Date of Award

12-31-2014

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Specialization

Communication and Leadership

School or Department

School of Leadership Studies

First Advisor

Dr. John Caputo

Second Advisor

Dr. Elizabeth Davis

Abstract

It is evident that there has been and continues to be a bias within the media when reporting on women’s sports and female athletes. Focusing primarily on print media, specifically the USA Today, this study examines that bias and other varying forms of objectification. Though popularity and potential revenue of a particular sport, team, or athlete may dictate what certain media outlets decide to report, or report more prominently, any sort of objectification should not be an acceptable form of journalism. Using agenda-setting theory, a content analysis of the sports section of the USA Today for the month of October was conducted. Results determined a high degree of underrepresentation, misrepresentation, and infantilization.

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