OT: A Little Rant About How the Press Reports on Women Athletes

[Puppy Love]

Stanford’s Anna Wilson got hurt in her game yesterday. I did a quick web search looking for updates about the injury. I’ve attached a screenshot of the results. By adding ‘Russell Wilson’s brother’ to the headlines and featuring it predominantly in the story, it devalues who she is and what she has accomplished. One way that women will gain greater equality is by changing the language used in the media to talk about them. It doesn’t matter that his fame is ‘greater’ than hers. He isn’t relevant to the story.

 

[eebmg]

Stanford’s Anna Wilson got hurt in her game yesterday. I did a quick web search looking for updates about the injury. I’ve attached a screenshot of the results. By adding ‘Russell Wilson’s brother’ to the headlines and featuring it predominantly in the story, it devalues who she is and what she has accomplished. One way that women will gain greater equality is by changing the language used in the media to talk about them. It doesn’t matter that his fame is ‘greater’ than hers. He isn’t relevant to the story.

Not my reaction and hardly gender specific. If a male college basketball player has a famous sibling, it would be mentioned as well. For me, it brings in the perspective that she is part of an athletic family and is therefore somewhat relevant and interesting.

 

[HuskyNan]

Not my reaction and hardly gender specific. If a male college basketball player has a famous sibling, it would be mentioned as well. For me, it brings in the perspective that she is part of an athletic family and is therefore somewhat relevant and interesting.

Honestly, unless the athlete was a major superstar on the Serena Williams level, I seriously doubt they’d reference a female athlete like that. After all, most women’s sports are niche sports so a headline like “Breanna Stewart’s sister in car accident” would draw puzzled looks, even as she’s a star in the WNBA.

 

[Bama fan]

Stanford’s Anna Wilson got hurt in her game yesterday. I did a quick web search looking for updates about the injury. I’ve attached a screenshot of the results. By adding ‘Russell Wilson’s brother’ to the headlines and featuring it predominantly in the story, it devalues who she is and what she has accomplished. One way that women will gain greater equality is by changing the language used in the media to talk about them. It doesn’t matter that his fame is ‘greater’ than hers. He isn’t relevant to the story.

I see your point. The story is and should be about her. However, using her more famous brother's name would probably lead more people to read the story. A hook, so to speak. The aim of the headline writer is to draw attention to the reporter's story. Now, if the reporter spent most of his/her column writing about Russell instead of Anna, that would be gratuitous sexism.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Kia's Brother and Uncle were regularly mentioned while watching Kia's games. That's the way of the world. The media goes for the more famous. In Connecticut Sports Kia is the most famous.
I regularly rant in and about our local paper: They run full pages stories about the football and Men's Basketball games and a footnote on the 3rd sports page about the women wiping the floor with a good team. Oh yea, that team is the Dukes, JMU Women.

 

[BroadwayVa]

I see your point. The story is and should be about her. However, using her more famous brother's name would probably lead more people to read the story. A hook, so to speak. The aim of the headline writer is to draw attention to the reporter's story. Now, if the reporter spent most of his/her column writing about Russell instead of Anna, that would be gratuitous sexism.

Bama, not referring to this, I enjoy facetious-ness, nearly a lost "art".

 

[oldude]

I’ve seen references to Kia Nurse’s brother (NHL), uncle (NFL), mother (WBB-Syracuse) and sister (Canadian National Hockey team). I’ve also seen articles on former NCAA MBB HC Craig Robinson also reference his better known sister and brother-in-law: the Obamas. I don’t think there is anything wrong or sexist in referencing famous family members.

 

[CocoHusky]

I see your point. The story is and should be about her. However, using her more famous brother's name would probably lead more people to read the story. A hook, so to speak. The aim of the headline writer is to draw attention to the reporter's story. Now, if the reporter spent most of his/her column writing about Russell instead of Anna, that would be gratuitous sexism.

Agree fully. @Puppy Love is also correct, Russell Wilson is not significant to the story, he is being used here to grab headlines, which could result in more sympathy for Anna. Good luck to Anna for a speedy recovery.

 

[Bama fan]

Bama, not referring to this, I enjoy facetious-ness, nearly a lost "art".

Apparently, not everyone on the Boneyard shares your enthusiasm for it. Poor Big was nearly tarred and feathered by some. But all's well that ends well. Due to circumstances beyond my control, I will probably both enjoy and employ facetiousness in the future. Stay tuned, my friend! And be sure to tell Big P you liked it.

 

[oldude]

Guys, Wilson has played in 6 games, averaging 12 mpg. Outside of Palo Alto, this probably doesn’t even make the paper, except for her relationship to her older brother.

There are far too many unfair and sexist barriers that female athletes have to deal with. This is not one of them.

 

[eebmg]

Guys, Wilson has played in 6 games, averaging 12 mpg. Outside of Palo Alto, this probably doesn’t even make the paper, except for her relationship to her older brother.

There are far too many unfair and sexist barriers that female athletes have to deal with. This is not one of them.

"Guys" -> "Ladies and Gentlemen"

 

[oldude]

"Guys" -> "Ladies and Gentlemen"

I always use “guys” irrespective of gender. It’s a yankee version of “y’all.”

 

[Bama fan]

I always use “guys” irrespective of gender. It’s a yankee version of “y’all.”

As a previous resident of the north, and a current resident of the Deep South, I beg to differ. Y'all here in Alabama has its northern equivalent in "you guys". Please respect our shared abuse of the English language. BTW, in a large section of Pittsburgh, "you guys" is the refined version of yinz.

 

[Golden Husky]

I see your point. The story is and should be about her. However, using her more famous brother's name would probably lead more people to read the story. A hook, so to speak. The aim of the headline writer is to draw attention to the reporter's story. Now, if the reporter spent most of his/her column writing about Russell instead of Anna, that would be gratuitous sexism.

I'm glad you pointed out that reporters don't write their own headlines, Bama. Editors are supposed to help the reporter but sometimes the opposite is true. I've had the copy desk change the word "tony" (posh) to "tiny" and once, when I referred to someone as "without affectation" it hit the papyrus as "without affection."
The newsroom adage is that "journalists need good judgment and editors need good taste" but, unfortunately, it doesn't always work out that way.

 

[SVCBeercats]

I'm glad you pointed out that reporters don't write their own headlines, Bama. Editors are supposed to help the reporter but sometimes the opposite is true. I've had the copy desk change the word "tony" (posh) to "tiny" and once, when I referred to someone as "without affectation" it hit the papyrus as "without affection."
The newsroom adage is that "journalists need good judgment and editors need good taste" but, unfortunately, it doesn't always work out that way.

I experienced similar issues with the press. I would submit company press releases to the local press only to have them "butchered" to the extent many important points were either lost or worse twisted into another meaning. I was told our press releases were too large and needed to be edited for space considerations. So I would edit our press releases to fit their supposed space requirements. Didn't matter. They still butchered them. I finally solved the problem by getting on local radio and TV business shows and always managing to say or imply what was written in the press would be nonsensical. After several short sharp calls from the press they finally printed our press releases as the were submitted.

 

[PacoSwede]

I experienced similar issues with the press. I would submit company press releases to the local press only to have them "butchered" to the extent many important points were either lost or worse twisted into another meaning. I was told our press releases were too large and needed to be edited for space considerations. So I would edit our press releases to fit their supposed space requirements. Didn't matter. They still butchered them. I finally solved the problem by getting on local radio and TV business shows and always managing to say or imply what was written in the press would be nonsensical. After several short sharp calls from the press they finally printed our press releases as the were submitted.

well, you can bet you wouldn't be getting a single word printed free in any rag i ran ... buy an ad if you want it run verbatim

 

[BroadwayVa]

Bama, not referring to this, I enjoy facetious-ness, nearly a lost "art".

Apparently, not everyone on the Boneyard shares your enthusiasm for it. Poor Big was nearly tarred and feathered by some. But all's well that ends well. Due to circumstances beyond my control, I will probably both enjoy and employ facetiousness in the future. Stay tuned, my friend! And be sure to tell Big P you liked it.

Oh,, I did yesterday. I thanked him for his humor to alleviate the pressures of the last few days awaiting those games to begin. I enjoy humor. Thank you too for YOUR humor. .

 

[BroadwayVa]

As a previous resident of the north, and a current resident of the Deep South, I beg to differ. Y'all here in Alabama has its northern equivalent in "you guys". Please respect our shared abuse of the English language. BTW, in a large section of Pittsburgh, "you guys" is the refined version of yinz.

I lived near half of my life below the Mason Dixon line. My Yankee kids within 3 months living in North Little Rock (not meaning a section of Little Rock but a single city) they Ya, All-ed like natives. My son had trouble with a teacher when she asked him a question and he said just YES. Yes what?, Yes I understand. Yes What? The boy next to him whispered---YES, Mam! Cultural difference. I truly like the people of the South and West, nice helpful people. Even got a pie the day we moved into North Little Rock, never happen in the place of my birth.

 

[SVCBeercats]

well, you can bet you wouldn't be getting a single word printed free in any rag i ran ... buy an ad if you want it run verbatim

Well we were a big dog company and the business rags needed more than our press releases such as quotes on business topics and help with research. Two-way street. No news, no ads. We did run ads but the accuracy still sucked. Such is a quality of most newspapers' product. Why they tried to edit something they had little or no knowledge of was baffling. Doesn't matter any more with the Internet. Newspapers are becoming passé.

 

[PacoSwede]

Doesn't matter any more with the Internet. Newspapers are becoming passé.

Sadly, you're right ... and it's become a huge and worsening problem

 

[shizam]

Kia's Brother and Uncle were regularly mentioned while watching Kia's games. That's the way of the world. The media goes for the more famous. In Connecticut Sports Kia is the most famous.
I regularly rant in and about our local paper: They run full pages stories about the football and Men's Basketball games and a footnote on the 3rd sports page about the women wiping the floor with a good team. Oh yea, that team is the Dukes, JMU Women.

Most WBB teams get no local NP. SF Chronicle will cover Cal and Stanford some games next to the men’s

 

[Dove]

Honestly, unless the athlete was a major superstar on the Serena Williams level, I seriously doubt they’d reference a female athlete like that. After all, most women’s sports are niche sports so a headline like “Breanna Stewart’s sister in car accident” would draw puzzled looks, even as she’s a star in the WNBA.

Thoughts and prayers to Bre's sister.

 

[PacoSwede]

In fact, I've noticed on the local level, girls athletics -- high school level and below -- are getting far greater press coverage now than in the last century, for sure. maybe more even than in the last decade. there's been a tremendous advance in respect -- at least at that level

 

[VAUConnFan]

For years, Reggie Miller was often referred to as Cheryl's younger brother.

 

[Bama fan]

Thoughts and prayers to Bre's sister.

Thoughts and prayers! Ha! Too rich my caravansary comedian!

 

[j66kicker]

Sadly, you're right ... and it's become a huge and worsening problem

Why is it a problem? It's just a different media - more modern, and much faster getting to my brain. And I can get much more information on obscure topics (such as WBB, for instance) than I ever could in the print era.

I stopped subscribing to "paper" newspapers years ago. I spend just as much time lounging on Sunday morning with the news, it's must not printed on paper. And I'm reading stuff on Sunday morning that will be printed in Monday's "paper" - I already saw the Sunday morning "paper" news on Saturday.

 

[PacoSwede]

Why is it a problem? It's just a different media - more modern, and much faster getting to my brain. And I can get much more information on obscure topics (such as WBB, for instance) than I ever could in the print era.

I stopped subscribing to "paper" newspapers years ago. I spend just as much time lounging on Sunday morning with the news, it's must not printed on paper. And I'm reading stuff on Sunday morning that will be printed in Monday's "paper" - I already saw the Sunday morning "paper" news on Saturday.

there are benefits to the techology, but dangers too. there are far too many and complex problems to get into here. wish i could, but it's too great a task -- and i'm afraid a hopeless one. if you don't see problems, i'm not gonna argue with you. have it your way.

 

[Bama fan]

Why is it a problem? It's just a different media - more modern, and much faster getting to my brain. And I can get much more information on obscure topics (such as WBB, for instance) than I ever could in the print era.

I stopped subscribing to "paper" newspapers years ago. I spend just as much time lounging on Sunday morning with the news, it's must not printed on paper. And I'm reading stuff on Sunday morning that will be printed in Monday's "paper" - I already saw the Sunday morning "paper" news on Saturday.

I take your point. There are many ways to get"news" now, and to get it more quickly. But my guess is that Paco was lamenting the decline of trained aggregators who ,with years of experience ,could curate the flow. The risk of poorly researched, poorly edited, and too often biased stories that pass as news has certainly increased. A well informed reader, given the time to fact check "news", can indeed get to the truth that is often concealed among the chaff. But not everyone is both informed and afforded the time to do so. This is not to say that all newspapers were well done on a consistent basis. Some were good, and some were bad. Some more liberal or more conservative in their opinion pages for certain. But generally , one could trust that "news' sections were reliable and consistent. I welcome the variety and speed we are afforded on line, but I still resort to old fashioned newspapers, albeit in their digital versions, for a great deal of my reading. I am retired, and read a great deal of each and every day. I consider myself to be well informed, and I seek various sources to ensure that I see differing opinions when reading editorial content. But it is my belief that a couple good "papers" enhance my understanding of the world around me. So I see the value in your posting, and also in Paco's. Both views can coexist without absolute contradiction. So I hail Gutenberg for inventing the press, and Al Gore for inventing the internet.

 

[j66kicker]

I take your point. There are many ways to get"news" now, and to get it more quickly. But my guess is that Paco was lamenting the decline of trained aggregators who ,with years of experience ,could curate the flow. The risk of poorly researched, poorly edited, and too often biased stories that pass as news has certainly increased. A well informed reader, given the time to fact check "news", can indeed get to the truth that is often concealed among the chaff. But not everyone is both informed and afforded the time to do so. This is not to say that all newspapers were well done on a consistent basis. Some were good, and some were bad. Some more liberal or more conservative in their opinion pages for certain. But generally , one could trust that "news' sections were reliable and consistent. I welcome the variety and speed we are afforded on line, but I still resort to old fashioned newspapers, albeit in their digital versions, for a great deal of my reading. I am retired, and read a great deal of each and every day. I consider myself to be well informed, and I seek various sources to ensure that I see differing opinions when reading editorial content. But it is my belief that a couple good "papers" enhance my understanding of the world around me. So I see the value in your posting, and also in Paco's. Both views can coexist without absolute contradiction. So I hail Gutenberg for inventing the press, and Al Gore for inventing the internet.

I appreciate good journalism too, and agree with you that much of that is lacking today - on the Internet and otherwise. I love the New York Times. If I'm following a story about Timbuktu, I can read 4 stories by 2 Timbuktu writers from the NYT Timbuktu desk.

Bias is nothing new. As always, if I read Time I just have to be aware what I'm reading is polluted by the publisher's tree-hugging liberal philosophy. Ditto from the other side - if I read US News & World Report I must realize that what I'm reading came from Rush Limbaugh's brother from another mother. Same goes for newspapers and TV networks. Although slightly more subtle, a safe assumption is these are almost all on the liberal side (unless they are Fox or almost all the media here in Arizona).

News is cheap nowadays, so there is concern that professionalism has been priced out. But professionalism still rises to the top, and that's still available, fortunately.