From Payphones to Press Rooms: 50 Years of Long Beach and Motorsport Journalism

This past weekend, the Long Beach Grand Prix celebrated its 50th anniversary. I distinctly remember being there in 1975 when the first race—a Formula 5000 event—was won by Brian Redman. Reflecting on those early days and the evolution of journalism methods since then is truly fascinating.

Screenshot from the official Grand Prix of Long Beach website (gplb.com)

Back in 1975, the tools and processes we used as journalists were vastly different from today. Radio

networks relied on AT&T long lines to distribute their signals, as satellite technology didn’t yet exist for such purposes. This required an affiliate director to individually contact each station and coordinate with AT&T to ensure the connections were properly set up and ready for transmission. It was a labor-intensive process.

Media facilities at the time were surprisingly decent, particularly considering that this was the first pro-level street race in many years. While tracks like Watkins Glen and Road America offered media amenities, they were located in more rural, open-road settings rather than within the dense urban environment of a major city like Long Beach. Despite these challenges, the organizers managed to provide excellent media facilities. Back then,“good media facilities” simply meant having tables for press releases, chairs for journalists, and telephone plugs or payphones for filing stories. Photographs from races were sent using a peculiar machine with a round, rotating drum—the facsimile machine. Unlike today, there were no public relations staff to answer questions, and drivers didn’t come to the Media Center for interviews. Instead, we had to track them down ourselves, which often felt like a cat-and-mouse game.

Access to secure areas at early F1 races was remarkably open. I recall standing on the island between the pits and the track, taking photos. One memorable shot was of Mario Andretti speeding by, with a dilapidated building in the background. In the window of that building, an old man sat with a paper bag and a bottle, watching as the world champion raced past—a poignant contrast of worlds captured in a single image.

The advent of cell phones and satellite communications revolutionized journalism. Suddenly, telephone plugs and fax machines became obsolete as smartphones could handle both calls and picture transmissions. For radio and television, communication satellites were transformative, enabling quick, seamless access to hubs and allowing radio stations to join broadcasts at the last minute with a simple satellite code.

Fast forward to this past weekend, and the media facilities at Long Beach were the best they’ve ever been. There was plenty of space and numerous amenities for the media professionals working there. Press releases were readily available, PR staff were always close by to answer questions, and drivers came through on a regular schedule, eliminating the need to chase them down. Long Beach has

certainly come a long way in 50 years—and so have other tracks. Minimum standards for Media Centers,

pioneered by individuals like one of our members Mike Knight have greatly improved the experience for journalists. Standards for broadcast booths have also evolved.

At Long Beach, for instance, it took years before there was an actual broadcast booth for radio or television. I vividly recall one year when the television booth was nothing more than a scissor lift positioned across from the pit entrance, right up against the wall. It was a makeshift solution that

brought its own challenges. Bobby Unser, the multiple-time Pikes Peak Hill Climb champion,

happened to be my broadcasting partner that year. Ironically, despite his racing accolades, Bobby was afraid of heights. As I raised the lift, he kept pleading, “Oh, Father, that’s high enough!” It was an amusing moment that remains etched in my memory. As I reflect on the past 50 years, I can’t help but wonder what the Media Center of the future will look like. The progress we’ve witnessed is incredible, and the possibilities for what’s to come are equally exciting.