When Women Report on the Most Watched American Sport

8/18/2019 When Women Report on the Most Watched American Sport

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Introduction

This study will loo at the representation and portrayal o! !emale "ournalists that

report in the #F$% t will also research the e'perience o! a !emale sports reporter and

what ind o! content they produce% This topic was chosen as a result o! the clear

domination o! male sports reporters in T( co)era*e o! sports+ and was !urther ,roen

down to #F$ co)era*e+ ,ecause !oot,all is the most watched sport in America% While the

male domination in the !oot,all industry may ,e attri,uted to the !act that it is a male

sport+ !emale reporters ha)e stru**led !or years to ha)e the same respect and portrayal as

men in this !ield% There ha)e ,een only a !ew !emale reporters to mae it ,i* in this

industry+ compared to the hundreds o! male reporters% There are e)en less !emale

e'ecuti)es in this industry% To !ully understand the e'perience and portrayal o! women in

#F$ co)era*e+ it is important to loo at history o! the !eminist mo)ement+ which

occurred in the same time period that women were !irst incorporated into sports

reportin*% This research will consider the past+ present and !uture o! women in this

medium%

Methodology

Throu*h a -ualitati)e research this pro"ect will identi!y the ways in which women

are ,ein* represented on T( when reportin* on the #F$% This will ,e done throu*h an

analysis o! the history o! women in sports+ how they were !irst incorporated into #F$

co)era*e+ and how women are ,ein* represented now% This will ,e accomplished throu*h

primary source inter)iews with media personnel currently worin* in this industry% A

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content analysis will loo at e'actly how women are ,ein* represented in the #F$

co)era*e on ./S Sports+ S#+ Fo' Sports+ and #/. Sports+ and what content they are

producin*% This will also loo at the !ormula o! how national news outlets are co)erin*

!oot,all% This research hopes to contri,ute an understandin* o! the portrayal o! women in

the American sport o! !oot,all that will e'plain why women accept their mar*inalied

role in this industry+ and how that a!!ects what content they produce%

Women in Sports History and Literature Review

The !irst women sports personality was hyllis 3eor*e+ the winner o! the 141

Miss America pa*eant% She was in)ited ,y ./S to "oin the networ as a sportscaster in

146% She wored there !or almost ten years !rom 145 to 1476% Actress Jayne 8ennedy

replaced hyllis 3eor*e on The #F$ Today in 147+ ,ecomin* the !irst A!rican9

American !emale to host a networ sports tele)ision ,roadcast% She was also !irst

A!rican9American cele,rity to *race the co)er o! lay,oy ma*aine% hyllis 3eor*e came

,ac in 1470 to reclaim her role as the only !emale talent !or The #F$ Today% $eslie

(isser+ an accomplished sportswriter !or the /oston 3lo,e "oined ./S in 1476 as a part9

time reporter% She is the only sportscaster in history to ha)e wored on ,roadcasts !or the

Final Four+ #/A Finals+ World Series+ Monday #i*ht Foot,all+ the Super /owl+ the

:lympics and the ;%S% :pen% She is also one o! the !irst !emale sports reporters to ha)e

ac-uired her ,roadcast "o, throu*h her impressi)e sills in reportin*% 3ayle Sierens

,e*an worin* !or S# in 147< as a Sports.enter anchor+ ,ecomin* one o! the !irst

women to re*ularly anchor a ni*htly networ sports ,roadcast% n 147+ Sierens ,ecame

the !irst and only woman to do play9,y9plays !or a ma"or networ co)erin* the #F$%

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The history o! women in sports hi*hli*hts the !act that the !irst women

incorporated into !oot,all solely ,ased on their appearance and se' appeal% t too nearly

decades !or a woman with sports nowled*e and "ournalism sill to ,ecome the !ace o!

sports !or a ma"or networ% Rele)ant to that time period was the !eminist mo)ement in

the late 14=0s throu*h the 140s% Women had to !i*ht and protest !or e-uality in the

worplace%

n the article+ >Sports reportin* and *ender? Women "ournalists who ,roe the

locer room ,arrier@ ,y Tracy )er,ach and $aura Matysia+ the authors loo into the

history o! women and how they ha)e endured harassment and ad)ersity to ha)e e-ual

ri*hts as male reporters+ and there!ore *ain access to locer rooms !or post9*ame

inter)iews% This article speci!ically loos at how the !eminist mo)ement in America

really encoura*ed women to ,rea ,oundaries and pro)e their e-uality+ especially in the

worplace%

owe)er+ while the !eminist mo)ement did help the inte*ration o! women in the

sports industry+ there are still many challen*es !or women who report in sports% >Female

sports "ournalists in 2005 continued to !ace harassment and discrimination in their

worplaces and e)en accepted their own mar*inalied status as part o! the "o,+@

B)er,ac & Matysia+ pa*e 2C% t has ,een years o! !i*htin* !or e-uality in this male

dominated industry+ and women ha)e accepted their mar*inalied role% This article also

employs -uantitati)e research methodolo*y that shows statistics on *ender roles in the

worplace% For e'ample+ in 200+ women earned 70 cents !or each dollar a man earned%

This in!ormation is use!ul in a study o! women in ,roadcast sports ,ecause it shows

statistics and !acts that support that *ender ine-uality is still present in the worplace%

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Another article+ >Women sportscasters? na)i*atin* a masculine domain@ ,y Ma'

3ru,, and Theresa /illiot+ e'plores similar issues and challen*es that are !aced ,y

women sportscasters% While this article loos at challen*es o! women reporters in sports+

it also taes the perspecti)e o! how they !it into sports+ a tradition that ser)es as a

continual )alidation and commemoration o! manliness% >Women sportscasters stated that

they !elt pressure to maintain their appearance+ constantly pro)e their credi,ility+ con!ront

ine-uita,le treatment+ wor lon*er hours !or promotions+ and tolerate the networDs

in!ormal policy o! hirin* E,eauty o)er intelli*ence+@ B3ru,, & /illiot+ pa*e 74C% This

shows that he*emony is a clear !actor in how women are portrayed on sports media+

,ecause it is all a,out physical appearance and appealin* to the opinions o! the elites%

:ne concept that was de)eloped ,y !eminist !ilm critic+ $aura Mul)ey+ in her

145 essay entitled+ >(isual leasure and #arrati)e .inema@ is the Male 3ae% This

theory is not related to sports or !emale reporters+ ,ut rather how the media taes on the

perspecti)e o! the heterose'ual male+ ,y use o! camera an*les and cinemato*raphy that

that portrays women as se'ual o,"ects to loo at%

This theory was created the same time the !irst !emale sportscasters were ,reain*

into the industry% These !irst women in ,roadcast sports were all *i)en this opportunity

,ecause o! their appearance+ which !ueled an >all loos+ no ,rains@ connotation o!

!emales in sports% The Male 3ae theory is true in co)era*e o! !oot,all ,ecause women

were added to the medium to )isually satis!y the male )iewer%

#ot a !ar cry !rom the early women in ,roadcast sports+ the current !emale !aces

o! sports reportin* are striin*ly ,eauti!ul% rin Andrews is one o! the most !amous

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!emale !oot,all reporters ri*ht now and currently wors !or Fo' Sports+ co)erin* Fo'

#F$ Sunday%

n 2007+ a staler !ilmed Andrews nude throu*h the peephole o! her hotel room

door+ at the #ash)ille Marriot% This !oota*e went )iral in July o! 2004% The staler was

arrested and another instance o! the same )iolation+ )ideotapin* her nude in a hotel room

was !ound on the manDs computer% rin Andrews is a per!ect e'ample o! how ,ein* a

hi*h pro!ile woman in this !ield is not easy% Many times these reporters e'perience

discrimination and disrespect+ whether in their pri)ate li!e at a hotel room+ or in the

industry when tryin* to *et the post9*ame inter)iew+ where the players and coaches are

located a!ter the *ame+ the locer room% The locer room is one ,oundary that women

ha)e ,roen+ ,ut women still !ace disrespect and se'ism in that en)ironment%

>3ainin* access to the athletes in the locer room is a status sym,ol in the sports

reportin* world !rom which women sometimes are shut out% ardin and Shain !ound that

women in sports media >seem to accept discrimination and harassment as par !or the

course@ o! what they must endure on the "o,% They accept their own mar*inaliation

willin*ly and operate within the male9dominated structure o! sports+@ B)er,ac &

Matysia+ pa*e 5C% This -uote shows how other researchers acnowled*e that women

ha)e accepted their role as a minority+ and there!ore succum, to this position that allows

!or discrimination%

Content Analysis

This content analysis includes three consecuti)e wees o! #F$ co)era*e on the

ma"or networs+ ./S Sports+ S#+ Fo' Sports+ and #/. Sports% This will show the

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modern portrayal o! !emales reportin* and will contri,ute a lar*e role to the conclusion o!

this research%

NFL coverage CS Sports NC Sports F!" Sports #S$N

lay9,y9plays 2 Males 2 Males 2 Males 2 Males

ost Anchor Ges 5 Males 5 Males 5 Males 5 Males

Sideline Reporter 1 Male 1 Female 1 Female 1 Female

n this content analysis it is noted that women dominate one aspect o! this

industry+ and that is the sideline% This may ,e sym,olic in that the phrase >on the

sideline@ *enerally means unin)ol)ed and not part o! the action% owe)er+ a sideline

reporter is the most co)eted position !or a woman in sports% Also+ when reportin* on the

sideline+ women are o!ten not seen until the end o! the *ame% This also su,liminally says

that their role is less important% The anchors at the des always introduce the !emale

reporters% This small act asserts superiority o)er the women ,y *i)in* them their ,ylines%

A common theme !or !emale sports reporters is that they produce content that re)ol)es

less around *ame play+ and more on what could ,e a!!ectin* *ame play+ such as in"uries

or weather conditions%

$rimary Source Interviews

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Rosie Woods is currently an anchor and sports reporter !or A/. 5 in South

/end+ ndiana+ and is early in her ,roadcast "ournalism career% She *raduated !rom /oston

;ni)ersity and mo)ed out to daho !or her !irst "o, in ,roadcast% >My ori*inal

,ac*round was entertainment+ wored at ieartRadio+ and did that ind o! stu!!%

actually had a lot o! e'perience with sports in /oston+ meetin* with athletes and

pro!essionals% was always in the entertainment realm% :ne o! my pro!essors was a hu*e

sports "ournalism *uy and called me into his o!!ice a!ter anchored a show and he told

me should stic to entertainment% t seemed more lie ,ecause was a *irl than anythin*

else% There was no reason why couldnDt do sports% was the only *irl in the class+ and he

"ust didnDt thin was cut out !or the class% :! course+ went to the ,athroom+ cried+

,rushed it o!!+ and ept *oin*+@ said Woods%

She listened to her pro!essor and decided to continue with entertainment% >So

went into entertainment !or a while+ and then sports ind o! !ell onto my lap% dated a

hocey player on the /oston /ruins and started hostin* online stu!!+ put a decent reel

to*ether+ and then went to daho !or my !irst "o, a!ter colle*e+ they really didnDt ha)e

much *oin* on there ,esides !oot,all+ thatDs really all we co)ered% A lot o! !oot,all% So

had to *et my >Foot,all !or Gummies@ ,oo+ and learn was was talin* a,out% /ut e)en

then there was this underlyin* !eelin* that people were thinin*+ does she really now

what sheDs talin* a,out+ ,ecause sheDs a *irl+@ said Woods% She also e'plains the

di!!erences she sees when worin* on !ield in national co)era*e compared to local

co)era*e% >ere am the camera *uy+ the editor+ the reporter+ Dm doin* it all ,y mysel!%

When *o to these e)ents the national networs ha)e e)erythin* they need+ a camera

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*uy+ mae up+ and they loo adora,le in heels and Dm o)er here in !lats stru**lin* to *et

it all in on time+@ said Woods%

She ,elie)es it is easier !or a male to *o into ,roadcast i! once a pro!essional

athlete+ ,ecause they are seen as a more credi,le source than someone who does not ha)e

that e'perience% owe)er+ she ,elie)es now is the ,est time !or women to ,rea into this

!ield% >/ein* a pretty *irl now is the ,est time !or *ettin* into the sport% These days you

see these pretty+ tall+ stic !i*ure *irls that donDt need colle*e de*rees they "ust need to

loo *ood+@ said Woods% /ecause o! this+ she admits that she is o!ten septical to trust a

women sports reporter% >Sometimes Dll ,e watchin* these shows and will see these

pretty *irls e'plainin* somethin* and ,e lie+ she doesnDt now what sheDs talin* a,out%

tDs lie+ how could she now sheDs i! ne)er ,een out there+@ said Woods%

When reportin* on sports+ she tries to a)oid commentatin* or includin* any o! her

opinions% She stics with the hard !acts to a)oid !allin* under this assumption that she

mi*ht not now what sheDs talin* a,out% >As "ournalists we ha)e to ,e the eyes and ears

!or the )iewers+ ,ut how can we ,e the eyes and ears i! we ne)er actually did itH try to

stic to play9,y9plays and statistics ,ecause can see it and tell people what happened%

With play9,y9plays in national co)era*e itDs always a *uy ,ecause he can pro,a,ly

deli)er it ,etter+ he nows what heDs talin* a,out% ! you canDt deli)er you canDt *et the

"o,+ which is why women end up on the sidelines+@ said Woods%

She thins there are ad)anta*es and disad)anta*es !or ,oth *enders in)ol)ed in

this industry% >t is a dou,le ed*ed sword% A *uy would ha)e a harder time *ettin* a "o,

on the sideline as a pretty *irl would+ and *irl would ha)e a di!!icult time *ettin* a "o, as

an anchor or commentator+ ,ut thatDs "ust the industry+@ said Woods%

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atric $ittle is an anchor and T( personality in Southern #ew n*land% e

wored in sports "ournalism !or almost 20 years and wored as a sports reporter+ sports

anchor and sports director% > did a )ariety o! reportin*+ tra)elin*+ anchorin* and hostin*

sports shows+ specials+ li)e specials !rom the Super /owl+ World Series+ or e)en "ust !rom

the studio% D)e co)ered !i)e Super /owls+ three World Series+ two Stanley .up Finals+

two Gaytona 500s+ Ro*er .ups+ all sorts o! stu!!+@ said $ittle% art o! the !ield !or many

years+ he witnessed the chan*e in the industry as women too on more positions o!

power% >When !irst started it was di!!erent+ my !irst Super /owl in 144= it was

predominantly men e)erywhere% My last one was in 2001 and could really see the

di!!erence% There were more men at the des and women out on the !ield co)erin* the

teams% As the years went on it ,ecame much more e)en and pretty ,alanced% There were

"ust as many women in the !ield and anchorin*+@ said $ittle% Thou*h this opinion may ,e

contrary to the content analysis+ $ittle loos at sports reportin* !rom a local perspecti)e%

> thin women are *ettin* opportunities anywhere% tDs ,ecomin* more e-ual may,e =0

to 60 men to women+ nationally% $ocally+ itDs ,ecomin* closer to hal! than e)er+@ said

$ittle%

e reco*nies the need !or !emale reporters to appeal to the male )iewer% e

,elie)es that actually *i)es women an ad)anta*e when looin* to ,rea into this industry+

>itDs easier !or women to *et into sports ,ecause itDs supposed to appeal to men% )en

thou*h she may now less than do she is more appealin* to loo at% t matters less what

they now and more what they loo lie% ! applied !or the same "o, as a pretty women

25 or 2= years old with less e'perience than me+ she would pro,a,ly *et the "o, ,ecause

she is more appealin* to loo at+@ said $ittle%

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t is interestin* to note that ,oth o! these sports media personnel ,elie)e now is

the ,est time !or women to ,rea into ,roadcast sports+ ,ut they ha)e )ery di!!erent

opinions o! where the industry is ri*ht now% Woods still sees a )ery male dominated

industry+ while $ittle ,elie)es the *ap is nearly closed% The content analysis leans toward

the opinion o! Woods when it shows the domination o! male reporters+ howe)er $ittleDs

statements a*ree with the direction o! history in that women ha)e )isi,ly emer*ed much

more in the industry%

Conclusion

Since the pi)otal era o! the !eminist mo)ement+ women ha)e constantly pushed

the ,oundaries o! what they are capa,le o!% ! the industry continues the path that it is

currently on+ the !uture !or women is limitless and women will continue to in!iltrate into

male dominated worplaces to e)entually ,e seen as e-ual to their male counterparts%

A!ter 60 years o! women worin* in this industry+ there is still uncertainty% t is still

di!!icult !or the )iewer to trust a !emale o)er a male% /e!ore this research it appeared that

it would ,e easier !or a male to *et into this industry+ more so than a !emale% owe)er+

this research shows that women are actually more desired in this industry+ e)en thou*h it

is )isually clear that women are the *ender minority in co)era*e o! the #F$% This is

partially attri,uted to the !act that networs compete with other networs !or the ,est

ratin*s% n this !ield where ratin*s mean e)erythin*+ the networ will do what it taes to

appeal to the )iewers+ e)en i! it means hirin* more women% ;n!ortunately+ women ha)e

accepted their role in this !ield and until they challen*e the standard o! women only

reportin* !rom the sideline+ they will continue to e'perience *ender discrimination in this

androcentric industry%

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Re!erences

tlin*+ $%+ & Ioun*+ R% B200C% Se'ism and the authoritati)eness o! !emale

sportscasters% Communication Research Reports, 24B2C+ 12191

Documents

When Women Report on the Most Watched American Sport