Female Athletes in the Media: Under Representation and Inadequacy

A content analysis of Sports Illustrated covers determined there is an under representation of female athletes in print media. Also, because of the sexualized manner in which female athletes are portrayed, they suffer from inadequate depiction. Women in sports suffer from insufficient media coverage, not only in regards to their lack of presence in major sports publications but also in their stereotypical depiction in print journalism. This article is available in The Review: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Research: http://fisherpub.sjfc.edu/ur/vol8/iss1/10 Female Athletes in the Media: Under Representat ion and Inadequacy Jessica Shaller Abstract A content analysis of Sports Illustrated covers determined there is an under representation of female athletes in print media. Also, because of the sexualized manner in which female athletes are portrayed, they suffer from inadequate depiction. Women in sports suffer from insufficient media coverage, not only in regards to their lack of presence in major sports publications but also in their stereotypical depiction in print journalism.A content analysis of Sports Illustrated covers determined there is an under representation of female athletes in print media. Also, because of the sexualized manner in which female athletes are portrayed, they suffer from inadequate depiction. Women in sports suffer from insufficient media coverage, not only in regards to their lack of presence in major sports publications but also in their stereotypical depiction in print journalism. Introduction Media practitioners have the ability to shape the beliefs of their audience members. By determining the way viewers see certain issues, stories and newsworthy individuals, journalists affect the way their audience thinks. Framing is a way for professionals to skew ideas so the public interprets one idea as being more important or more acceptable than another (Palmeri 2001). One aspect of journalism where media framing is a prominent process is print media. It is in print media that there is a lack of portrayal of female athletes. Moreover, when a woman is depicted in a sports publication, more often than not, she is in a non-active or socially acceptable image (Knight & Giuliano2001). Despite the ever-growing number of female athletes' opportunities and presence in today's society, the mass media has yet to catch up with the times. For the last 30 years, there has been a rapid increase in the participation levels of young girls and women in sports. This has not been successfully portrayed in journalism. Because women have sprung into the mainstream sports world at a high rate in the last decade, one would assume they would receive an increased amount of media coverage. The media chooses to depict female athletes in a differing manner than their male counterparts; therefore women suffer the consequences of being forced into socially acceptable traditions. Theories Media Framing The concept of media framing exhibits a reporter and editor's choice as to what aspects of a story in the news are emphasized the most, what characteristics of individuals are highlighted. It should not be thought of as a way for reporters and editors to be subjective in their sharing of news, but rather a means for them to stress certain aspects over others — ones they believe are either more important to the desired audience, or more appealing (Palmeri 2001). For a journalist to frame an issue or individual, it means he or she puts that issue or individual into a certain light and designs the presentation so the reader interprets it the way the practitioner feels it needs to be read. Some see the effects of framing as journalists manipulating the ideas of the audiences. Framing results in a doctored view of an issue, but these individuals in the journalism field are trained to develop ideas in a manner which they should have a positive effect. This is not always the case, but it is the goal of media professionals (Palmeri 2001). In regard to sports, journalists tend to emphasize masculinity over femininity, and, because of this, framing is used to explain why so few women are depicted in the media. Critical Studies Critical studies is another appropriate theory to relate to the issue at hand. Communication-based critical theory is concerned with how media and messages are connected to power relations in society. In regards to the portrayal of women in the media, one must examine the idea of male hegemony the process of domination by the males in society. Mass media tend to reflect dominant ideologies, such as the dominance of males in the world of sport. Other ideas are considered only from that perspective and as a result become marginalized. These ideas are a reflection of the feminine studies segment of critical theory that social structure mirrors male hegemonic beliefs (Littlejohn 1999). Literature Review Because the public depends on the media as a primary news source, opinions are easily skewed. The way the media portrays female athletes is therefore the way society views these women. According to results from one study, "Sports journalism in the print media has been slow to react to social changes" (Salwen & Wood 1994). These social changes include the increase in