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.
Since the 1970s, more and more female reporters have engaged in those all-important post-game locker room interviews. Those are the interviews fans want to see, since it is at those moments after the game has concluded that a player's rawest emotions are on display. For television broadcasts especially, those interviews can be huge draws and provide tremendous exposure for the reporter conducting them.
Even so, the advancements for women have come slowly since those first halting strides forward. It is still a male-controlled industry, even with more female reporters and the occasional woman anchor. For the most part, women still stand on the sidelines of athletic coverage.
Take an American football game, for example. Most women reporters are walking the sidelines, close to the field. The male anchors provide most of the in-depth analysis of teams and players, while the women offer trivial details about how the players and coaches feel about their chances and their game plan.
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.
Obviously, much more needs to be done to ensure that women have access to opportunities in this field that represent them as something more than window dressing. The good news is that times are changing and awareness of the problem is growing. The bad news is that it may yet be several more decades before true equality both on and off the field is finally achieved for these brave female sports journalists.
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.
Since the 1970s, more and more female reporters have engaged in those all-important post-game locker room interviews. Those are the interviews fans want to see, since it is at those moments after the game has concluded that a player's rawest emotions are on display. For television broadcasts especially, those interviews can be huge draws and provide tremendous exposure for the reporter conducting them.
Even so, the advancements for women have come slowly since those first halting strides forward. It is still a male-controlled industry, even with more female reporters and the occasional woman anchor. For the most part, women still stand on the sidelines of athletic coverage.
Take an American football game, for example. Most women reporters are walking the sidelines, close to the field. The male anchors provide most of the in-depth analysis of teams and players, while the women offer trivial details about how the players and coaches feel about their chances and their game plan.
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.
Obviously, much more needs to be done to ensure that women have access to opportunities in this field that represent them as something more than window dressing. The good news is that times are changing and awareness of the problem is growing. The bad news is that it may yet be several more decades before true equality both on and off the field is finally achieved for these brave female sports journalists.
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