A 20-year study of network and cable by USC & Purdue sociologists find men take 96% of sports news in 2009. Even
the ESPN Ticker gives women the short shrift - 96.4 percent of the
information scrolling along the bottom of the screen was dedicated to
only men's sports. The finding is part of a 20-year study of
sports coverage released today by University of Southern California
sociologist Mike Messner and Purdue University sociologist Cheryl
Cooky. Read on for the full report.
A picture is worth a thousand words. This expression is none too true when it comes to the portrayal of women’s sports in the media. But, how are female athletes portrayed? Are they revered for their athletic prowess or shown in such ways that emphasize their beauty and sexuality?
Read on to learn the Foundation’s position on how the media can ensure their pictures and imagery carry the right messages about women in sports.
The Women’s Sports Foundation responds to more than 100,000 inquiries a year. Many of these are from women’s sports fans who are concerned about the media’s coverage of women’s athletics. The Women’s Sports Foundation addresses commonly asked questions regarding the media’s portrayal of women in sports.
Even though women make up 40% of professional athletics, only 3-5% of the entire media coverage focuses on women. The majority of media attention portrays athletic women out of uniform and hypersexualized. Why female sports fans should care and the appropriate action to take.
Has Title IX caused a decrease in participation opportunities for men? Is Title IX still needed? Should football be exempt from Title IX’s coverage? Are surveys an effective means of assessing compliance? Read on for answers to these questions and more than 50 others regarding the most frequently encountered issues surrounding Title IX.
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