Media Framing of Women’s Football During the COVID-19 Pandemic

A summary of the article:

The article "Media Framing of Women’s Football During the COVID-19 Pandemic" explores how British media covered women's football during the first six months of the pandemic, analyzing 100 news articles. The research identifies five dominant frames: financial precariousness of women's football, the commercial prioritization of men's football, practical considerations of the sport, debates about the future of women's football, and concern for players' welfare. These themes highlight how media coverage has shifted from trivializing women’s sports to focusing on its elite nature, but still reflects the marginalization of the women’s game compared to men’s football. The study also finds that most reporting on women's football was done by women journalists, marking a shift in sports journalism traditionally dominated by men.

The findings emphasize that while women's football is receiving more media attention, the sport remains financially vulnerable and under-prioritized. The coverage also addressed the pandemic's impact on players' mental health and work conditions, further illustrating the disparities between men's and women's football. The study suggests that while media interest in women's football is increasing, the industry still needs to address the deep-seated gender inequalities in sports reporting.

Key Takeaways:

1. Financial vulnerability of women's football: The pandemic exposed the economic fragility of women's football, highlighting its reliance on men's football for support.

2. Men's football takes priority: Media coverage often prioritized men's football, marginalizing the women's game, especially in terms of visibility and funding.

3. Increased representation by female journalists: A notable amount of the reporting on women's football during the pandemic was done by women journalists, signaling a shift in the sports journalism landscape

Authors: Keith D. Parry, Beth G. Clarkson, Ali Bowes, Laura Grubb, & David Rowe

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