Publication: A content analysis of the Straits Times newspaper account of male and female athletes in the centennial summer Olympic Games
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Date
1997
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Abstract
The media can shape a society's attitudes, ideas and beliefs, including the value of women and sport. Our society has been resistant in accepting women into sports because sports is regarded as a male preserve. Media's provision of positive role models can initiate and encourage women's participation in sports. The media is, hence, an important socialising agent for women in sport.<br><br>This paper provides an analysis of Singapore's print media portrayal of male and female athletes in the 1996 Centennial Summer Olympic Games. Content analysis as well as comparative analysis are employed to test the general hypothesis that male athletes receive more and better coverage than female athletes in Olympic news in The Straits Times.<br><br>In- total, 407 articles and 248 photographs and illustrations in The Straits Times were analysed. Results showed that male athletes' coverage was twice that of female athletes' in terms of number of articles and column space. Female athletes were highly represented in sports that emphasise grace, form and beauty like Gymnastics, Diving and Swimming. Female athletes were also more often subjected to aspects of trivialisation in news reports, for example, addressing them by names other than their surnames and mentioning of their physical appearances rather than athletic abilities. Moreover, the Face of the female Olympian never made it to the front page of The Straits Times even though their achievements are as commendable as the male Olympians<br><br>Discussion of the results led to the conclusion that myths of women's inappropriateness in sports is very much supported by the print media of Singapore. This paper suggests that the print media should more responsibilities in their provisions of positive role models so that Singaporean girls and women are encouraged to participate in sports.