Comparative Analysis of Female and Male Coverage on ESPN’s SportsCenter

Authors

Tywan G. Martin, University of Miami
Young Ik Suh, University of West Georgia
Antonio S. Williams, Indiana University
Jennifer Locey, University of Miami
Jennifer Ramirez, University of Miami

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine whether gender differences existed in the coverage on ESPN’s flagship program, SportsCenter. This study was grounded in the theoretical frameworks of hegemony and agenda setting. The researchers collected data over the course of seven days during the 11:00 p.m. show. A comparative analysis was performed on the content of the popular one-hour television program that investigated the amount of coverage devoted to female and male sports, respectively. The findings of the study indicated that there was a statistically significant difference between the amount of highlights devoted to female athletes in comparison to their male counterpart. The results of this study challenged the notion that a symbiotic relationship existed regarding to all sports and media. While the findings suggested this relationship prevailed for male athletes, the opposite occurred for female athletes.

Recommended Citation

Martin, Tywan G.; Suh, Young Ik; Williams, Antonio S.; Locey, Jennifer; and Ramirez, Jennifer (2016) "Comparative Analysis of Female and Male Coverage on ESPN’s SportsCenter," Global Sport Business Journal: Vol. 4: Iss. 1, Article 2.
Available at: https://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/gsbj/vol4/iss1/2