installed at venues, supported by high-frequency systems providing 7,000 telephone channels for international distribution.
Redundancy: To ensure "absolute certainty," reserve T.T. lines were installed for high-priority users, allowing for immediate switching in case of a disconnection.

Filing via Telex, Fax, and the First Electronic Post

While telephone calls were the primary mode of filing—totaling 20,324 conversations across all press centers—the 1984 Games were a transition point for data transmission.

Telex Dominance: 7,480 telex messages were sent during the Games. The MPC at Skenderija handled 66% of this volume, with a total transmission time of 53,718 minutes.
The Rise of Facsimile: Sarajevo was an early adopter of the "Tele-fax." 1,541 facsimile messages were sent, again with the MPC leading the volume (1,109 messages).
Electronic Post (SMRY): For the first time, journalists could send digital messages to one another via ISOS terminals. These messages were stored and, if unread by midnight, were printed and delivered to the addressee’s accommodation during the night.

February 1984 Pinch Points: 200 km/h Winds and Filing Peaks

While the systems were designed for high capacity, the reality of the Sarajevo winter and the intensity of the competition schedule created significant "pinch points." The media operations team had to manage both environmental crises and the sheer physical speed of the modern news cycle.

Bjelašnica’s High-Wind Crisis

The mountain venues presented the greatest challenge to the "Internal Communication System." On Mt. Bjelašnica, extreme weather conditions nearly compromised the entire radio link network.

The Repeater Threat: Winds exceeding 200 km/h threatened to knock down the repeaters essential for venue-to-city communication.
The Response: Technicians from the Electronic Installations sector maintained round-the-clock duty in the "Main Communications Center." Despite the mechanical strain, the system—which linked 180 facilities and 800 personnel—remained operational without a single "hiccup" or equipment failure.

The Two-Hour Downhill Rush

The ultimate test of filing capacity occurred on a single Thursday when, due to previous weather delays, both the men’s and women’s downhill races on Jahorina and Bjelašnica were held within a two-hour window.

The Surge: At the Bjelašnica press center alone, PTT Slovenia workers recorded 137 telephone connections to global newsrooms (including Canada, Australia, Japan, and the USA) in under 120 minutes.
Efficiency: Despite the sudden peak, journalists reported that international connections were typically established in roughly two minutes, a testament to the high-frequency systems designed by the Yugoslav PTT.

The Sarajevo Legacy: An Impeccable Model for Future Games

The media operations at Sarajevo 1984 did more than just "work"; they set a new standard for organizational excellence in the Cold War era. For a regional capital to host over 7,000 media representatives with "impeccable" results was a significant geopolitical and technical achievement.

The legacy of the Sarajevo system was defined by three key factors:

The Human Element: The "Seventh Estate" left Sarajevo with high praise for the 339 press service staff and hundreds of student volunteers who manned the help desks 24 hours a day.
Technological Integration: Sarajevo proved that a hybrid system—combining the physical reliability of the PTT with the speed of IBM's digital data processing—was the future of sports journalism.
The "Best Organized" Label: IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch’s declaration that these were the "best organized Winter Games in history" was largely a reflection of the seamless information flow. By the time the final telex was sent on February 21, the Sarajevo OCOG had demonstrated that "media operations" were no longer just a support service, but the very engine that made a modern Olympic Games possible.

Accreditation Categories

Code	Category	Access Rights	Typical Users
E	Press/Photo	Press Village, MPC, All Sub-Centres	Journalists, News Agencies, Photographers
EC	RTV Commentator	RTV Centre, Commentator Booths	TV/Radio Broadcasters
ES	RTV Technical	RTV Centre, Technical Zones	Sound/Video Engineers, Technicians
EF	Film Cameraman	Venue Filming Positions, RTV Centre	Official Film Crews, News Camera Teams
OE	JRT Personnel	All Venues & IRTVC	Yugoslav Radio-Television Staff

Service Directory

Service	Primary Location	Hours
Main Press Centre	Skenderija (Basement)	24 Hours
RTV Press Centre	IRTVC (4th Floor)	24 Hours
Photo-Film Lab	MPC (Skenderija)	24 Hours
Nikon Repair	MPC (Skenderija)	Event Duration
Electronic Post	All ISOS Terminals	24 Hours
Accreditation Desk	Dobrinja Press Village	24 Hours

Telecoms Inventory

System	Purpose	Known Capacity
IBM Host Computers	Data Processing (ISOS)	2 Large-scale CPUs
Telephone Cables	Network Backbone	50,000 km underground
Telex Machines	News Agency Filing	250 units (50+ at MPC)
Facsimile (Fax)	Document Transmission	40 units at MPC/Sub-centres
Radio Links	Internal Comms	1,325 radio links
Teletext	News/Service Info	2 Parallel Magazines (En/Sc)