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.
I love how you make a point about the sexualization of female athletes not having a consequence in the ratings. We constantly see that happen and yet it’s pretty hard to find co-ed or only female teams on TV. I think it’s true in the historically male tradition of sports: we value skill and toughness, in both male and female athletes. The sexual tint of women’s sports, in contrast, seems to weaken the field of sports media and turn it into what the rest of media is like. And that is just the easy way out, since these women are already fit and young as a job requirement: it’s harder to be a successful athlete when you’re well into your forties. Just ask Maradona, Ronaldo, Figo or Guardiola, all very successful male soccer players who have retired before reaching 40. I wonder if there is any other way to bring women in sports to the forefront without trivializing their ability, other than come to grips with what’s available or boycott it en masse.
ReplyDeleteI think it is interesting how the media continues to portray women in a hyper-sexualized manner. Unfortunately, I think some people (men in particular) still regard women as something "lesser" to man and treat them as such. Women are still objects of man's pleasure in today's society, albeit it is changing for the better. I think the issue is how many people still believe that sports are for men and that women have no right playing with the "superior" men. This notion is so ridiculous because women are just as capable as men, if not better in some cases, at playing sports. Women are so hyper-sexualized in the media because the producers or owners only care about the money or ratings and try to attain them by any means necessary. And they do this at women's' expense. Unfortunately many people still regard women's sports as "cute" or a joke and watch it merely for the girls, such as volleyball.
ReplyDeleteHopefully as time goes on, people will realize how ridiculous this concept of inferiority is and also realize that everyone is equal.