Chapter 13 Sociological Aspects of Sport Communication

Chapter 13Sociological Aspects of Sport Communication Lecture 14 {Date}

Understand the impact of sport media on society Consider how sport media create and reinforce social myths and examine sport media portrayals of sociocultural issues in society Appreciate the sociocultural–historical and political elements of sport communication Recognize the role of sport communication in maintaining or dispelling the status quo relative to race, gender, nationalism, and violence Become familiar with the roles of the mainstream versus alternative media in promoting diversity through hiring processes and through portrayals of ethnic minorities Learning Objectives

Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel Covers many sociological issues in sport and the media Monthly show celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2005 He and colleagues have won Sports Emmy Awards Correspondents are top sports reporters and commentators: Frank Deford, James Brown, Mary Carillo, Armen Keteyian, Bernard Goldberg Produce investigative reports, human interest stories, interviews Show has produced captivating reports dealing with doping in sport, sport violence, leadership in the Olympics, disabilities in sport, participation in sport by children and youth, counterfeit golf clubs, imprisoned athletes, women in all-male golf clubs, health issues in sport Profile of a Sport Communicator: Bryant Gumbel

A pervasive impact on society and culture Have the power to make social myths into social realities Reflect society but are instrumental in creating society’s perception Play a key role in shaping public opinion Have power to influence, reinforce, and create culture (continued) Introduction: Sport Mass Media

Through their power, sport mass media can shape Our beliefs and values Our society The dynamics of sport entities The sport culture and the public’s perceptions of sport Introduction (continued)

Sport media are often scrutinized and criticized Coverage and portrayal of minorities Failure to hire and promote minorities Talk show host and former salesperson with the Kansas City Royals Rush Limbaugh Had a short stay in national sport broadcasting Sport commentaries ended when he pontificated about media and race issues Race and Ethnicity

Until the 1970s,African-Americans received limited sports coverage Although coverage has increased,it often focuses on a few sports such as football, basketball, and baseball African-American athletes are placed in secondary and entertainment roles because oflack of coverage and manner in which they are portrayed Biased coverage Reassures members of the majority that their dominance is not being threatened Marginalizes the accomplishments, contributions of minority athletes (continued) Media’s Coverage of African-Americans

Caucasians receive more praise and less criticism in commentary European-American colleges tend to receive more positive story headlines than predominantly African-American colleges Sport media coverage implies a relationship between race and ability Performances characterized by uncontrollable external forces Media Describe African-Americans as having natural athletic abilities Focus on the cerebral abilities of Caucasians Often portray African-American athletes as deviant and violent (continued) African-Americans (continued)

Media have covered race issues in movies:Remember the Titans and Glory Road Limited coverage of African-American female athletes; when covered, Performances are marginalized through characterizations Are often compared to animals African-American female athletes endure stigma from sport media Coverage dramatically limits society’sawareness and acceptance of African-American female athletes Thus, the media not only create but enhancestereotypes and, in doing so, preserve the status quo in lieu of advocating social acceptance and change African-Americans (continued)

Depictions of Native, Latin-, Asian-American athletes Native American mascots by sport entities Latin-American athletesoften portrayed in the sport media as hot tempered Asian-American athletes Often portrayed as model minority Model minority stigma suggests Asian-American athletes are obsessive conformers, rigorously self-disciplined people, and excessively hard workers Depictions of Asian athletes born in the U.S differ from portrayals of Asian nationals who play professionally in the United States Media Coverage of Other Minorities

Caucasian males continue to dominate the sport media Few African-American males are represented, even fewer African-American women serve in those roles This pattern holds true in sport organizations: Managerial Coaching Minorities are denied the prestige they have earned when they are portrayed as less deserving than Caucasian counterparts Characterizations can limit opportunities for minorities To obtain quality endorsements To play particular positions To become sport leaders or administrators Employment Opportunities for Minorities

Sport media have been criticized for their coverage of female athletes Through commentary and amount and type of coverage Accomplishments and contributions of females are devalued and downplayed Sport media Characterize females differently than males Focus on their familial relationships Emphasize physical attractiveness rather than their performances Working environment for women in the sport media Often characterized as challenging Female sport reporters sometimes face marginalization Females and the Sport Media

Sport media have consistently neglected to provide equitable coverage to women’s athletics Females are dramatically underrepresented in sport media coverage Lack of coverage creates a perception of females Are less worthy Lack competitiveness Lack quality for the sport viewer Inequitable coverage denies females status, power, and prestige Characterizations of females in sport Gender marking Naming practices Theory of hegemony Coverage of Female Athletes

Sport has been slow to allow womenas athletes, coaches, administrators, and experts who can speak and write about sport topics Females have faced numerous barriers Women’s entrance into the male domain Threatens the hegemonic masculinity in sport Hegemonic masculinity is upheld through Discriminatory hiring practices Unfair opportunities for advancement, payment, recognition (continued) Working Environment for Females in Sport

Underrepresented in sports departments Limited supervisory roles and sports reporting Fewer women are assigned to cover sport than any other beat Working Environment (continued)

Nationalism is identification with the life and aspirations of the fellow members of a nation, even when we do not know those citizens or we have not seen the boundaries of the nation in its entirety A type of national mythmaking Often reinforced through the sport media Sport creates an imagery of national unity The media serve as powerful agents providing significant symbolic material to facilitate nationalistic emotions Many of the nationalistic images can be seen in the media coverage of the Olympics (continued) Nationalism and the Sport Media

The sense of nationalism is often seen in the sport media Nation building through sport American athletes are often portrayed differently than non-American counterparts Nationalism tends to reinforce stereotypes of certain nations and bonds countries together in these beliefs and myths Brazil is synonymous with soccer New Zealand is synonymous with rugby Canada is synonymous with hockey Sport often builds and reinforces the values, beliefs, and character of nations and, in doing so, unifies its citizens Nationalism (continued)

Doping and steroids Disability Sexual orientation Other Sociological Issues Affecting Sport Media

In what ways do the sport media characterize minorities? In what ways do the sport media characterize females? How do the sport media assist in building national mythologies? What can be done to encourage more objective media coverage? Why is biased coverage problematic? Is sport media coverage simply a reflection of society or does it influence society’s beliefs as the gatekeeper? How do members of the sport media justify biased coverage? Give some examples of biased coverage. Do those biases differ based on medium? Give some examples of nationalistic coverage in sport media. How have the sport media shaped your perceptions of sport? Discussion Questions

Chapter 13 Sociological Aspects of Sport Communication