TY - JOUR
T1 - A level playing field?
T2 - Audience perceptions of male and female sports analysts
AU - Greer, Jennifer D.
AU - Jones, Amy H.
PY - 2012
Y1 - 2012
N2 - Women are breaking into sports broadcasting in greater numbers but they often find gender stereotypes serving as a roadblock to their career advancement. U.S. media executives contend that audiences don't accept women as sports analysts, and that women should stick to commenting on gender-appropriate (feminine) sports. This experimental study tests whether these assertions are true. In a 2 (masculine vs. feminine sport) x 2 (male vs. female sports analyst) factorial design, the effects of type of sport analyzed and analyst gender were explored on viewer attitudes of competency, agreement with, and likability of the analyst. In contrast to past studies in which male sports journalists were rated as more credible than their female counterparts, viewers in this study rated the female analyst as most competent. They also rated analysts covering the feminine sport (volleyball), regardless of gender, as more competent and agreed with them more compared with those covering the masculine sport (American football). For likeability, however, an interesting interaction occurred. Sportscasters analyzing gender-appropriate sports (women commenting on volleyball and men commenting on football) were most liked. The results indicate that while likability of analysts varies by type of sport, female sportscasters may be breaking out of their stereotypical roles, allowing them to offer opinions, especially when commenting on a feminine sport.
AB - Women are breaking into sports broadcasting in greater numbers but they often find gender stereotypes serving as a roadblock to their career advancement. U.S. media executives contend that audiences don't accept women as sports analysts, and that women should stick to commenting on gender-appropriate (feminine) sports. This experimental study tests whether these assertions are true. In a 2 (masculine vs. feminine sport) x 2 (male vs. female sports analyst) factorial design, the effects of type of sport analyzed and analyst gender were explored on viewer attitudes of competency, agreement with, and likability of the analyst. In contrast to past studies in which male sports journalists were rated as more credible than their female counterparts, viewers in this study rated the female analyst as most competent. They also rated analysts covering the feminine sport (volleyball), regardless of gender, as more competent and agreed with them more compared with those covering the masculine sport (American football). For likeability, however, an interesting interaction occurred. Sportscasters analyzing gender-appropriate sports (women commenting on volleyball and men commenting on football) were most liked. The results indicate that while likability of analysts varies by type of sport, female sportscasters may be breaking out of their stereotypical roles, allowing them to offer opinions, especially when commenting on a feminine sport.
KW - Broadcast Journalism
KW - Gender Stereotypes
KW - Media Credibility
KW - Sports
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84864960480&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84864960480&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.18848/1833-1882/cgp/v06i08/52137
DO - 10.18848/1833-1882/cgp/v06i08/52137
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84864960480
SN - 1833-1882
VL - 6
SP - 67
EP - 79
JO - International Journal of Interdisciplinary Social Sciences
JF - International Journal of Interdisciplinary Social Sciences
IS - 8
ER -