There are many factors that contribute to the absence of media coverage for women's athletics. Men's sport is dominant, underfunded and lacks role models. These factors, combined with a lack of consistent presence in the media, make the absence of women in sport a serious issue. To combat these issues, it is important that the media do a better coverage of women's sport.
Inconsistent presence
According to the study, nearly 80 percent of all televised sports news programs fail to include stories about women's sports. Stories about women's sports are often shorter and partially eclipsed by those featuring stories. Despite being conducted before the COVID-19 crisis, sports coverage of women's events has increased. The study also cites recent investment by ESPN to broadcast WNBA games.
Subfunding
Despite the NCAA's efforts to ensure equal funding, the improvements have been insufficient. One, the NCAA rules do not allow for simultaneous broadcasts. A second problem is the fact that women remain underrepresented in coaching roles. It has been a problem for decades and it still is today. Although the changes are welcome, they are a step in a positive direction.
Men's sports dominance
Media coverage of women’s sports is almost entirely dominated by men. Asymmetry in gender marking may temporarily raise the profile of a specific women's sport or team but it does not mean there is more coverage for other women's sporting events. Asymmetric gender marking can also be combined with local parochialism, and obscure the success of local men's teams.
Lack of role models
The media has become the main source of information for the younger generation, but female athletes are rarely represented. This lack of representation creates a dearth in role models for young girls. Media lack of role models contributes to gender socialization. Below are some suggestions for media outlets to improve their representations of female athletes. This is a good start.
Insufficient investment
Few studies have been done on gender disparities in sport investment. Very little research has looked at why managers invest more money in men's sports than in women's. Sponsorship spending has become more strategic. But why? Let's get into this issue. Tokenism has long been a problem in women's sports. Major brands view women's investments as a PR move.