The Future of Sports Media is Female

Three SU students on the misrepresentation of women in sports media

By Isabelle Sareen

Open a new tab in Google and search “sports announcers.” You will find that the first 20 people listed are men. Finally, at number 21, you will find the first noted female sports announcer. Another 29 people later, a second woman is listed, only to be followed by several more men.

Sports journalism is not an uncommon career path or major to find in many journalism schools across the country. At SU, several majors are offered to students within the sports realm. These majors have long since adapted the stereotype of being a ‘male-based’. However, the increasing interest of women to be involved in sportsbased careers has led to a shift in the ratio of male to female students in this area of study.

Miranda Shovlin is a broadcast and digital journalism major in the Newhouse School, and she hopes post-grad to enter the sportsmedia field. She said she has noticed the stereotype of sports-media being a ‘malebased’ career first hand.

“The sports media clubs and organizations I’m involved in range from 0-5 girls in any given setting,” Shovlin said. “That of course is subject to change depending on the class or club, but that’s the pattern I’ve seen.”

The competition between male and female students in the sports broadcasting field is intense, and Shovlin noted that it can take a toll on the mental health of some students.

“Honestly, my experience has been really competitive. You’re constantly comparing yourself to others which gets toxic at times,” Shovlin said. “Especially being a woman, most of the people you’re comparing yourself to are men.”

Aylee Weiss, a broadcast and digital journalism major at Newhouse, says women in sports media are stereotyped in a negative and demeaning way just for doing their job. Weiss said many women in the industry are stereotypically used for looks, instead of their intelligence and what they can bring to a conversation.

Weiss, like many other female students, is determined to change the narrative imposed on female sports broadcasters by making her own way in the industry.

“I want to change the stigma attached with sideline reporters that they are unintelligent, pretty women who ask dumb questions that don’t contribute to the broadcast,” Weiss said.

Sophomore Audrey Glynn, a broadcast and digital journalism major, has had a similar experience with the stigma of women in sports media. Glynn is the Executive Producer of a sports show on CitrusTV, and she said there’s only about 10 girls in her department.

“The only sexism I have experienced has been from other students, and never illintentioned, cruel behaviors, but rather internalized misogynistic actions that we as a society are working every day to tear down,” Glynn said.

The lack of female representation in this type of media could influence the patterns of sexism and discrimination taking place in colleges and universities. When people see more men than women shown on television and in the media, it can solidify the stereotype that sports broadcasting is a job for men. Some students even feel that they are unable to find female role models in the industry, due to the uneven gender representation in sports-TV.

“I just really think that what will get more women in the industry is seeing more women in the industry,” Shovlin said. “Samantha Ponder was the first female broadcaster I saw and seeing her on a stage, being in a powerful position, really resonated with me. There is no greater way to get women in the industry than by putting women in the industry who can act as role models to younger women.” inspiration and more confidence.”

Stigmas against women in the sports media world exist almost everywhere in the United States, not just colleges and universities. Syracuse and the Newhouse school have tried to fight this stigma by including opportunities for all students, selecting the most talented students for each position, despite their gender identity. The programs the school offers are open to anyone interested in the field, and are very inclusive.

Glynn agreed that increasing the number of women shown on screen in positions other than sideline reporting is necessary in working to demolish stigmas.

“I think the best way to create more interest and representation in sports media is to continue putting women in positions where they can be seen, to inspire younger girls, and even women, who may be fearful or hesitant to pursue such opportunities,” Glynn said. “When you see someone like you doing something you care about, it gives you greater

Female students like Glynn, Shovlin, and Weiss are paving the way for more female sports broadcasters to flourish in their future careers. These students are determined to change and abolish the stereotype imposed on female sports broadcasters.

“I want to keep driving this movement forward for women in sports,” Weiss said. “It is very important for me to help not only myself get to where I want to be, but also the future of the field, past my days.”