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Full-Text Articles in Sports Communication
Gendered Coverage In Sports Media: An Analysis Of Espn’S Representation Of Women’S Sports, Abigail C. Leonard
Gendered Coverage In Sports Media: An Analysis Of Espn’S Representation Of Women’S Sports, Abigail C. Leonard
Honors Theses and Capstones
Despite growing participation in women’s sports, media coverage continues to reflect significant gender disparities. This thesis examines how ESPN, as a leading sports media network, contributes to the construction of gendered narratives through its coverage of women’s sports and female athletes. Drawing on framing theory, agenda-setting theory, and social identity theory, this study analyzes headlines, visuals, language, narratives, and broadcast patterns to explore how meaning is constructed in sports coverage.
The findings suggest that while coverage of women’s sports has increased, it often remains positioned as secondary to men’s sports. Female athletes are more frequently described using language that emphasizes …