The Mass Media Role in the Development of Championship Social Culture

The aim of this research is to investigate the role of mass media in the development of social culture in championship sport. The statistical population consisted of sports and media management professors, media professionals, and athletes (national and provincial champions of 2019). Purposeful sampling was used in this study (125 people). A researcher-made questionnaire was used which it's validity was confirmed by physical education and media professors. The reliability of the questionnaire was calculated using Cronbach's alpha coefficient (α=0.94). Structural equations modeling, exploratory factor analysis, and confirmatory factor analysis of the first and second order were used to analyze data. The results revealed that three factors related to mass media were cultural, educational, and promotional factors. Meanwhile, items of affecting development of ethics in sport, publication of the correct and accurate information about sports in sports media, and distribution of scientific achievements in sport were prioritized in cultural, educational, and promotional factors respectively. Based on the findings, mass media should be considered as an important component in developing social culture in the sports championship. Therefore, through proper planning, the media and sports community can interact with each other and use their capacities to develop social culture in the national sports championship.