The proper role women should play in journalistic coverage of sporting events has been a thorny issue for some time now. Its complexity has been magnified in no small part by the simple fact that more men than women have traditionally gravitated toward athletic endeavors. Female athletics in schools began to change that, and increased the interest women had in such activities, as well as the rate at which they sought jobs as reporters covering those games. The problem remains however, that gender discrimination in sports media has yet to be eliminated.
To be frank, the entire process of integrating women into the ranks of journalists providing athletic coverage has been excruciatingly slow. Until 1975, there were no documented incidents of women reporters doing interviews in men's locker rooms. The right for women journalists to conduct such interviews was not even established until three years after that. Overall, women remained of little importance in the grand scheme of athletic coverage.
Progress has occurred in the decades that followed, however. Women now routinely conduct critical interviews in locker rooms. That's important, because those are often among the most emotionally intense and interesting interviews found at any game. They are the interviews that draw fans' attention, and help the reporter conducting them to gain the notoriety she needs to advance her career.
Despite that progress, female power in the world of media is all but non-existent. There may be more women reporters and anchors, but the coverage continues to be dominated by men. In many instances, female reports are still relegated to the sidelines of each game, and often in the most literal way possible.
That's not just a metaphor, either. If you watch a typical football event, it is often the female journalist stuck on the edges of the field, busy reporting on emotional aspects of the game rather than strategy and other critical factors. That complex analysis is left to the highly-paid anchors and analysts in the studio.
Worse, they can face sexually-charged jeers and comments from fans, dismissive responses from athletes, and outright hostility from coaches and others in the higher echelons of the game. Decades ago, team leaders wanted no part of female journalists. They did not want them in their locker rooms, their meetings, or on their fields.
In short, very little is different than it was years ago. Just as they once were, female journalists continue to be valued for their appearance and fashion sense. They often occupy a role similar to that of team cheerleader. And like cheerleaders, they tend to get replaced with newer models as the years pass and their looks fade.
The fact is that women still have not achieved anything close to the level of equality they need to gain access to equal opportunity in this field. Yes, progress is being made with each passing year. More people are aware of the issue than ever before. Still, it appears as though it may be many more years until women finally realize the professional equality they seek.
To be frank, the entire process of integrating women into the ranks of journalists providing athletic coverage has been excruciatingly slow. Until 1975, there were no documented incidents of women reporters doing interviews in men's locker rooms. The right for women journalists to conduct such interviews was not even established until three years after that. Overall, women remained of little importance in the grand scheme of athletic coverage.
Progress has occurred in the decades that followed, however. Women now routinely conduct critical interviews in locker rooms. That's important, because those are often among the most emotionally intense and interesting interviews found at any game. They are the interviews that draw fans' attention, and help the reporter conducting them to gain the notoriety she needs to advance her career.
Despite that progress, female power in the world of media is all but non-existent. There may be more women reporters and anchors, but the coverage continues to be dominated by men. In many instances, female reports are still relegated to the sidelines of each game, and often in the most literal way possible.
That's not just a metaphor, either. If you watch a typical football event, it is often the female journalist stuck on the edges of the field, busy reporting on emotional aspects of the game rather than strategy and other critical factors. That complex analysis is left to the highly-paid anchors and analysts in the studio.
Worse, they can face sexually-charged jeers and comments from fans, dismissive responses from athletes, and outright hostility from coaches and others in the higher echelons of the game. Decades ago, team leaders wanted no part of female journalists. They did not want them in their locker rooms, their meetings, or on their fields.
In short, very little is different than it was years ago. Just as they once were, female journalists continue to be valued for their appearance and fashion sense. They often occupy a role similar to that of team cheerleader. And like cheerleaders, they tend to get replaced with newer models as the years pass and their looks fade.
The fact is that women still have not achieved anything close to the level of equality they need to gain access to equal opportunity in this field. Yes, progress is being made with each passing year. More people are aware of the issue than ever before. Still, it appears as though it may be many more years until women finally realize the professional equality they seek.
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