Andrew on women in sports journalism
Kudos to both Lauren and Jessica for their presentations today. Nice job!
I'd like to concentrate on Lauren's topic a little further, though. I thought the choice was interesting, because as a sports follower, who, inevitably, spends ample time watching ESPN, I have become conditioned to male dominance in this area.
Some view sports journalism as a "man's game," that women have no place among the Goliaths of our time, that testosterone is necessary for survival in the dark underworld of celebrity sport. I, myself, tend to discount this point of view. But some still don't ... it's a slow, arduous process.
As many of you pointed out, women are more likely to be pushed in front of the camera for their "Barbie appeal." Some are hired on looks and looks alone. Some have their abilities as quality, hard-working sports journalists completely ignored, at least by a vast majority of the target audience (i.e. young, beer-guzzling males).
At the risk of sounding sexist, there IS a market for sex appeal. Granted, it's a rather niche market, given that we currently live in such a PC world. But it's a market nonetheless ... there's no denying this.
Have any of you watched Fox Sports Net's "Best Damn Sports Show"? I dare to say Lisa Guerrero was hired for sex appeal. You might remember Guerrero. She was, among other things, a cheerleader for the Los Angeles Rams. She stared in a show called "Sunset Beach." And in 2006, she appeared topless in an issue of Playboy. Sex appeal? I'll let you decide ...
Don't get me wrong. There are fabulous female sports reporters out there. I have always admired Andrea Kramer. Leslie Visser, too. Both have become institutions for their respective outlets -- and deservedly so. But, in my opinion, (attractive) women in sports broadcast journalism will continue to be viewed with skepticism. Some will continue to question their true reason for being there. Good looks or true knowledge? Hard working or fast-track beneficiary?
Until the status quo changes, this will be the case for a long time.
I'd like to concentrate on Lauren's topic a little further, though. I thought the choice was interesting, because as a sports follower, who, inevitably, spends ample time watching ESPN, I have become conditioned to male dominance in this area.
Some view sports journalism as a "man's game," that women have no place among the Goliaths of our time, that testosterone is necessary for survival in the dark underworld of celebrity sport. I, myself, tend to discount this point of view. But some still don't ... it's a slow, arduous process.
As many of you pointed out, women are more likely to be pushed in front of the camera for their "Barbie appeal." Some are hired on looks and looks alone. Some have their abilities as quality, hard-working sports journalists completely ignored, at least by a vast majority of the target audience (i.e. young, beer-guzzling males).
At the risk of sounding sexist, there IS a market for sex appeal. Granted, it's a rather niche market, given that we currently live in such a PC world. But it's a market nonetheless ... there's no denying this.
Have any of you watched Fox Sports Net's "Best Damn Sports Show"? I dare to say Lisa Guerrero was hired for sex appeal. You might remember Guerrero. She was, among other things, a cheerleader for the Los Angeles Rams. She stared in a show called "Sunset Beach." And in 2006, she appeared topless in an issue of Playboy. Sex appeal? I'll let you decide ...
Don't get me wrong. There are fabulous female sports reporters out there. I have always admired Andrea Kramer. Leslie Visser, too. Both have become institutions for their respective outlets -- and deservedly so. But, in my opinion, (attractive) women in sports broadcast journalism will continue to be viewed with skepticism. Some will continue to question their true reason for being there. Good looks or true knowledge? Hard working or fast-track beneficiary?
Until the status quo changes, this will be the case for a long time.
posted by Andrew Astleford at
8:07 PM
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