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The media shapes public opinion. People get their view of the world from the media. It is important to know how news and sports coverage shapes public opinion and view. This guide will investigate the ways the media shapes public opinion through news coverage and sports events. Historical Context Evolution of Media's Role in Society From the early days of printed newspapers to the rise of radio in the twentieth century and the Internet in the 21st, the role of the media in shaping public opinion has changed dramatically. The introduction of the printing press in the fifteenth century revolutionized the way people received news. Before its invention, news had to be handwritten on paper, which made it less readily available to the masses. With the printing press, people had a much faster way of getting news, making it easier for the public to stay up-to-date. When the radio was invented in the 20th century, news became even more immediate. People could listen to events as they happened. The addition of visual representation to news with the television in the 20th century made news even more engaging and impactful, as people were able to see what was happening. Today, the Internet and social media platforms have drastically changed the way people receive information. Information is now readily available, and people can interact in real time. Key Milestones in the Development of News and Sports Media Some notable milestones in news and sports media include the following: In 1702, the very first modern newspaper, The Daily Courant, was launched, and the daily news reporting era began. In 1936, the Berlin Olympics were the first to be broadcast on television, illustrating that sports media could bring sports to the living room of the whole world. In the 1980s, 24-hour news channels such as CNN were launched, and news reporting became continuous. This profoundly changed how people consumed news content. In the early 21st century, social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram were launched, which changed news and sports coverage to become more interactive and immediate. Early Examples of Media Shaping Public Opinion In the early days of newspapers, readers were exposed to a media-constructed version of major news events such as wars, political scandals, and social movements. When it came to the American Civil War, newspapers were effectively 'framing' opinions about the conflict. And sports benefited from this kind of media coverage too: Babe Ruth was effectively turned into a national hero in the 1920s by media coverage of his exploits. The Mechanics of Media Influence Agenda Setting Agenda-setting is the ability of the media to make members of the public perceive an issue as important or not. According to agenda-setting theory, if the media devotes a lot of attention to a specific topic, citizens will be more likely to view the issue as important. Climate change has become one of the most important issues in the world, in part because the media have reported on it extensively. In sports, the media can make some athletes or teams more important by talking about them. In the sport of basketball, LeBron James is one of the most important people, in part because the media has given him extraordinary attention. Framing Framing is a technique by which media outlets select specific aspects of a story and frame it in a way that shapes how the public will perceive the issue. For example, framing a protest as a 'riot' as opposed to a 'peaceful demonstration' can lead to dramatically different public perceptions. In sports, framing players and events can also shift public perceptions. For example, the media framing of Serena Williams's on-court outbursts has generated public debates about gender and race in sports, demonstrating the power of framing to influence public discussions and attitudes. Priming While priming has been a long-standing concept in psychology—if you show people a letter, they're more likely to spot other instances of that letter—in media research, it has come to refer to the idea that media coverage can shape the yardsticks by which the public will judge something. For instance, if the news cycle is always focused on economic performance, then the public might end up judging political leaders based on economic measures. In sports, if the media is constantly covering an athlete's performance, then viewers can be primed to expect excellence and scrutinize any deviations from it. The media's focus on the pressure and expectations facing Olympic athletes can prime an audience to see them in terms of national pride and personal sacrifice. News Coverage and Public Opinion Role of News Media News media inform the public about events, issues, and developments in the world. By choosing which stories to cover and how to cover them, the news media help determine what the public thinks about. For example, news media portraying the US economy as in crisis will shift the public's perception of the economy and might even shape policy decisions. What's more, news coverage gives the context by which people understand complex topics. This context shapes discussions, and thereby public policy, about the issues the media covers. When the media pays a lot of attention to an issue—for example, healthcare reform or climate change—that magnifies the issue's importance in the public's mind and, ultimately, the public's agenda. Bias and Objectivity Most importantly, media bias can affect public opinion. This bias could be accidental or intentional, but whether it's the result of bad performance or purposeful reporting, media bias can cause audiences to see things differently. One common form of media bias is selective reporting. For instance, a media outlet with a political slant is more likely to report a story in a way that aligns with the political leanings of that outlet. A conservative news outlet in the US might report on the negative side effects of a liberal policy. In contrast, a liberal one might report primarily on the policy's benefits. This kind of biased reporting can lead to a polarized audience, where different groups of people are receiving fundamentally different impressions of the same event. The question of whether the media should strive for objectivity is still debated, as many will argue that media objectivity is impossible because news selection is inherently subjective. Case Studies One example of this is the relentless reporting of the Watergate scandal in the 1970s. Journalists Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein published a series of articles in The Washington Post that not only exposed serious and pervasive corruption within the government but also shaped public opinion into demanding accountability, bringing about the resignation of President Richard Nixon. During the 2008 financial crisis, the media focused relentlessly on the collapse of banks and economic turmoil. This coverage alerted the public to the seriousness of the crisis, heightening public anxiety and influencing government policy-making and public opinion on economic reforms. Sports Coverage and Public Opinion Role of Sports Media Sports media helps to establish norms and values beyond reporting scores and game highlights. Stories about players' experiences, struggles, and achievements can motivate people to behave in certain ways and think in certain ways. Sports media can help to challenge long-standing gender norms, for instance, by covering female athletes' achievements and successes. It can also encourage a culture of perseverance and resilience by telling stories about athletes' struggles and triumphs over personal challenges. It can also serve as a medium for discussing broader social issues. As athletes and sports organizations develop platforms and speak out on issues such as racism, mental health, and social justice, sports media provides a means. Celebrity athletes and role models Athlete endorsements and public statements can and do influence public opinion. When professional athletes vocalize their concerns about social and political issues, they have the potential to inspire public discourse and bring awareness to important social issues. Colin Kaepernick's 2016 protest of racial injustice, when he kneeled during the national anthem, raised widespread awareness of police brutality and systemic racism. LeBron James's activism and philanthropy have brought attention to educational and voting rights issues, and his outspokenness on racial injustice has expanded public awareness of important political issues. These athletes leverage their platforms to create change. The impact of their voices extends well beyond the world of sports and has the power to influence the attitudes of the public. Major Sports Events Most people also agree that games such as the Olympics and the World Cup of football (soccer) can have a major impact on public opinion. These games highlight the best in athletic performance and also serve as a vehicle for national pride and unity. We often see stories about individual sacrifice, national rivalry, and cultural celebration in the media, which can lead to a sense of global community and mutual respect. But by their very nature, major sports events can also bring attention to political and social problems. For example, the 1968 Mexico City Olympics are remembered for the Black Power salute by athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos, an act of protest against racial injustice. In the lead-up to the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, the media's focus on human rights issues in that country highlighted global concerns about labor conditions. The Intersection of News and Sports Convergence of News and Sports Media News media and sports media are often intertwined. Major sporting events are often major news stories, and major news events are often major sports stories. COVID-19 is an oft-cited example: the worldwide coverage of the pandemic led to the cancellation and postponement of sporting events around the globe, from the Olympics to the Wimbledon Tennis tournament to the NBA playoffs. Thus, news events can have direct sports stories that often transcend the sports section; we often see an athlete's political statement or personal controversy make headlines in broader news media. The intersection adds prominence to sports, but it also enriches public discussions with a range of topics, from health and politics to social issues. Social Issues in Sports Social issues that arise in sports-related contexts receive public attention and can have a significant impact on public discourse and opinion. When athletes use their platform to speak up about issues like inequality, gender discrimination, or mental health (among others), those messages can reach millions of people through sports media and resonate widely. The media coverage of Black Lives Matter, for example, was amplified when athletes spoke out—for example, by wearing slogans on their jerseys or kneeling during the national anthem. The growing advocacy for mental health awareness by athletes such as Naomi Osaka and Simone Biles has led to extensive media coverage, which can influence and impact public opinion. Digital Media and Its Impact Rise of Social Media The advent of social media has turned the coverage of news and sports into a more dynamic and interactive experience. Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram have become very important tools in the hands of journalists and sports commentators, who can disseminate information and interact instantly with their audience in a more engaging manner. Due to the influence of social media, public opinion has become much more participatory than before. The coverage of news on social media has become much more flexible and dynamic in terms of content and time. Breaking news is now disseminated instantly, not just through traditional news channels but also through the live reactions of millions of users worldwide who have immediate access to the news through social media. The hashtags associated with a particular news story or sports event can become trending topics worldwide and create a much more participatory mode of news coverage, where fans and commentators discuss and analyze events simultaneously. For example, during the latest FIFA World Cup, fans watched the games live. They disseminated their opinions about the results and the matches post-game. Their reactions created a ripple effect that spread rapidly across social media platforms. User-Generated Content User-generated content is becoming an important source of public opinion and a complement to mainstream media. Citizen journalism happens when people use their cell phones to film a news event or use social media to 'report' from the scene of a disturbance. Citizen journalism is democratizing journalistic coverage of events. It allows for raw and real views from the scene of a news event when a traditional media outlet might have taken a more sanitized or controlled perspective on the scene. For instance, videos and tweets from fans at a sports event can provide a view of what is happening that is different from, and often rawer than, what's shown on traditional media. User-generated content has also been important in documenting social movements and protests. The real-time, on-the-ground perspective provided by user-generated content can influence public opinion and, in some cases, the policy-making process. Ethical Considerations and Challenges Ethical Journalism It's important to maintain good ethics in news and sports reporting in order for journalism to be considered credible and an important source of truth. Good ethical journalism includes accuracy, fairness, impartiality, and accountability. Journalists are often faced with difficult decisions when choosing information to report. In the digital era, the need to publish quickly can sometimes lead to errors or incomplete reporting. The pressure to sensationalize stories that will sell, meaning they will get more clicks and views, can compromise journalistic integrity. However, despite the challenges, good ethical news and sports reporting are crucial for the public to have reliable information and for the profession to maintain integrity. Media Literacy The availability of information via diverse media sources makes media literacy more important now than ever before. Yet, the proliferation of misinformation extends the challenge to public consumption of media. Media literacy skills should be taught with the purpose of helping individuals distinguish between verifiable information and unfounded news. For example, students and adults should be taught to check source credibility, recognize bias, and cross-check information via multiple reliable outlets. These steps will lead to enhanced media literacy skills and more discerning news consumers. This, in turn, will help mitigate the negative effects of the misinformation and improve the overall quality of society. Conclusion Sports news generates powerful opinions within the public mind. This convergence of news and sports media on both conventional and digital platforms draws an ever-increasing number of viewers and readers. This should be welcomed as long as the media recognizes the ethical challenges in the future and the importance of the public interest. Media literacy needs to be a part of today's education. Ethical journalism standards are not negotiable. We need to imagine a world of media literacy in citizens and media literacy in journalists, with both having the power to question news and information and to explore how it's presented. Ethical journalism is not negotiable, and often, the public interest is at stake—think of the reporting of wars, environmental disasters, or the worst crimes. In other words, the one-sided version of a city vs. a team is a model for the wider world that the news and sports media are reporting. Take Online Media Studies Journalism Online Course Now→

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