A sociological look at the role of the media in creating inequality in the broadcasting of sports events

The media influence women's sports by conforming or challenging conventional gender roles and shaping society's views. Sports is typically considered a man's world and many people believe that women's sports are less attractive. The purpose of this research is the sociological analysis of the media's role in promoting inequality in the coverage of sports events. The research method was conducted in the form of a systematic review and analysis of secondary sources, and the data were collected and analyzed using repetition and variety of sources. References were searched in reliable databases such as WebAusys, Scopus, Springer, Emerald and Elsevier, etc. The search time range was from January 2005 to June 2022, and articles that did not focus on women's sports were excluded. Despite the significant advances in women's sports and the high ability of female athletes to create positive role models, their media coverage is still limited compared to male athletes. This inequality has arisen in the way female athletes are shown in the media and causes them to be disrespected. To facilitate the success of women's sports, they should be given more quality media coverage and respect as strong athletes. Society's perceptions of women's sports are largely influenced by the media. The lack of quality media coverage makes female athletes less important and gives little opportunity to generate interest in the sport. Discrimination in the media trivializes the success of athletes and causes a lack of respect in society. For women's sports to have a chance at real success, they need to be given more and higher quality media coverage that respects their status as powerful athletes.