Sports Communication Commons^™

The Cultivating Influences Of Mass Media: Portrayals Of Female Athletes In The Wnba, Reece Wassink

Senior Seminars and Capstones

The differences in how male and female athletes are represented in the media are a significant topic of scholarly interest for decades. My goals are to better understand how female athletes are positioned within the media landscape and how such portrayals may cultivate public perceptions of their athletic performance, because the sports community is powerful, influential, and historically dominated by masculine identities. This study extends the research conversation by examining the portrayal and coverage of female athletes on accounts/posts dedicated to women’s sports, especially the WNBA. This research is conducted through the observation and qualitative systematic content analysis of selected …