Patriots founder Billy Sullivan wouldn’t have it…Red Auerbach ordered bathrobes for his players…Red Sox players have been romantically linked…At different times and in different places, women sports reporters have had to work very hard to be accepted…With more and more women going into the field, the landscape and the mindset have changed…But if there’s one thing becoming rapidly apparent, it’s that they can do their job as well as the men…It’s no longer a novelty for a player to find himself facing a woman reporter, a reporter, perhaps, with a different point of view said Jade McCarthy of NESN at a recent Boston University Sports Journalism seminar, “You ask questions differently, you think of different questions sometimes…men and women think differently sometimes, which is all the more reason for women to report news, sports, politics, all of the above.”
McCarthy and Shalise Manza Young of the Boston Globe were quick to point out that even though more women were becoming sports journalists, numbers alone won’t change perception…”It’s good if they know what they’re talking about. If they are just there to look cute and hold a microphone as a way of baiting players, it’s not helping us at all,” said Young….McCarthy added, “I think that other women working in sports are our best friend and our worst enemy at the same time depending on how they carry themselves”
Women like sports, like watching sports and some even like reporting on sports…They don’t want special treatment and in fact would rather not even be noticed for anything but doing their job…As McCarthy summed it up perfectly, “The only thing I want to stand out in a locker room or anyplace that you’re doing your job is for the questions i’m asking.”
18 Comments
Jake Safane posted on October 11, 2010 at 1:21 pm
The movie “Anchorman” covers the issue of women in the newsroom in a satirical way, taking place in the 1970s. While women have improved their status in the newsroom since then, female sports journalists still seem to face the same adversity that Veronica Corningstone did in “Anchornman.” It’s sad but it’s true- in 2010, women sports reporters still have to work extra hard to prove themselves in a male-dominated field and show that they’re not just some barbie doll holding a mic.
Unfortunately some networks do hire females who may not have the most knowledge and just look good e.g. Jenn Sterger and Ines Sainz. A lot of people lump all female reporters into this group, which makes it much harder for women like Jade and Shalise to be accepted. Even if she knows her sports, the first thing that comes to mind might be “Jade’s just another dumb blonde that NESN hired to attract viewers.” Is this fair? No. But it’s the reality that women must face. I admit that I often question the credentials of a female sports journalist because I’ve seen ones who don’t know what they’re talking about.
That being said, there are plenty of males who aren’t very good sports journalists. Emmitt Smith was horrendous as an analyst for NFL Network and ESPN. But there are plenty of ex-athletes who make good analysts, so ESPN did not renew his contract, whereas with bad female reporters like Sainz and Sterger, the networks keep them on. If networks stopped hiring women without credentials, then female sports journalists wouldn’t have to work so hard to prove themselves.
Keep in mind that women in sports media is still relatively new. Less than 50 years ago blacks and whites couldn’t even drink from the same water fountain, and now we have a black president. Yes it’s backwards that the public doesn’t fully accept female sports journalists, but it’s only a matter of time before it becomes the norm.
Adam Silvers posted on October 12, 2010 at 11:39 am
What is it like being a female sports journalist in 2010? This is a question that I now believe is one that most professional female sports journalists don’t want to answer.
Professional sports journalists like Jade McCarthy and Shalise Young are interested in doing their jobs and that’s really what it comes down to at the end of the day. They don’t want to be treated any differently than the other journalists in the locker room who are doing theirs. The problem in the media today is the “journalists” like Inez Sains and Jenn Sterger as Jake said earlier. These girls are there simply for that “wow” effect as I like to say. To be honest if you asked most guys watching the game at home or in a bar, they really wouldn’t give a damn as to what these smokeshows are saying. Just Google image search Jenn Sterger and tell me I’m wrong.
The problem for me stems from the fact that in todays news business, especially broadcast, the line between news and entertainment has become increasingly blurred. If ratings are what makes a station survive, then its a no-brainer that hot young girls (who can barely hold a microphone, let alone come up with a good question) are going to be hired to be on-air at games.
At the end of the day, like Jake said, there will be equality amongst male and female sports reporters one day. And eventually what will really matter like Jade said, is the questions that are being asked and the articles/packages that are being produced. If you are a man or a woman it won’t matter, only the quality of reporting.
Hopefully for reporters like Jade McCarthy and Shalise Young this day will come sooner rather than later.
Matt Goisman posted on October 12, 2010 at 4:31 pm
I think we’re all coming down very harshly on Inez Sainz. Let’s remember that it was a MALE reporter who cried foul on Sainz’s treatment by the Jets, not Sainz herself. She told her producers at TV Azteca that she did not feel insulted. And as Sally Jenkins of the Washington Post points out, the only people who can criticize her clothing choices are her producers.
So let’s drop the quotes around journalist for Sainz, ok? Is measuring players’ biceps the most hard-hitting reporting we’ve ever seen? No, obviously not. But can you honestly say you’ve never seen a male reporter do a puff-piece on camera? Sports is entertainment. Let’s make it entertaining!
As a larger point, we’re all pretty aware of the main hardship facing female sports journalists: they have to prove their knowledge whereas their male counterparts get the benefit of the doubt. That’s the primary difference, and the more well-educated, career-minded female reporters we have covering games, the quicker that will disappear (as Jade, Young, and others have said or hinted at).
As I pointed out Thursday, the one area of sports reporting that seems to remain a “boys’ club” is the broadcast booth. Play-by-play for men’s sports is still 99% done by men. Women show up on the sidelines or in the camera pit (for baseball games), but their position seems marginalized, literally “brushed to the side.” This might still be better than it WAS (although a 1983 article I read by sportswriter Diane Shah suggests that print has evolved a lot faster than broadcast), but it too needs to fall. Only when women have permeated EVERY aspect of sports journalism can equality be truly achieved.
Lia Poin posted on October 12, 2010 at 4:56 pm
With all due respect, I’m going to have to disagree with what Matt said. It is reporters like Sainz who give female journalists a bad rep. Even though Sainz may not have felt insulted by the comments and reaction to the Jet’s locker room incident, she’s still negatively portraying female journalists because she’s hand-feeding the disbelievers reasons to disbelieve in female journalists. You don’t see male reporters showing up at games in wife beaters and cut-off jeans, you see them in suits and ties, and if anyone did show up in other clothing, you’d hear about it from everybody. Women especially need to watch what they wear, because, as Young and McCarthy expressed, there is a double standard for women in today’s society. This double standard extends beyond journalism, but that’s just the way it is right now, and it is a large reason why a lot of people discredit female journalists. The more “reporters” (and yes, I’m going to use that in quotations) like Ines Sainz, the harder it is going to be for legitimate female journalists. Like many instances in life, it’s not fair, and you don’t get remembered for doing your job right, it’s the one time you do it wrong that people will hound you for. All it takes is one female journalist to make every other female journalists’ job a bit harder. And entertaining journalism should be something else besides measuring biceps and riding on players’ shoulders.
I’m not sure if women will ever completely make it into the play-by-play field, simply because a lot of the TV play-by-play announcers are former players. As we talked about in class, that’s one area that women really can’t compete with men for, since they haven’t stepped onto the field as a player in the MLB or NFL or whatever professional league. I think that there can be a place for women in play-by-play or analysis, because women can be very knowledgable about a sport or a team and can provide their insight just as a male would be able to. But there is an element that they can’t relate to, so I don’t know if that will ever happen, but it’s an area that we can strive to be in.
I think that all women in sports can do right now is continue showing that they are competent, intelligent and belong in the locker room. Will they change the mind of the men who only want to see/hear males when they are in football mode? Probably not. But will they give other female reporters a fighting chance in the future? Yes.
Molly posted on October 13, 2010 at 8:00 pm
I’m going to have to disagree with everyone. I personally don’t know if women working within any sports capacity, including journalism, will ever be viewed as equal to their male counterparts. Jake pointed out that the industry of sports journalism itself is predominantly male, and Lia mentioned how many former players are now taking on the role of the reporter. Lia’s point about a relatable element is valid, and is one that I agree with.
There will always be the female sports reporter stereotype. It should not matter how I dress, or how I style my hair, but it will. As Jade McCarthy said, “The only reason I want to stand out in a locker room is for the questions I ask.” As a female in this industry it is essential to do your homework and ask questions when unsure of something, but most important, for yourself and for other females striving to work in the sports media industry, to carry yourself in a dignified manner. Whether or not women ever reach that same level as men in this field is not the real concern, but earning the respect of your peers and those who tune in to watch and listen to you is most important.
As a female, and as a granddaughter of the biggest NFL fans I know, I can see everyone’s view about females on the sidelines and in the press box and locker room. I’ve heard her say it many times before, “What does she know? She should not be on the field.” I view those comments as a challenge, and as something for females to strive to overcome in the future. Whether or not we are able to overcome the stereotype remains to be seen.
Brad Kasnet posted on October 13, 2010 at 9:54 pm
For all the difficulties that women face working in sports today, it was encouraging to hear that some of the situations that Jade and Shalize relayed to us are not exclusive to women and are no different than those faced by any journalist. Having to prove yourself at a new job, being nervous your first time going in the locker room or afraid to ask a stupid question. These are all the same worries we’ve heard from male journalists earlier in the semester. While women do face their share of challenges, it’s nice to hear that many of these challenges are because they are journalists, not because they are women.
We touched on perhaps the last bastion of almost universal male dominance, play-by-play broadcasters. First of all, I think it’s important to draw the distinction between play-by-play and color commentators. Play-by-play folks are typically not former players, they usually come from broadcast backgrounds (like us!). Color commentators are usually former players or coaches. Most television broadcasts have one of each. Both are still almost exclusively dominated by men, though I think for different reasons.
I think play-by-play is dominated by male voices simply because that’s what the audience expects and the way it’s always been. Think of how jarring it would be if you turned on an NFL game and the play-by-play guy had a British accent. No matter how knowledgeable he is, the first thing you will hear will be that accent and I bet you’d probably resent it, not because you’re xenophobic, but because it’s just not what football sounds like. For this reason, I expect it will be a slow road into play-by-play for women.
It seems a little more obvious why there aren’t many female color commentators. Lia touched on it, they’re almost exclusively former players or coaches, a philosophy that I frankly agree with. I thought I would never see a female analyst calling men’s pro sports, so I’ve been surprised to see that Doris Burke has begun calling NBA games and Julie Foudy has been an analyst for men’s soccer games. As standout players in the women’s game, they bring just as much insight as someone like Jeff van Gundy, who has not played at a high level himself. Perhaps, then, women are closer than we think to becoming more commonplace in these roles.
Francis posted on October 13, 2010 at 10:45 pm
Like Molly, I don’t know if female sports journalists will ever be accepted, especially by male viewers, but I do think we are getting there. As I said in class, I’m a big fan of Jackie MacMullan. When I’m watching Around the Horn or Celtics talk on CSNNE, it never enters my mind “Oh, that’s a woman. She must not know what she’s talking about.” She always knows what she’s talking about and her peers have recognized it as well as she was given the Curt Gowdy Award by the Basketball Hall of Fame. As long as women get in to the profession for the right reasons and do well, I think they’ll have no problem getting accepted and respected.
As with many of the previous posts, I think the problem with respect and acceptance lies with reporters like Erin Andrews and Inez Sains. When things happen and these women become known for things outside of what they are reporting, I think women get a bad reputation and, as Shalise said, the public tends to group all women reporters together, which isn’t fair.
Like Matt, I have also noticed the lack of female play-by-play broadcasters. I remember the first time I heard Pam Ward call a college football game on ESPN and thinking, “Why is a woman announcing right now?” It was a bit of a shock because it was something new. I had never heard a woman call a game before and people tend to not accept change right away. ESPN now has two women, Ward and Beth Mowins, who call college football for the family of networks, so something must be going right or else they wouldn’t have those jobs any more.
However, there are still websites like http://www.awfulannouncing.com out there that try and catch every little mistake people like Ward and Mowins make just to tear them down, possibly because they are women. Just another example that women have to try and be even better at doing their actual jobs than their male counterparts.
Seth posted on October 14, 2010 at 8:16 am
I have to agree with Molly and Fran and take a more pessimistic approach to the acceptance of female sports journalists by men. Matt hit on the head when he talked about Sainz as a journalist. She was not the one who reported the Jets actions and although she’s certainly not the finest NFL journalist, no one has ever accused her of being one of those female reporters who just want to get in guys pants. Jenn Sterger is another great example. While she might be extremely attractive, she was just trying to do her job and from checking out her blog she does know something about sports. Dress code or not, the way Brett Favre treated her, was indicative of the way men feel towards women in sports reporting. After listening to six consecutive hours of WEEI programming Tuesday one thing became apparent to me: every male listener was determined to find some way to lay blame on Sterger and the females just wanted justice. Caller after caller lambasted Sterger or tried to find some flaw in the hosts defense of her with the only break in the wave of resentment coming from female callers.
Let’s look at another more classic case: Suzy Kolber. Kolber is a recognizable face in the world of sports reporting and arguably is one of ESPN’s best personalities between her stints as an anchor, show host and sideline reporter. Yet even though Kolber became a Maxwell Broadcasting Award in 2006 for her excellence in sports reporting, (not too shabby considering Brent Musburger won this year) I and others I’ve talked to, can’t help but think about her incident with Joe Namath every time I see her. Kolber is the ultimate professional and played off Namath’s advances in 2003 in an effective manner, but I can’t help but think of the moment every time she comes on TV. Is that fair to her? Not at all. But is that natural after such an extremely bizarre moment that might not be so uncommon for female reporters in sports? I think so.
Play-by-play as Shaliza said will be the last bastion to fall if ever. Brad was right in that it is mostly people with a background in journalism just like us but there’s also that comfort level factor. Not only does the audience have to be receptive to the play-by-play person for the owner of the station to be happy but a lot of the other people involved. Color guys in professional baseball and football are exclusively males at the highest level and I would think that a lot of them would be uncomfortable working with a woman in the booth. If Molly’s grandmother can be so unreceptive to a woman knowing enough about the NFL to talk on the sidelines, how are you to predict what a former player will feel like working with a woman. While Jade was given that trial/feeling out period in the Philadelphia sports scene investing in a new play-by-play broadcaster is a much bigger decision especially in the NFL. With only 16-20+ chances to broadcast together each year, a pairing has to have an instant connection and trust in each other. I’m not sure men will ever give a woman the chance to take on that challenge because of all the cards stacked against her.
Tristan Hobbes posted on October 14, 2010 at 10:19 am
Like most have said, it was interesting when both Shalise and Jade said they would prefer having less women that are more professional. It’s interesting because in the realm of female sports journalists, the females know who is there for knowledge and know who is there just to hold a mic and look pretty.
And that is one major problem plaguing female reporters. Ines Sainz’s incident served to represent that point right here and now. Already facing an uphill climb, these bumps in the road go a long way in deterring the progress women have made. And it doesn’t matter if she did or didn’t mind, you have to hold yourself to a different standard because one bad apple can ruin it for everyone else.
Looks aside, I have worked with a few female reporters and I have nothing but good things to say about their work. They were intelligent, asked good questions and most importantly, they were just like everyone else (only discernible by their questions).
But as Brad said, alot of what Shalise and Jade talked about in regards to carrying yourself in the locker room, having confidence and asking tough questions, all related to what their male counterparts have mentioned earlier this semester. And while male and females are different, the sport remains the same. If you can ask though provoking questions and advance the story there is no reason you should be treated any differently.
As for the play-by-play aspect of sports, it is hard to imagine a women broadcasting a NFL game or MLB game. It could happen someday but I always wonder how many women actually want to be play-by-play broadcasters?
I will never forget the evening I got to eat dinner and chat with Linda Cohn. She was unbelievably knowledgeable and extremely passionate about sports. She respects the position she holds and she respects herself and that is why she is looked upon as a role model for many up and coming female reporters.
Jillian posted on October 14, 2010 at 10:57 am
I first realized I wanted to get in to sports reporting somewhere between my junior and senior year of high school. I would spend Friday nights cheering my friends on at the high school football games and Sunday afternoons watching the Bills games with those same guys. We would all be hanging around swapping thoughts and opinions on quarterbacks or defenses and it suddenly hit me – I know what I’m talking about right now, I thoroughly enjoy what I’m talking about right now, so maybe I can go somewhere with this. And just like that, a dream was born.
Being a female sports reporter never seemed like something that was out of the ordinary to me. I grew up seeing women on the sidelines, some on local news stations, and even a few ESPN anchors. Yes I noticed there were more men than women, and yes I noticed that people seemed to be a little harder on the female reporters, but that never changed my mind on what career path I wanted.
I once got to meet ESPN anchor Linda Cohn at an event while I was an undergrad at SUNY Oswego (she is an alumni). I had a brief moment to ask her advice on progressing as a female sports reporter, and she said “do your homework, know your stuff, and have personality.” It was as simple as that. (I also highly recommend her book, Cohn-Head, about “breaking into the boys club” for any aspiring female journalist.)
No matter what profession a person chooses, male or female, they have to prove themselves on some level. Maybe I will have to work a little harder to build a trust with an audience that I am knowledgeable and passionate about sports, but that just means it will feel that much better when I do succeed.
Like Francis said, if you are getting into the profession for the right reasons, it shouldn’t be as hard to gain respect or acceptance. For every day we have an Ines Sainz or Jenn Sterger incident, there are 100 other days that we don’t. Shalise reiterated that point as well – if you come across as professional, people will view you and treat you in that same way. It’s very true, especially in a journalism profession of any sort, what Jade said about having only one chance at your reputation.
I definitely think things are moving in a positive direction, but I don’t know that there will ever be full equality between men and and women, and that goes for any profession, not just those involving sports. This is part of the reason why I am on the edge about the whole “ESNPW” concept. I love the idea of having a place to watch the less televised, but still equally deserving, sports like gymnastics or tennis or swimming, but don’t understand why they have to be signaled out or separated as “just for women.” By making a network brand like this, you are reverting back to the thinking that women are, and should be, separate from men. I think ESPN needs to be very careful how they go about this idea. It was also mentioned that the “W” might carry more information on health, beauty, nutrition, fitness, etc., so I can see how having the “W” brand might benefit in terms of selling more advertising – I mean how often do you see a CoverGirl or Victoria’s Secret commercial on ESPN? But in that same regards, why then wouldn’t you consider naming the brand something like “ESPN Lifestyles” or “ESPN Health” instead? It will be very interesting to watch how the whole concept progresses.
Joel posted on October 14, 2010 at 12:27 pm
I’ll be honest; I don’t think you will see equality in sports journalism for a while, mainly because the sporting world is such a male driven machine. From the players (in the 4 major leagues), to the coaches and front office, men are the strong majority, and until that starts to change (and I don’t see that happening), I don’t think female sports journalists will receive a 100% equal shake.
I also agree with the last few play-by-play comments I’ve read. I think the main thing facing females in the “booth” is the familiarity with the male voice coming over the radio and television, not the fact that they didn’t play the game. There are a few females out there who call games (I think I’ve heard two), and I will admit that when I hear a woman calling a game, it’s almost distracting, because it’s such a foreign concept. The only way this will be changed is if more females go after the job and maybe one day it won’t be strange to hear a female voice describing the action over the radio.
Like our guests said, the women already in the business are the ones who are going to either advance women in the field, or drag them behind. As more solid, in-depth reporting comes from the women currently covering sports, I think you will see more and more women entering the sports journalism field. Judging by the amount of women we’ve seen in our seminar this year, I don’t think we’re on a bad track right now.
Let’s also remember that this isn’t just a problem in journalism or with women. This sort of thing goes on in all areas of life, with gender, ethnicity, class distinction, etc. Before we as a human race start to push for equality of all people, there will always be issues regarding preconceived notions of a certain group of people.
Ben posted on October 14, 2010 at 2:21 pm
Lia did a great job pointing out just why Ines Sainz is so damaging to women in sports journalism. She may have been dressing and behaving the way her station wanted, but her actions reflect on more than just the credibility of who she works for. There will always be people who think women don’t belong in sports, and they will always try and find examples to fit their argument. Reporters like Ines Sainz just give them ammunition for their argument. There are plenty of great women sports journalists out there. The problem is, the naysayers simply ignore them. To doubters, they are the exception and not the rule. But every time they see an incident like what happened with the Jets, they immediately can jump on it as proof for their argument. I think this is what Jade meant when she said “often women working in sports are our best friends and our worst enemies.”
I don’t know if the number of women in sports will ever be equal to men, or if we can ever get to the point where we don’t have to have this discussion about the credibility of women in sports. I will say, I think we’re moving in the right direction. The numbers are only getting bigger. People who still say women have no credibility in sports are going to have to suck it up, because they aren’t going away.
It is also encouraging that women are now getting jobs in sports where they never got close to before. I don’t know if any of you have heard of Kim Ng, but she is currently the VP and assistant GM of Dodgers and used to be the assistant GM of the Yankees. She has interviewed for GM of three different teams as recently as 2009. Its not obviously not a journalism role, but the fact that a women has been one of the key players in two of the most historic teams in sports and could soon be running a pro-baseball team definitely says something about the progress of women in sports.
Emily posted on October 14, 2010 at 3:19 pm
I agree with Jill. In any professional field, women are going to have to prove themselves to be equal to men. The glass ceiling may have shattered a while ago, but equality is still a long ways off.
A recent Forbes article reported that while women in television get great PR, and enviable wardrobe choices, but their male counterparts are earning nearly twice as much as they are. This doesn’t mean that women are any less capable. Yes, it is true that you only get one shot at your reputation, and being a woman means that you have to be paranoid and discerning regarding the find line of flirting. Both women stated that they sometimes felt attacked based on their knowledge and their appearance. The same probably goes in any profession.
When speaking about the recent allegations of Ines Sainz and her inappropriate state of dress, Shalise commented in amazement, “Girlfriend was wearing a halter top.” For a woman reporter that is inappropriate, just as wearing UGGs to a finance meeting, or a sweatsuit to the beach would be inappropriate.
However, I find it insulting that Jade refuses to wear a skirt into the locker room. Obviously, it depends on the length, brand, etc., but a woman should not be emulating her male counterparts. That will only set us back even further.
Kind of off topic, but a recent study came out suggesting that
skinny women make significantly more money than those of average or obese weight. However, men who are overweight make around $14,000 more than those who are of average weight. That being said, until we can all earn money based on our own abilities and strengths, instead of on our appearances, women in all professions are going be getting the short end of the stick.
Laura posted on October 14, 2010 at 3:23 pm
I am going to take a more optimistic spin on this whole women in sports situation. I obviously agree with everything that’s been previously stated: yes, women are not equal, no, they are not going to be anytime soon, yes, they are treated with significantly less respect and often have to work much harder than their male counterpart. I could discuss how unfair it all is for hours, even days. Complaining is not going to solve the problem though. It is an uphill battle and I think once serious female journalists accept that fact, doing their job will come a lot easier. With the right confidence and knowledge anyone can succeed though, no matter what gender or race. You can’t argue with the facts, anyone in sports knows that.
I actually came to the realization myself right before this particular seminar. Like most in this class I am a part of WTBU sports, and as in most sports settings I am one of only a few women on staff. Just before class last Thursday, I was studying for an exam in the COM lounge and discussing with one of our classmates about the women in sports seminar we were about to attend. Another WTBU sports staff member, who apparently didn’t know I was on the staff, joked about the seminar, making a typical “women and sports, what a joke! blah blah blah” comment. I brushed it off as I’ve become accustomed to doing. But then he continued, seriously speaking about how ridiculous and idiotic the idea of women reporting on sports was. Not until a good fifteen minutes into his rant did he stop and say, “Oh, so you want go into broadcast journalism?” with a smirk.
As most of the other girls in our class can probably attest, this is not all that shocking. I have gained the respect of the majority of the staff members through be professional and prepared, so much so that I could say with confidence that I feel equal as a female on the staff. But that fifteen minute conversation has stuck out recently and remains a friendly reminder that no matter how comfortable you think you’ve gotten, as Shalise said, there are always going to be “haters.”
But to me those haters are who make me want to work even harder. It is not a matter of proving myself, but of proving them wrong. Let me start by saying I love winning, maybe as much as George Steinbrenner did. As Sherroud Blakely pointed out a couple of weeks ago, a locker room for journalists is just as competitive an area as the playing field for sports stars. I see being a female sports journalist as being an underdog in a game. The way I see it, women (those who are prepared and knowledgeable, at least) have an advantage over all the men in the sports world. Yes, we are not your typical sports journalist, all the more reason we should strive. Whenever everyone thinks you are going to fail, your successes appear that much greater. As much as it would be great for women to have the same expectations as men, I think all of our classmates’ above comments clearly state that equality just isn’t occurring. So it’s time to literally man-up.
As for other women in sports, I could not agree more with Jade and Shalise. There is nothing I can’t stand more than pink baseball caps and jerseys. Don’t expect to be taken seriously if you don’t take yourself seriously. I don’t respect “reporters” like Ines Sainez and I don’t blame men for making the statements they do about women in sports if that’s what they have to reference. That is precisely why I think espnW is ridiculous and insulting to actual female sports fans. I understand broadcasting lesser publicized sports because ESPN has the power to do that but there’s no reason to throw a gender on it. Newsflash: not all women like yoga and ice skating! Maybe there is a market for it because advertisers say there is, but I think it is stereotyping all women to like what we are “supposed” to like.
Lastly, I will say that I am one of those women who would want to do play-by-play. I understand it being harder to break through in football without having the experience . But in sports like baseball, basketball, and soccer, where there are female equivalents, there is no reason why a women could not be in the booth giving just as much insight (granted they are not Susan Waldman).
Chris posted on October 14, 2010 at 3:48 pm
Ben’s right in saying that no matter what year we’re in and how far we’ve come along in terms of women’s rights, Title IX, you name it, there will always be some group of people who feel as if women are not a.) supposed to be in a locker room in a male sport with male reporters and b.) hardly belong in the world of sports journalism at all. Which is ridiculous.
During my time I’ve seen some tremendous female reporters. I think they bring a different aspect to locker rooms and press conferences that some male reporters may lack, and I’m not talking about the clothes they wear or the way they look. Players and coaches respond differently to women reporters, which can be both a good or a bad thing. I’ve seen some women ask questions that I wouldn’t have asked, and because they carried themselves professionally and took pride in the job they were doing, they got a great response. I’ve seen women do the same job that men do, better than them! Maybe it’s because they know they’re on an uneven playing surface going into the locker room that they make the extra effort to step up their game, while men may sometimes take the fact that they can seamlessly go into and out of a locker room for granted, and may become complacent.
I think recently, we’ve seen more bad than good in terms of how women in the locker room and on the playing field affect other journalists, players and coaches, but that’s because nothing is said when they’re doing their job as well as men. Other colleagues in the industry may be looking for a reason to out women from the locker rooms, and when an incident like the Inez Sainz or Watney-Varitek debacle occurs, all the competent female reporters get screwed over. And then you have the constant bigotry that women like Shalise face, getting no respect for the fact that she’s both a woman and has never played a down of football in her life. But as she put it, you’ve got to stop looking at the “Comments” section of the articles, build that wall and do your job the way that you’ve done it to get to her level. Her rise to the Globe should speak for itself in terms of the type of reporter she is.
I have never had, nor will I ever have a problem with a woman trying to cover sports to the best of her ability, to look for the story that no one else has told, to advance a story that’s already happened as long as she takes it as seriously as the rest of us. And I don’t know if anyone has noticed, but there’s never been a better time to be a female sports journalist than ever before. Would it be unfair to say that applies to TV more than print? Probably not. But women are flocking to the industry and are being accepted, that part is no fluke. Yeah, you still have your veteran traditionalists like the Shaugnessy’s who may hold the edge, but you’ve got your MacMullan’s that aren’t too far behind either. And that’s what matters most.
The play-by-play aspect of the debate is interesting. I’m going to say this, and it might ruffle some feathers, but let’s be honest, and to all the other women in the class please let me know: does anyone want to hear a woman’s voice calling the Super Bowl? Game 7 of the World Series or the the Stanley Cup? I think it’s the one anomaly in this entire topic, one that I quite clearly can’t explain, and at the risk of sounding sexist, which I’m not trying to be, I would rather just pose the question that make myself look like more of an ass.
And before I finish, to be quite honest, if it were a toss-up between Joe Buck and Suzyn Waldman, I’m probably changing the channel and watching One Tree Hill.
Jack Flagler posted on October 14, 2010 at 3:52 pm
15 or 20 years ago, media people were saying that women could never get a foothold in sports reporting because of the public’s stereotypes. Now look what has happened.
People have mentioned all these names before me, but Doris Burke, Linda Cohn, Jackie MacMullen and countless others have become respected and trusted reporters for no other reason than they’re all really good at their jobs.
Female reporters may never change Molly’s grandmother’s opinion.But I disagree with Molly and Francis on their point that female reporters will never be as accepted in the business as men.
Katie pointed out in class that she has friends who will never trust a female announcer in a football game. In 40 in 50 years, I bet her friends still will feel the same way, but that doesn’t mean that younger generations will share that opinion. Social changes don’t happen overnight, this issue will continue to challenge female reporters for a long time.
But as Jake said, look how much race relations have changed in the USA in the last four decades. There’s no reason to think that the same changes can’t happen with women in sports over time.
With that said, this Jenn Sterger-Brett Favre situation shows how huge the challenge still is for women reporters. As far as I can tell, Sterger did absolutely nothing wrong here. She simply caught the eye of a creepy, arrogant athlete who thought he could get away with whatever he wanted. She even had a sense of humor about the whole thing, telling Deadspin “some big-boobed hoes have morals and souls believe it or not.” But that didn’t stop people calling into sports talk radio stations blaming Sterger for the entire fiasco.
You could argue that maybe Sterger didn’t deserve her job in the first place, and, unlike Seth, I don’t really think Sterger has the credentials to be in her position after her “FSU Cowgirl” stint. But respected reporters Suzy Kolber and Erin Andrews were also put in an uncomfortable position by a man’s creepy behavior through no fault of their own. Now, they have to work harder to ensure that those stories don’t overshadow their careers.
It’s completely ridiculous and unfair, but as Shalise and Jade said, it’s the reality that every female reporter has to deal with. Hopefully, that won’t be the case a few years down the road.
Angus Dunk posted on October 14, 2010 at 4:26 pm
I have to say I was really impressed alone to see Shalise standout not only as woman in a NFL locker room, but also because she is the only African American beat reporter for professional football. As much as I hate to admit it, football has now become America’s sport. It’s our own unique game. That said we need more diversity in all facets of the game, media included, due to the wide fan base. I think while we could all complain there aren’t enough women in the locker room, that we should admire the achievement of Shalise, none the less. To have a black woman in any professional locker room has shown how the industry has become welcoming tom more people. I can understand people wanting to see more women in the locker room, but from my perspective, Shalise shows the determination and motivation we need to make it in the media industry.
This in mind everyone I think has to keep in mind, the media industry in the US may be progressing just as it should or I should say as much as it can with respect to women. Coming from North Carolina, I’ve grown up with a fairly liberal family in a very conservative area. My personal belief is that not many men would take a liking to any female reporter. It’s the sad truth of small town America or these less diverse environments, but it’s the way it is. There are a lot of old fashioned people who don’t want to see women of the field, broadcast booth, or locker room; as Molly alluded to earlier.
However, I go back to Jake’s point about the movie, “Anchorman.” Although it’s a comedy, it does point to the fact that more and more women are taking over the jobs traditionally held by men. How? Through determination, grit, hard work, and a lot of career drive. That’s what it took for Veronica Corningstone. Hollywood, or not, I think many women can overcome the obstacles of the male sports dominated media and get the position he or she wants. Over the last half century, better treatment for all groups and minorities has improved and I think will only continue to do so.
If my memory serves me right, Sherrod Blakely from a previous class had a good point for any man or woman who wants to go into sports journalism: “It’s about how badly you want it.” The point is whatever part of your identity or physical appearance doesn’t matter when it comes down to a career move, it’s about the work ethic you put in and what type of person you are (assertive, motivated, energetic, and ambitious).
The newest movie in the “Rocky” series, “Rocky Balboa,” gave me a useful piece of advice about how to approach any career obstacle or trouble you have with achieving a dream. In one scene Rocky addresses is his son:
“Now if you know what you’re worth then go out and get what you’re worth. But ya gotta be willing to take the hits, and not pointing fingers saying you ain’t where you wanna be because of him, or her, or anybody! Cowards do that and that ain’t you! You’re better than that!”
So maybe I need to quit to referring to movies, but my point is there are barriers and challenges in this life and everyone just has to struggle deal with them the best he or she can.
That’s easier said than done though. As Jake and Adam pointed out, there are some who create a bad name for female sports journalists. I was shocked to learn that Jenn Sterger had been a former playboy model. And I’m guessing the shoot wasn’t best of women in sports media. You take an FSU Cowgirl and put her on camera? That does nothing to help the media… So we’re being too hard on Sainz? Fine, let’s go after Sterger!
On a more serious note other than looks though, I noticed Brad made a good point about women entering the world of broadcasting as play-by-play announcers. As he said, having an Englishman broadcast a NFL game wouldn’t sound right because there’s a particular format that NFL fans are used too, not because they dislike the person based on nationality. I’d feel the same way about hockey, you have to know your terminology and have a particular click in your accent that gives off a small hint of sounding Canadian to be taken seriously at the most professional levels of play. I believe any woman could with the right effort and training emulate any of their male counterparts, but that it would be a challenge. I’ve been told by a number of people they like me as a broadcaster because of the sound of my voice, not necessarily just my skills as a broadcaster and analyst of sports.
In any event, I only expect to see an increase in the number of opportunities for women in sports media as the industry gets a larger sample size of female sports journalists and broadcasters. In the future, then hopefully media bosses will know how to weed out the good reporters (Shalise and Jade) from the bad ones (Sainz and Sterger).
Katie posted on October 14, 2010 at 5:13 pm
(Sorry this is late)
As I mentioned in class, my biggest fear in being a female sports reporter is not being taken seriously by men, both colleagues in the field and men watching on TV. Although not just limited to men, I guess, as I believe Molly mentioned in class when she said her grandmother hates seeing female sideline reporters. But there is a definite advantage to female sports reporters, as Shalise mentioned in class. We have a different perspective of the sport, especially in football, having never played it. We ask different questions, and we ask them in a different way. We might be able to gain the trust of players that we might have a harder time gaining as a man.
But Boston especially is widening the market for women sportscasters. There are far more of us on the air, and hopefully men will get used to seeing us there. But the fact is, many people just don’t believe that we have a place in sports. Many of us never played the sport we’re covering, and they think we don’t know enough about it to do a good job. But when I asked Jade and Shalise how to offset those perceptions and if women will ever be accepted as equals ot men, they said probably not. However, they did say it comes down to a matter of confidence, as many of the other reporters have said in the past. I don’t think it’s ever something that you can hear too much, because of how true it is.
I recently had my first experience in a locker room, and I have to admit it was intimidating. I spent a lot of time looking around or at the ground, and I’m sure I didn’t look like I had a lot of confidence, because I didn’t. Luckily there were other reporters, and the players we interviewed didn’t seem to notice that I was a little insecure. They certainly didn’t show it, which I appreciated. But now I can appreciate even more when reporters say how much confidence can count. I’ll get another locker room experience over the weekend, and I hope to project a little more confidence. But regardless, I know just as much, if not more, about the sport than any man does, and though I only played when I was younger, I understand everything about it and have such a great respect and appreciation. If I do end up being a sports reporter, nobody will be able to say I don’t know what I’m talking about, so if they don’t like me, there’s nothing I can do about it. But I hope that as women are featured more prominently in sports and do a good job, as Jade and Shalise emphasized, then hopefully the sooner we will be thought of as equals by everyone.