This study examined descriptors used in online articles about the 2006 NCAA men's and women's basketball tournaments from CBS SportsLine and ESPN to see if traditional gender stereotypes were present. It found that descriptors of athletic prowess were more common for men's basketball, but physical appearance descriptors were unexpectedly more common for men's basketball as well. This contradicted previous research finding those descriptors more common for women. The results suggest online writers may now recognize female players' athleticism and skill equally to male players. However, the study was limited to two major outlets and unusual events could have impacted the findings.

1. Will a New Medium for Sports NewsWill a New Medium for Sports News
Offer Less Trivialization of FemaleOffer Less Trivialization of Female
Athletes? Examining Descriptors andAthletes? Examining Descriptors and
Traditional Stereotypes in InternetTraditional Stereotypes in Internet
Articles on the NCAA Women’s andArticles on the NCAA Women’s and
Men’s Basketball TournamentsMen’s Basketball Tournaments
Presented byPresented by
Edward (Ted) M. Kian, Ph.D.Edward (Ted) M. Kian, Ph.D.
University of Central FloridaUniversity of Central Florida

2. RESEARCH ON SPORT MEDIARESEARCH ON SPORT MEDIA
A plethora of quantitative andA plethora of quantitative and
qualitative studies on televisions,qualitative studies on televisions,
newspapers, and magazines havenewspapers, and magazines have
shown sport media provide lessshown sport media provide less
and different types of coverage toand different types of coverage to
women’s sports than men’swomen’s sports than men’s
sports.sports.
( e.g., Bishop, 2003; Kane, 1996; Vincent, 2004)( e.g., Bishop, 2003; Kane, 1996; Vincent, 2004)

3. RESEARCH ON SPORT MEDIARESEARCH ON SPORT MEDIA
Two major themes are prevalent inTwo major themes are prevalent in
research on media coverage givenresearch on media coverage given
to female athletes:to female athletes:
1. Exclusion: Sport media provides1. Exclusion: Sport media provides
minimal coverage of women’s sports.minimal coverage of women’s sports.
2. Trivialization: Describing female2. Trivialization: Describing female
athletes as sex objects or comparingathletes as sex objects or comparing
their abilities to men.their abilities to men.

4. RESEARCH ON SPORT MEDIARESEARCH ON SPORT MEDIA
Historically, in the Western world sportHistorically, in the Western world sport
has served as a hegemonic institutionhas served as a hegemonic institution
to preserve the power of men overto preserve the power of men over
womenwomen (Schell & Rodriguez, 2000).(Schell & Rodriguez, 2000).
Numerous scholars contended that theNumerous scholars contended that the
institutions of sport and mass mediainstitutions of sport and mass media
combine to reinforce masculinecombine to reinforce masculine
hegemony in societyhegemony in society (e.g., Davis, 1997;(e.g., Davis, 1997;
Duncan & Messner, 1998; Hardin et al., 2002).Duncan & Messner, 1998; Hardin et al., 2002).

5. RESEARCH ON SPORT MEDIARESEARCH ON SPORT MEDIA
In general, little academic research has beenIn general, little academic research has been
done on the emerging field of Internet sportdone on the emerging field of Internet sport
journalismjournalism (Real, 2006).(Real, 2006).
More than 50 million Americans now employMore than 50 million Americans now employ
the Internet as their primary source of newsthe Internet as their primary source of news
informationinformation (Pew Research Center).(Pew Research Center).
No known scholars have examined if theNo known scholars have examined if the
gender-specific stereotypes of female andgender-specific stereotypes of female and
male athletes that have been reinforcedmale athletes that have been reinforced
through the use of descriptors, portrayals,through the use of descriptors, portrayals,
and narratives in broadcast and traditionaland narratives in broadcast and traditional
print sport journalism are also prevalent inprint sport journalism are also prevalent in
online sportswriting.online sportswriting.

6. RESEARCH QUESTIONSRESEARCH QUESTIONS
RQ1: What types of descriptors andRQ1: What types of descriptors and
writing styles do Internet sportswriterswriting styles do Internet sportswriters
use when writing about Marchuse when writing about March
Madness?Madness?
RQ2: Are the gender-specificRQ2: Are the gender-specific
stereotypes and descriptors found instereotypes and descriptors found in
broadcast commentary of women’s andbroadcast commentary of women’s and
men’s college basketball, as well asmen’s college basketball, as well as
nearly all types of media coverage ofnearly all types of media coverage of
female and male athletes, also found infemale and male athletes, also found in
online stories on March Madness?online stories on March Madness?

7. METHODOLOGYMETHODOLOGY
Content analysis of articles on the 2006 NCAAContent analysis of articles on the 2006 NCAA
Division I women’s and men’s basketballDivision I women’s and men’s basketball
tournaments to examine results on the use oftournaments to examine results on the use of
descriptors.descriptors.
Content analysis is an unobtrusive or non-Content analysis is an unobtrusive or non-
reactive method used by social scientists thatreactive method used by social scientists that
has been applied to nearly every form ofhas been applied to nearly every form of
communication, such as newspapers, television,communication, such as newspapers, television,
and speechesand speeches
(Gunter, 2000; Krippendorff, 2004).(Gunter, 2000; Krippendorff, 2004).

8. SAMPLING SELECTIONSAMPLING SELECTION
249 total byline articles examined and coded249 total byline articles examined and coded
on the NCAA Division I women’s and men’son the NCAA Division I women’s and men’s
basketball tournaments.basketball tournaments.
Two sources:Two sources:
– CBS SportsLineCBS SportsLine
– ESPN InternetESPN Internet
These sources were selected because theirThese sources were selected because their
host TV networks broadcasted the women’shost TV networks broadcasted the women’s
and men’s tournaments.and men’s tournaments.

9. A PRIORI CODING PROCEDURESA PRIORI CODING PROCEDURES
Text of articles were coded for nineText of articles were coded for nine
descriptive categories derived fromdescriptive categories derived from
pervious research: (1) physicalpervious research: (1) physical
appearances/attire; (2) athleticappearances/attire; (2) athletic
prowess/strengths; (3) athleticprowess/strengths; (3) athletic
weaknesses/limitations; (4) positive skillweaknesses/limitations; (4) positive skill
level/accomplishments;level/accomplishments;

10. CODING PROCEDURES ANDCODING PROCEDURES AND
DATA ANALYSISDATA ANALYSIS
(5) negative skill level/failures; (6)(5) negative skill level/failures; (6)
family role/personal relationships; (7)family role/personal relationships; (7)
psychological/emotional strengths; (8)psychological/emotional strengths; (8)
psychological/emotional weaknesses;psychological/emotional weaknesses;
(9) humor.(9) humor.
Intercoder reliabilityIntercoder reliability

11. GENERAL FINDINGSGENERAL FINDINGS
CBS SL Articles Total Articles % of all Articles
Men’s Basketball 74 93.7%
Women’s Basketball 5 6.3%
Both 0 0%
Total 79 100%
ESPN.com Articles Total Articles % of all Articles
Men’s Basketball 101 59.8%
Women’s Basketball 68 40.2%
Both 0 0%
Total 169 100%

12. QUESTION 1 FINDINGSQUESTION 1 FINDINGS
RQ 2:RQ 2: Are the gender-specific stereotypesAre the gender-specific stereotypes
and descriptors found in broadcastand descriptors found in broadcast
commentary of women’s and men’s collegecommentary of women’s and men’s college
basketball, as well as nearly all types ofbasketball, as well as nearly all types of
media coverage of female and male athletes,media coverage of female and male athletes,
also found in online stories on Marchalso found in online stories on March
Madness?Madness?
Assumptions were made based onAssumptions were made based on
previous researchprevious research (Billings & Eastman, 2002;(Billings & Eastman, 2002;
Billings, Halone, & Denham, 2002; Carty, 2006;Billings, Halone, & Denham, 2002; Carty, 2006;
Christopherson, Janning, & McConnell, 2002; EluezeChristopherson, Janning, & McConnell, 2002; Elueze
& Jones, 1998; Harris & Clayton, 2002; Messner,& Jones, 1998; Harris & Clayton, 2002; Messner,
Duncan, & Jensen, 1996; Vincent, 2004; Vincent,Duncan, & Jensen, 1996; Vincent, 2004; Vincent,
Pedersen, Whisenant, & Massey, 2007).Pedersen, Whisenant, & Massey, 2007).

13. ASSUMPTIONSASSUMPTIONS
Women’s stories wouldWomen’s stories would
include more descriptorsinclude more descriptors
on physical appearances,on physical appearances,
family roles or personalfamily roles or personal
relationships, athleticrelationships, athletic
weaknesses, negativeweaknesses, negative
skill level or failures,skill level or failures,
psychological orpsychological or
emotional weakness,emotional weakness,
and humor.and humor.
Men’s stories wouldMen’s stories would
include moreinclude more
descriptors ondescriptors on
athletic prowess,athletic prowess,
positive skill level orpositive skill level or
accomplishments,accomplishments,
and psychological orand psychological or
emotional strengths.emotional strengths.

14. PRIMARY RQ FINDINGSPRIMARY RQ FINDINGS
However, just one of these assumptionsHowever, just one of these assumptions
held true for each area of examination.held true for each area of examination.
Overall, online articles had a higherOverall, online articles had a higher
average number of descriptors onaverage number of descriptors on
athletic prowess for men’s basketball.athletic prowess for men’s basketball.

15. PRIMARY RQ FINDINGSPRIMARY RQ FINDINGS
Most interesting, online writers were moreMost interesting, online writers were more
likely to have included descriptors forlikely to have included descriptors for
physical appearances/attire and personalphysical appearances/attire and personal
relationships/family roles when coveringrelationships/family roles when covering
men’s basketball than women’s basketball.men’s basketball than women’s basketball.
This contradicted previous media studies onThis contradicted previous media studies on
gendered coverage, nearly all of which foundgendered coverage, nearly all of which found
descriptors on physical appearances ordescriptors on physical appearances or
personal lives used more often in mediapersonal lives used more often in media
commentary on female athletes than malecommentary on female athletes than male
athletesathletes (e.g., Davis, 1997; Fink & Kensicki, 2002;(e.g., Davis, 1997; Fink & Kensicki, 2002;
Kane & Parks, 1992; Messner et al., 1996; Vincent,Kane & Parks, 1992; Messner et al., 1996; Vincent,
2004).2004).

16. DISCUSSIONDISCUSSION
The unexpected results from the aThe unexpected results from the a
priori coding suggest online writerspriori coding suggest online writers
for at least the two examined mediafor at least the two examined media
outlets may now recognize femaleoutlets may now recognize female
basketball players for theirbasketball players for their
athleticism and skill level at least asathleticism and skill level at least as
much as they do for male players.much as they do for male players.

17. LIMITATIONS/DELIMITATIONSLIMITATIONS/DELIMITATIONS
This research only examined two major mediaThis research only examined two major media
outlets. Generalizations cannot be made fromoutlets. Generalizations cannot be made from
just examining two online sport news outlets.just examining two online sport news outlets.
These two outlets are very popular, nationalThese two outlets are very popular, national
outlets. However, no smaller, or regionaloutlets. However, no smaller, or regional
outlets were examined. Therefore, the scope ofoutlets were examined. Therefore, the scope of
this study may have been too broad.this study may have been too broad.
Unusual circumstances (e.g., UF basketball)Unusual circumstances (e.g., UF basketball)
could have skewed the results.could have skewed the results.