How the Print Media Affect Sports and Violence: The Problems of Sport Journalism

In: International review for the sociology of sport: irss ; a quarterly edited on behalf of the International Sociology of Sport Association (ISSA), Band 21, Heft 2-3, S. 239-252

Abstract

In the research on the influence of the media it is generally assumed that the presentation of violence in the media promotes violent behavior. However, there is no empirical evidence of how this takes place. Problems in sport reporting concern particularly its journalistic self- understanding, its understanding of sport and its presentation of violence. This paper discusses the low prestige and the great influence of sport journalists, and reports on the results of research on the literature on sport and violence in the print media. The search for profit-increasing captions and texts leads to overemphasis of the unusual and scandalous. Unfairness and aggressiveness on the part of successful athletes, as well as spectator violence, are accentuated and appear normal. Here reporting reflects a development to which it itself contributed.