Year

2003

Degree Name

Master of Arts (Hons.)

Department

Graduate School of Journalism

Abstract

This study examines the treatment of ehte Australian female and male athletes in the new sports media. A content analysis of Olympic Games coverage, within a selected sample of bulletins on ABC News Online, was conducted from September 13 to October 2, 2000. The analysis addressed both the amount and nature of coverage during the sample period. The data suggest the biased practices of the traditional sports media may have migrated to online sports journalism. Yet they also indicate an improvement in both the extent of women's sports coverage and the range of sports covered. Female and male athletes received relatively equal treatment in the number of words written about them but, against their participation at the 2000 Games, sportswomen were under-covered in pictures on the Web site. One athlete, Cathy Freeman, dominated News Online's Olympic coverage. Her exposure came at the expense of her Australian team mates, especially those women who competed in team sports.

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Unless otherwise indicated, the views expressed in this thesis are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the University of Wollongong.