<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>The study examines quantitatively and qualitatively gender representation in Finnish and Swedish tabloids’ sports coverage during Athens 2004 summer and Turin 2006 winter Olympics. Several media studies argue that sports journalism marginalises women’s sports and sexualises female athletes. The results of this study show that male athletes received more coverage than female athletes in every tabloid, but when the number of domestic participants and their level of success were considered, neither country’s tabloids quantitatively marginalised women’s sports. Qualitative analysis found that research stereotypes showing trivialisation and sexualisation of female athletes were incorrect, with the exception of Finnish tabloids representations of female athletes participating in sports that are considered masculine. For the most part, female athletes were represented in the same way as male athletes. However, it should be emphasised that the material is limited to Olympics coverage: during such major sporting events women are treated more equally, particularly quantitatively.</p></abstract>

The study examines quantitatively and qualitatively gender representation in Finnish and Swedish tabloids’ sports coverage during Athens 2004 summer and Turin 2006 winter Olympics. Several media studies argue that sports journalism marginalises women’s sports and sexualises female athletes. The results of this study show that male athletes received more coverage than female athletes in every tabloid, but when the number of domestic participants and their level of success were considered, neither country’s tabloids quantitatively marginalised women’s sports. Qualitative analysis found that research stereotypes showing trivialisation and sexualisation of female athletes were incorrect, with the exception of Finnish tabloids representations of female athletes participating in sports that are considered masculine. For the most part, female athletes were represented in the same way as male athletes. However, it should be emphasised that the material is limited to Olympics coverage: during such major sporting events women are treated more equally, particularly quantitatively.

Gender Representation of Athletes in Finnish and Swedish Tabloids

The Department of Sport Sciences, Unit of Social Sciences of Sport

Nordicom Review

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

A quantitative and qualitative content analysis of Athens 2004 and Turin 2006 Olympics coverage

The study examines quantitatively and qualitatively gender representation in Finnish and Swedish tabloids’ sports coverage during Athens 2004 summer and Turin...

Gender Representation of Athletes in Finnish and Swedish Tabloids

Published Online: Nov 19, 2016

Page range: 83 - 98

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/nor-2016-0012

Keywords
sports journalism, sports media, gender, tabloids, content analysis, Olympics

© 2016 Antti Laine, published by De Gruyter Open

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Gender Representation of Athletes in Finnish and Swedish Tabloids

Published Online: Nov 19, 2016

Page range: 83 - 98

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/nor-2016-0012

Keywordssports journalism, sports media, gender, tabloids, content analysis, Olympics

© 2016 Antti Laine, published by De Gruyter Open

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
sports journalism, sports media, gender, tabloids, content analysis, Olympics