Identification of Athletes by Athletes at a Division I University

Participation rates for female athletes have grown §steadily; however, the media s coverage of female §athletes has not kept pace. This study examines the §identification of athletes by male and female §athletes at a Division I University as well as §investigates the athlete s perception of the media s §role in their identification of athletes, and the §media s coverage devoted to each gender. An §inventory of a local newspaper and national and §local television stations was conducted along with a §survey of 205 collegiate athletes. The results of §the media inventory demonstrated that little has §changed from past studies of coverage given to male §and female sports and the survey results showed that §television played a large influence in the athletes §selected by the athletes. Additionally, the survey §results illustrated another influence toward the §selection of athletes beyond the media. Are the §athletes perceptions dictated by the media §coverage, or is the media simply reflecting §society s interests? The study was conducted from §1999 to 2000 and the results from it remain timely §today, especially with the increased media options §that exist.