Acta Universitatis Carolinae Kinanthropologica (AUC Kinanthropologica) is an international peer reviewed journal for the publication of research outcomes in the humanities, the social sciences and the natural sciences, as applied to kinathropology. It is a multidisciplinary journal accepting only original unpublished articles in English in the various sub-disciplines and related fields of kinanthropology, such as Anthropology, Anthropomotorics, Sports Pedagogy, Sociology of Sport, Philosophy of Sport, History of Sport, Physiology of Sport And Exercise, Physical Education, Applied Physical Education, Physiotherapy, Human Biomechanics, Psychology of Sport, Sports Training and Coaching, Sport Management, etc. The journal also welcomes interdisciplinary articles. The journal also includes reports of relevant activities and reviews of relevant publications.
The journal is abstracted and indexed by CNKI, DOAJ, EBSCO, ERIH PLUS, SPOLIT, SPORTDiscus, and Ulrichsweb.
AUC KINANTHROPOLOGICA, Vol 58 No 1 (2022), 51–66
More similarities than differences: women’s and men’s perspectives on ice-hockey reporting in Czech sports journalism
Anna Hrbáčková
DOI: https://doi.org/10.14712/23366052.2022.4
published online: 01. 07. 2022
abstract
This study explores differences in the reporting of female and male sports journalists. Based on a brief review of the literature related to gender differences in sports journalism and the stereotypes associated with the work of female sports journalists, the paper identifies a purported ‘female writing style’ characterized by a focus on soft news, an emotional approach to reporting and reduced interest in statistical and analytical data. Using a quantitative content analysis, I reviewed 167 audio-visual and 50 written ice-hockey reports about Czech Extraliga produced by six sports journalists, who worked in leading Czech sports media departments. I observed the frequency with which the reporters presented statistical data, evaluated a performance, described emotions, recounted personal stories, and used original phrases. Comparing women’s and men’s output, it emerged that gender of the author did not have a dominant influence on the form of their reports and did not impact the use of specific language elements.
keywords: female writing style; gender stereotypes; ice-hockey; male writing style; report, sports journalism
references (45)
1. Bagar, A. (2019, March 17). Rekordní extraliga zůstává pátá, nejvyšší nárůst hlásí Slovensko. [The record Extraliga remains fifth, the highest increase is reported by Slovakia]. Hokej.cz. Retrieved from: https://hokej.cz/rekordni-extraliga-zustava-pata-nejvyssi-narust-hlasi-slovensko/5047384.
2. Billings, A. C., Butterworth, M. L. and Turman, P. D. (2018). Communication and Sport: Surveying the Field. Los Angeles: Sage.
3. Boyle, R. (2006). Sports Journalism: Context and Issues. London: Sage.
4. Brisbane, G. J., Ferrucci, P. and Tandoc, E. (2021). Side-by-Side Sports Reporters: A Between-Subjects Experiment of the Effect of Gender in Reporting on the NFL. Communication & Sport, 1-20. CrossRef
5. Creedon, P. (Ed.) (1994). Women, Media, and Sport: Challenging Gender Values. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications. ISBN 0-8039-5234-1. CrossRef PubMed
6. Chambers, D., Fleming, C. & Steiner, L. (2004). Women and Journalism. London: Routledge. CrossRef
7. Connell, R. W., & Messerschmidt, J. W. (2005). Hegemonic Masculinity: Rethinking the Concept. Gender and Society, 19(6), 829-859. CrossRef
8. Etling, L.W. & Young, R. (2007). Sexism and the Authoritativeness of Female Sportscasters. Communication Research Reports, 24(2), 121-130. CrossRef
9. Franks, S. (2013). Women and Journalism. Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism London. New York: I. B. Tauris. CrossRef
10. Franks, S. & O'Neill, D. (2016). Women Reporting Sport: Still a Man's Game? Journalism, 17(4), 474-492. CrossRef
11. Hardin, M. (2005). Stopped at the Gate: Women's Sports, "Reader Interest," and Decision Making by Editors. Journalism and Mass Communication Quarterly, 82(1), 62-77. CrossRef
12. Hardin, M. & Shain, S. (2005a). Female Sports Journalists: Are We There Yet? 'No'. Newspaper Research Journal, 26(4), 22-35. CrossRef
13. Hardin, M. & Shain, S. (2005b). Strength in Numbers? The Experiences and Attitudes of Women in Sports Media Careers. Journalism and Mass Communication Quarterly, 82(4), 804-819. CrossRef
14. Hardin, M. & Shain, S. (2006). Feeling Much Smaller Than You Know You Are: The Fragmented Professional Identity of Female Sports Journalists. Critical Studies in Media Communication, 23(4), 322-338. CrossRef
15. Hrbáčková, A. (2020). Hokejové zpravodajství a publicistika očima žen a mužů. [Reporting Ice-Hockey: Women's and Men's Perspective]. Praha: Univerzita Karlova.
16. Jakubowska, H. (2013). Poland. In: T. Horky and J. U. Nieland (Eds.), International Sports Press Survey 2011. Norderstedt: BoD, pp. 98-112.
17. Jakubowska, H., & Ličen, S. (2019). The role of newspapers in the formation of gendered national identity: Polish coverage of women's and men's basketball championships. International Review for the Sociology of Sport, 54(3), 302-324. CrossRef
18. Janeczek, D. (2016). Ženy ve sportovní žurnalistice. [Women in the Sports Journalism]. Olomouc: Univerzita Palackého.
19. Klub sportovních novinářů (2020, February 2). [Club of Sports Journalists]. Retrieved from: https://www.ksn.cz/.
20. Koreis, K. (2017). Ženy ve sportovních redakcích: gender, profesní sebepojetí, moc. [Women in Sports Media: Gender, Professional Identity, Power]. Praha: Univerzita Karlova.
21. Křivánková, A. & Vátral, J. (1989). Dějiny československé žurnalistiky. IV. díl: český a slovenský tisk v letech 1944-1987. [History of Czechoslovak Journalism. IV. part: Czech and Slovak press in the years 1944-1987]. Praha: Novinář, 223 s.
22. Ličen, S., & Billings, A. C. (2013). Cheering for 'our'champs by watching 'sexy'female throwers: Representation of nationality and gender in Slovenian 2008 Summer Olympic television coverage. European Journal of Communication, 28(4), 379-396. CrossRef
23. Lukšů, D. (2011). Počátky sportovní žurnalistiky na stránkách periodického tisku na přelomu 19. a 20. století. Sport jako součást českého masového tisku. [Beginnings of Czech Sport Journalism at the Turn of the 19th and 20th Century. Sport as a Part of Czech Press]. Praha: Univerzita Karlova.
24. Mastro, D., Seate, A. A., Blecha, E., & Gallegos, M. (2012). The wide world of sports reporting the influence of gender-and race-based expectations on evaluations of sports reporters. Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly, 89(3), 458-474. CrossRef
25. Messner, M. A., Dunbar, M., & Hunt, D. (2000). The televised sports manhood formula. Journal of Sport & Social Issues, 24(4), 380-394. CrossRef
26. Mitrook, M. & Dorr, N. (2001). The Credibility of Women Sportscasters. Media Report to Women, (29) 7-12.
27. Mudrick, M., Burton, L., & Lin, C. A. (2017). Pervasively Offside: An Examination of Sexism, Stereotypes, and Sportscaster Credibility. Communication & Sport, 5(6), 669-688. CrossRef
28. Neuendorf, K. A. (2002). The Content Analysis Guidebook. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
29. North, L. (2014). The Gender of "Soft" and "Hard" News: Female Journalists' Views on Gendered Story Allocations. Journalism Studies, 17(3), 1-18. CrossRef
30. Ondrejková, D. (2017). Případová studie sportovní redakce televizního kanálu se zaměřením na genderové vlivy v profesi sportovní novinářky. [A Case Study Focused on the Gender Influences in the Work of a Female Sports Journalist at Television Sports Department]. Brno: Masarykova Univerzita.
31. Organista, N., Mazur, Z., Lenartowicz, M. (2021). "I Can't Stand Women's Sports": The Perception of Women's Sports by Polish Sports Journalists. Communication & Sport, 9(3), 372-394. CrossRef
32. OʼNeill, D. & Mulready, M. (2015). The Invisible Woman? A Comparative Study of Womenʼs Sports Coverage in the UK National Press before and after the 2012 Olympic Games. Journalism Practice, 9(5), 651-668. CrossRef
33. Riffe, D., Lacy, S., & Fico, F. G. (2005). Analyzing Media Messages: Using Quantitative Content Analysis in Research. London: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Publishers. CrossRef
34. Rybář, P. (2017). Nedávná historie české sportovní žurnalistiky pohledem bývalých členů Klubu sportovních novinářů. [Recent History of the Czech Sports Journalism from the Perspective of Former Members of the Sports Journalists' Association]. Praha: Univerzita Karlova.
35. Řanda, T. (2017). Jak se změnila sportovní žurnalistika v československém tisku po roce 1948? Srovnání období let 1945-1948 a 1953-1958. [How Did Sport Journalism Change in Czechoslovakian Press after 1948? Comparing Periods 1945-1948 and 1953-1958]. Praha: Univerzita Karlova.
36. Schoch, L. (2013a). 'Feminine' Writing: The Effect of Gender on the Work of Women Sports Journalists in the Swiss Daily Press. Media, Culture & Society, 35(6), 708-723. CrossRef
37. Sheffer, M. L. & Schultz, B. (2007). Double Standard: Why Women Have Trouble Getting Jobs in Local Television Sports. Journal of Sports Media, 2(1), 77-101. CrossRef
38. Strong, C. & Hannis, G. (2007). The Visibility of Female Journalists at Australian and New Zealand Newspapers: The Good News and the Bad News. Australian Journalism Review, 29(1), 115-126.
39. Tejkalová, A. (2019). Twenty Years After: Czech Heroes and Fallen Heroes of the Nagano 1998 Olympic Games. MedienJournal, 43(1), 83-100. CrossRef
40. Toro, H. M. (2005). Public Perceptions of Credibility of Male and Female Sportscasters. Unpublished master's thesis, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 2005.
41. Zoonen, L. van (1994). Feminist Media Studies. London: Sage.
42. Branky, body, vteřiny (Goals, Points, Seconds). ČT Sport, Praha. Selected reports 2015-2017.
43. Hokej den poté (Hockey, the Day After). ČT Sport, Praha. Selected reports 2015-2017.
44. Mladá fronta DNES, Praha, Mafra. Selected articles 2007-2009.
45. iDNES.cz, Praha, Mafra. Selected articles 2007-2009.
More similarities than differences: women’s and men’s perspectives on ice-hockey reporting in Czech sports journalism is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
157 x 230 mm
periodicity: 2 x per year
print price: 190 czk
ISSN: 1212-1428
E-ISSN: 2336-6052
