In 1967, 800 writers, photographers, broadcasters, technicians and cameramen covered the games for an international audience. Seventy typewriters clicked 24 hours a day in the main press centre at the Royal Alexandra Hotel, and teleprinters conveyed competition results to the world.

The Pan Am Press Headquarters was complete with a telephone network, which furnished the games with six switchboards, 280 central office trunk lines, 600 telephones including a number of key telephone systems, 26 general mobile telephones and 20 pocket pagers. The games were one of the highlights of the debut of color television in Canada, broadcast by CBC.

For all the differences between the 1967 and 1999 Games, many of the challenges remain the same. "Creating the best possible working environment for media is always a priority," says Don MacKenzie, Pan Am Games Society President and CEO.

In the summer of 1999, journalists will file their stories via computer and modem, and media and fans from afar will depend upon the Internet for up-to-the-minute stats.

The Pan Am site (www.panamgames.org) is designed to support 13 million hits per day during the 17 days of the Games.