Research by the ASC into mass media coverage of women’s sport began in 1980, and has been carried out every four years since to gauge any changes in media coverage. Although the nation’s sportswomen are playing harder, faster and more professionally than ever, and have a proven international record, they still struggle for consistent, long-term coverage. In 1996, a two week survey was done to establish a measurement of coverage and additional information about the portrayal of women’s sport in the media. The findings showed that media coverage of women in sport is treated very differently from that of men.
The survey showed television coverage of women’s sport for the period sampled was just 2% of total sports broadcasting. Radio coverage was surveyed for the first time and showed a total figure of 1.4% of total sports broadcasts while sports magazines, which were also surveyed for the first time, registered 6.8% of coverage devoted to women’s sports. The good news was newspaper reports of women’s sports doubled since the 1992 report and recorded just over a 500% increase from the first survey in 1980. However, results showed only 10.7% of newspaper sports pages were devoted to women’s sport, compared with the men’s at 79.1%. The location of the stories within the magazines and newspaper reports also differs significantly from men. On the sports page, men will be on the front page and the first few pages after that. Usually the last page, at the bottom is devoted to the women's sports. On occasion co-ed teams will be mixed in on the top of the last page with the men's stories.
Sportswomen are significantly more likely to be portrayed in ways that emphasize their femininity and heterosexuality rather than their athletic prowess. Numerous studies have revealed that newspaper and TV coverage around the globe routinely and systematically focus on the athletic exploits of male athletes while offering hypersexualized images of their female counterparts. A major consequence of the media’s tendency to sexualize women’s athletic accomplishments is the reinforcement of their status as second-class citizens in one of the most powerful economic, social and political institutions on the planet. In doing so, media images that emphasize femininity/sexuality actually suppress interest in, not to mention respect for, women’s sports.
The widely held assumption that sexualizing female athletes is the most effective way to promote women’s sports creates cognitive dissonance. Marketing campaigns for leagues like the WNBA emphasize the wholesome nature of women's sports, highlighting the connection between fathers and daughters. The underlying message is that women’s sports embrace traditional “family values” and that their appeal cuts across generational lines. A "sex sells" strategy is counterproductive to that message. Should we buy the argument that what generates fan interest is how pretty athletes are versus how well they perform when a championship is on the line?
So what does sell women’s sports? The answer lies with women’s college basketball and the coverage it receives on ESPN. Each year during the NCAA’s March Madness tournament, women’s hoops garner record attendance and TV ratings. Coverage of the women’s Final Four bears a remarkable resemblance to that of the men’s: a focus on great traditions, conference rivalries (Duke vs. North Carolina), legendary coaches (Pat Summitt vs. Geno Auriemma), and, most important, showcasing sportswomen as physically gifted, mentally tough, grace-under-pressure athletes.
