Role of Media on Sports


Media plays a large role in how we perceive most aspects of life. Have you ever liked a particular sport more just because of the hype it gained? How do you know about players of sports that you do not even watch? It is because the media plays a large role in sports and their perception.

How does Media affect Sports?

The media plays a significant role in shaping the public's perception and consumption of sports. Through various platforms, such as television, radio, print, and online media, the media can reach a large audience and influence public opinion about sports and the athletes who play them. One of the main ways the media impacts sports is through the coverage it provides. The media determines which sports and events receive the most attention and how they are covered, which can greatly impact their popularity. For example, if a particular sport or athlete receives much coverage in the media, it can increase its visibility and help to grow its fan base.

The media also plays a role in shaping public perception of sports and athletes. The way that the media covers sports and athletes can influence how the public perceives them. For example, the media focuses on an athlete's personal life or off-field behavior rather than their performance on the field. In that case, it could impact their reputation and fans' views. In addition, the media plays a role in shaping how sports are marketed and consumed. The media helps to promote sports events and sponsorships, which can generate revenue for the athletes and the sports leagues they play in.

Sports Coverage

Sports reporting involves gathering, compiling, and disseminating to the public the tales, events, issues, and happenings in the world of sports, including the joy of victory and the anguish of defeat, the competition's theatricality, or the creation of champions. A sports reporter has a wide range of angles to cover, write about, and discuss, from basic game-centric stories like turning points, big moments, and major glitches in sporting events, key decisions of captains and coaches, etc., to fights, controversies, legal and investigative scoops, and the sensational happenings in the lives of sportspeople.

The number of stakeholders has increased as the sports sector has grown recently. At the local, regional, national, and international levels, a sizable number of events and tournaments are being held in various games. The government has recognized the value of sports and is working to raise awareness and motivate citizens to participate in sports beginning in elementary school. Across all social strata and professions, debates and conversations about sports and sports policy occur. Several TV and radio networks, newspapers, journals, and websites have been launched to meet this need for sports information and enjoyment. The media significantly influences sports coverage and how the public perceives and consumes sports. Here are a few ways in which the media impacts sports coverage

  • Determining Which Sports and Events Receive The Most Attention − The media can shape public opinion about sports and athletes by deciding which sports and events receive the most coverage. This can have a big impact on the popularity of a particular sport or athlete.

  • Providing Analysis and Commentary − The media provides analysis and commentary on sports events and can help to contextualize and interpret what is happening on the field. This can help increase the public's understanding and appreciation of the sport.

Sports journalism today goes well beyond just reporting on athletic events. It addresses the effects of the course of events as well as concerns such as gender equality law, trends, scams, controversies, diplomatic choices, public opinion policy framing, and sports market economics. Additionally, because sport is such a dynamic industry, trends shift quickly. Sports journalism has developed into a significant area of journalism over the past ten years, going from being a small part of a news bulletin to 30- to 60-minute shows based on specific games like "Cricket Controversy" or "Kissa Kricket Ka" to full-fledged 24-7 sports channels or entire magazines devoted to a specific game.

Today's sports journalism is an expensive endeavor. The amount of money going into sports journalism has expanded along with the growth of sponsorships and ads. Today's sports coverage includes high-tech microphones, lenses, outfits, and accessories. It is encouraging to see sports featured on newspaper front pages and in prime time on news networks on television. Media outlets sensationalize sporting events, disputes, remarks made by famous athletes, and other details of their private lives to increase their TRP or circulation. Wins in sporting events frequently have headlines that resemble victories in war.

The fact that major media and networks now feature news about local sports, intercollegiate competitions, sports news from cities, etc., is highly promising. Sports essays and articles written by well-known athletes and coaches are growing in popularity among sports fans. Players' social media tweets and postings on current events, problems, or their personal life are read by large audiences and frequently make the news. Following the development of sports journalism programs, institutions throughout India are now offering professional training to sports journalists. The practice of sports fans analyzing and composing stories is becoming more popular thanks to social media and open publishing venues. Today, the resurgence of sports outside cricket and traditional Indian sports is very positive.

Public Perception of Sports

The media plays a significant role in shaping public perception of sports and the athletes who play them. The media can reach a large audience and influence public opinion about sports through various platforms, such as television, radio, print, and online media. One Theia determines the public perception of sports through its coverage. The media also plays a role in shaping public perception of sports and athletes by the way it presents the information it covers. Suppose the media focuses on an athlete's personal life or off-field behavior rather than their performance on the field. In that case, it could impact their reputation and how their fans view their addition, and the media can influence public perception of sports through the tone of its coverage. If the media focuses on the negative aspects of a sport or athlete, it can create a negative perception of the sport or athlete among the public. On the other hand, if the media focuses on the positive aspects of a sport or athlete, it can create a positive public perception of the sport or athlete.

Promotion and Marketing

The media plays a significant role in the promotion and marketing of sports. The media can reach a large audience and promote sports events and sponsorships through various platforms, such as television, radio, print, and online media. One way the media promotes sports is through coverage of sports events. Featuring sports events in the media can increase their visibility and help to generate interest and viewership. This can be particularly important for smaller sports or events that may otherwise receive less attention. The media also promotes sports through sponsorships. Sponsorships allow sports leagues, teams, and athletes to partner with businesses and organizations to promote their products or services. The media can help to promote these sponsorships by featuring them in their coverage of sports events. In addition, the media can help to promote sports through the use of advertising. Sports leagues, teams, and athletes can purchase advertising space in the media to promote their events and sponsorships.

Ethics in Sports Media

Several ethical considerations should be considered when it comes to sports media. These considerations are important to ensure that sports media is fair, accurate, and responsible in its coverage of sports and athletes.

  • Fairness − Sports media must be fair in its coverage of sports and athletes. This means providing balanced and unbiased coverage rather than promoting or denigrating particular sports or athletes.

  • Accuracy − Sports media need to be accurate in its reporting. This means verifying the facts and sources of information before publishing or broadcasting it and correcting any errors that may occur.

  • Responsibility − Sports media is responsible for reporting on sports and athletes ethically and responsibly. This includes respecting the privacy and dignity of athletes and not publishing or broadcasting inappropriate or offensive material.

  • Conflict of Interest − Sports media must disclose any conflicts of interest that may influence their coverage of sports and athletes. For example, journalists should disclose this in their coverage if they have a personal or financial relationship with a particular athlete or sports team.

  • Privacy − Sports media should respect the privacy of athletes and not publish or broadcast personal information or images without their consent.

Conclusion

The media can reach a large audience and influence public opinion about sports through various platforms, such as television, radio, print, and online media. The media determines which sports and events receive the most attention, shapes public perception of sports and athletes, promotes sports events and sponsorships, and sets the tone of sports coverage. The media must approach sports coverage responsibly and ethically, considering fairness, accuracy, responsibility, conflict of interest, and privacy. By adhering to these principles, the media can ensure that its coverage of sports is fair, accurate, and responsible and maintains the public's trust and the sports' integrity.

Updated on: 09-Feb-2023

14K+ Views

Kickstart Your Career

Get certified by completing the course

Get Started
Advertisements