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Discriminating Females in Sports Broadcasting

Austin Meneley

Coms 183 Professor Stitt

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Abstract

Throughout history, women have not been taken seriously with the role they play in the

broadcasting field. The goal of this study is to gain awareness about how women are treated

unfairly based on the sports careers they try to pursue. There has been countless research that has

proven that women can be just as qualified taking on the male dominated sports world as men

do. Although the main problems are associated with that dominated male fans would will talk

and pay more attention to the appearance each female possesses rather than the content she

knows. Based on the effects on their stereotype, women were not treated fairly, not many were

recognized for their knowledge on sports but for their appearance instead audience continue to

have large preference toward sex biased on a national scale. Based on the viewers appeal on

sportscaster today women have also been perceived as being less qualified than men as well. As

this issue continues to take an effect on toward today’s society, there will continue to be long

term effects for the careers of women in the future of broadcasting.

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Introduction

For many years, sports have been seen to be more driven as a male dominated

environment. From the early days of the competitive world, men were only given the opportunity

to expose their athletic skills and masculinity growing into adulthood. When sports were first

created, women were highly excluded from ever taking part in the athletic field. The thought of

taking on the sports role was hardly thought of for women. Carrying over into today’s society,

where sports is seen through a national scale, the male population is targeted as the dominant

audience. Examples such as the National Basketball Association, Major League Baseball, and

the National Football league are seen as the most popular sports viewing pleasure on television

mainly because of the exposure from male athletes although women would still take an effect

when given the opportunity (Elting & Young, 2007). In today’s society on sports, males are

considered the more dominant figure when taking on the broadcasting role due to their wide

range of knowledge although with females do not know enough to be in sports.

As the broadcasting field continues to grow into this new day and age, many career

opportunities are reduced for those to take on the sports casting role. Sports fans throughout the

nation have noticed how controversial the involvement of women in the broadcasting field has

been. On many cases are they recognized for their sports knowledge but are strictly known for

appearance. For example, the sports caster Erin Andrews is known for being one of most popular

telecasters in the sports media not only for her knowledge but highly recognize the credit she has

based on her appearance in general (Sports Business Daily, 2008). So far, the opportunity

continues to down fall for women based on respect and dignity associated with their career. The

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goal with this study is to gain awareness about how women can be just as qualified taking on the

male dominated sports world as men do.

Background

After the establishment of Title IX in 1972, the thought of excluding women from a male

dominated society in sports was highly forbidden (Hardin & Shain, 2005a; Clifton, 2012).

Carrying over into the world of sports today, women have been given many opportunities to

expose their athletic frame but are rarely seen on television, and even if so women are seen as a

sex symbol such as cheerleaders and dancers within the male dominated sport. Also when

women took on the male perspective of sports like basketball and softball they received low

ratings on national television (Schmidt, 2013). On an average day, research has found that

newspaper stories cover just 3% of women sports as well covering a story based on the

individual athlete women covers just 5% (Schmidt, 2013). When women stepped into spotlight

of the broadcasting field it did not turn out as expected. Due to the sexual stereotyping of

female's in sports, women have been highly discriminated for their role in the broadcasting field .

Looking back into the history, women did not start their broadcasting career until the

early 1970s. Harry Johnson was the first female journalist to take on the role in early 1930s

(Grub & Billiot, 2010, Clifton, 2012). As journalism began to evolve into the later parts of the

20th century, many opportunities were given to women that most men took part in as well. For

example, when it came to football, males were dominantly shown on the air. But in 1960 Jane

Chastain was the first female to conduct the first play-by-play analysis, which inspired many

others to take on the role as well. Lesley Visser became the first female to write for the NFL, the

first female Superbowl sideline reporter, and the first female analyst for the NFL broadcast

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(Grub & Billiot, 2010; Clifton 2012). Fast forward to today; the broadcasting opportunity has

been growing for female journalists. In 1987, men reported 73% of the stories. Currently, both

sexes share the same reporting roles but are limited. Men are reduced to report 48% of the stories

and women reporting 40% while the other 12% was team oriented (Schmidt, 2013). As the

professional sports business adapted, many companies made changes according to the appeal on

the sports industry. Although, while women were treated fairly they were still expected to face

sexual harassment, not only in the locker room but also in the workplace in general (Hardin &

Shain, 2005b; Clifton 2012).

In the early 1970s, a CBS Sports vice president paved the way for women in the sports

media when he realized that women would bring more media coverage and the viewing pleasure

in sports (Grub & Billiot, 2010; Hardin & Shain, 2005a). When many female reporters were

brought into the industry they were hired for legitimate reasons such as their knowledge about

sports but for their looks in general. For example, Phyllis George, a former Miss America beauty

pageant, as well with Jayne Kennedy were first hired as a sports analysts for the NFL, although

neither were hired for their knowledge of sports but to add a feminine touch to the male

dominated airwaves (Grub & Billiot, 2010; Clifton, 2012; Doyle, 2013). Looking into today’s

society, take Erin Andrews for example, considered as the most well known female reporter

around the nation, has over two million followers on twitter, having more than the San Francisco

49ers, New England Patriots, and New York Yankees Combined (Sports Business, 2008).

Clearly Erin Andrews is an example of one taking on the role for females in the broadcasting

field but only for appearance reasons. With her wide range of sports knowledge, Erin Andrews

first began her broadcasting career in the early 2000s as a sideline reporter for Fox sports and

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TBS (US Magazine, 2014). She would become a largely known telecaster with her stunning

looks that awarded her as the sexiest sportscaster multiple times (US Magazine, 2014). Since

then many female sports journalists have currently made a strong contribution to the

broadcasting field but many are having a difficult time gaining acceptance because not many

women are taken serious by fans and other people within the business (Hardin & Shain, 2005b;

Clifton 2012).

As noted earlier Lesley Visser was one of the first females to take on the signifant role as

a female broadcaster in the early 1970s. But a game in which she reported during a Pittsburg

Steelers game, Visser attempted to interview quarterback Terry Bradshaw but Bradshaw took her

notepad, signed his autograph, and handed it back her publisher (Grub & Billiot, 2010). Another

example was when one female during the World Series tried interview men in the locker room

was rejected by many players with aggressive comments leading up to a player throwing a jock

strap at her (Hardin & Shain, 2005b). But in today’s broadcasting world many women should

still be admired for what they do, even though many fans will not take them seriously. With the

opportunity given, women will not be discriminated for what they love to do. Although women

may have been given a great opportunity, there continues to be struggles that being faced

psychologically that are much stricter and more vigorous than what men face do.

Theoretical Explanation

Based on the cultivation theory, that was stated by professor Carmen Stitt in COMS 183,

dealing with long term effects associate with significant amount of exposure from the media,

women will continue to struggle based on their gender in the future of sports broadcasting. One

researcher claimed the obstacles or frustrations women encounter are not the same based on their

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male counterparts. Women are more pressured to keep up with their appearance as well with

constantly having to prove their credibility and knowledge about the sports than other males

(Grub & Billiot, 2010; Clifton 2012). The struggles take into an effect of not only the females

themselves but other male counterparts as well. Based on the looks that females expose, unfair

advantages are taking an effect toward other males who want to pursue in the same career. Also

other women as well face the same effect as men, feeling they are not attractive enough, their

career opportunity is taken away even though their knowledge about the sport is greater than

their attractive competitors. Taking away many opportunities for those who are most desired

about the broadcasting field. So far if this continues there may only be opportunities for the

selected few that would only have the desired appeal to the audiences.

Analysis

With the many tough obstacles faced today, women are getting more opportunities to

fulfill the position they are destined to be. Although the downside with the current trend,

companies look to go more for looks and less with knowledge. But the fact that the matter is

most of the male dominated fans will talk and pay more attention to the appearance that each

female possesses rather than the content she knows. To sum it up every male fan cares more

about appearance and less about knowledge creating highly discrimination for women in their

career.

Although some of the analysts would also get distracted enough to where they make

comments about beautiful women they see in the stands. Take an example that had happened on

the sidelines of a BCS football game. An article written by Anne Doyle in 2013 reported that

Brent Musburger commented AJ McCarron on how beautiful his former Miss Alabama girl

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friend Katherine Webb looked when she was in the stands watching the game. Going further into

his admiration, Musburger would make comments about how all the quarterbacks get all the

women, and basically encouraging young male football fans to start playing football because

when they grow up to be a top notch athlete they will win over countless of beautiful women,

Musburger would also make comments about his other female colleagues that do sideline

reporting (Doyle, 2013). An example that many male analysts get distracted by paying more

attention to beautiful women than the job they do. Where ever the beauty of women comes to an

effect with their male counter parts and have a strong admiration for their good looks many will

criticize their appearance as well such as their makeup and dress apparel. No matter what they

would be hired for based on their feminine views, women will continue to face negative opinions

from the crowds as with the media would be constantly under surveillance about their wardrobe,

hair, voice and looks in general, some would often find out to see if they have gone plastic

surgery (Clifton, 2012).

As women begin to mature the longer they stick to their broadcasting career, they gain

more knowledge and experience than when they started. Although, when their appearance begins

to reach its peak most of the women have their careers shortened because of it. Many companies

believe that older women are seen to be less appealing on screen than those of a younger age.

Leaving male fans to lose interest in whoever is talking in front of the camera. After a recent

study it was concluded that age, sex and appearance can affect both male and female viewers,

with the audience preferring to engage in the viewing pleasure in younger women (Elting

&Young, 2007). Although in the beginning of their broadcasting career, women’s ages were

never mention to the audiences due to the fear of being judged. Compared to older men they

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were considered to be more distinguished than older women (Halper, 2014). By far the biggest

issue for women is their constant pressure of having higher expectations with their knowledge

than men have. Remember that every woman is competing in a man’s world of sports. Whenever

a mistake is made many fans would react to her as being less knowledgeable about the game

enough to consider her being fired. However many fans will simply pass off the same mistake

that a man would do, due to their higher authoritativeness and credibility they have over women.

(Elting &Young, 2007).

A young female by the name of Natalie Taylor became a well known sportscaster living

in the area of Northwest Ohio. When she first started out, she endured many of the hardships that

many believed that she would not live up to the expectations during this competitive field

(Clifton, 2014). The constant struggles would most likely never end the further on they continue

their career. Although many have gone on to become more knowledgeable about the subject at

hand enough to dodge the criticism. For example, two female analysts known as Rachel Nichols

and Linda Cohen are widely known for the female role they play on EPSN. Considered to be one

of the most famous female broadcasters around the sports world, Cohen and Nichols have proven

they can compete and know just as much knowledge on sports as men can. Although despite

their increasing numbers, even the most skilled sportscasters, women are still limited to the type

of opportunities they have even when most of males are constantly on the air for hours no matter

the countless mistakes they make (Doyle, 2013).

When women are put in front of the camera, it is basically an attention getter to keep

male audiences watching. Women should still be prepared for the amount of biased they will

received just for being a female in a male dominated society. Personally I do not have a specific

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biased toward women doing man’s job, but if I were to see a women speaking in front of the

camera in sports, my mind would keep me more focused on the beautiful women than the actual

game. For men, due to our high attraction and judgment toward women, our natural reactions

would keep us paying more attention to the beauty being expressed by a woman on television.

But honestly it would not bother me if a woman is taking role in sports. This new step toward

broadcasting opens new attitudes and new opportunities for women around the world. If women

were to be more active in the male dominated society, attitudes and views toward women would

be changed drastically due to the impression that women can be just as effective in sports then

men can.

Conclusion

Overall, no matter how much participation women will have in the broadcasting field,

there is never going to be an end toward gender bias. Throughout history women were given

many opportunities to prove themselves in taking on a male dominated sports world but lacked

the amount of credibility. The sexual biased stepped in the way of pursuing the career that most

women felt most passionate about. Numerous were judged about how to do their job and most

were even criticized that they should not be allowed in the sports world. But by far the biggest

issue women face is how many audiences around the world would pay more attention to the

looks that are exposed from a women rather than the amount of knowledge she has. Such as

when men watching a female on television is most likely to fulfill their viewing pleasure more

effectively. Although many would be too distracted in watching the game to pay more attention

to the female that is standing in front of the camera rather than watching the game itself due to

the masculinity and the attraction toward other women.

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Audiences around the nation have also felt more inclined to make judgments about how

women need to know their research in sports. Women are more pressured to constantly prove

their credibility and knowledge about the sports than other males. Whenever a mistake is made

by a female many fans would react to her as being less knowledgeable about the game. However

many fans will ignore same mistake that a man would do (Elting &Young, 2007). . It is clear

that women should not have to prove they can be better than most men but to only prove fans

and viewers around the world that they can do the job efficiently and effectively (Clifton, 2012).

Although no matter how talented or knowledgeable a woman has about a specific sport it would

still gain attention from male audiences that women should not be allowed in sports. The certain

limitations will evolve overtime based on the preferences and points of views toward sports.

Based on the world we live in, there are depressive preferences about a feminine role not fitting

in with many opportunities based on the current trend of sexual appeal. Women will continue to

gain more opportunities in the near future but not for the correct knowledge and talent they have

for sports broadcasting. Sports will most likely not implement the main concept for watching the

game in general but include beauty and sexual appeal to gain more audience attention for the

future of sports. But overall, there is no slowing down toward the amount of biased that fans and

viewers have with the involvement of females in sports broadcasting.

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Involvement in Sports Entertainment world

1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000-Present

2020s 2030s 2040s0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

120%

Males Females

1960s: Women were beginning to be involved in the sports world but were not televised

1970s: After the establishment of Title IX women were given certain involvement

Future Statistics based on the Cultivation Theory

2020: Statistics go back down for women after the realization that only attractive women

were allowed to be involved in sports casting.

2030-2040: There is never going to be more women taking over the male dominated

sports field

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Male – Female ratio for the top news articles today’s news world

From Women’s Media Center.com; (Fonda, Morgan, & Steinem, 2014)

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