Reading Essays Week 7

In the simplest of terms, the word hegemony refers to the ability of one societal group to exert influence or dominance over another societal group, and is a concept that has permeated the media in numerous instances.  Hegemony is most often not achieved through force (though instances of force have occurred throughout history) but by the permeation of a dominant ideology reflective of one dominant class or social group and not reflective of the subordinate group, yet still assumed and accepted as ‘common sense’.

As a student of sports media, one of the primary instances of hegemony that I have noticed and researched is that within the realm of sports broadcasting.  Hegemony can be found in the male dominated perspective that comes with the broadcast decisions surrounding sporting events.  The ratio of male to female sporting events which receive national attention is undeniable in its bias towards male sporting events, and it is a tradition that is not likely to change soon.  We also see hegemony demonstrated in the dominating presence of male sportscasters on the air nationally and locally.  While women have made tremendous strides since their first prominent years on the air in the 1970s, the female to male ratio in sports broadcasting is still relatively incongruous.

One example in particular is the broadcast crew of Monday Night Football.  Over the years, the studio show has seen few women on camera, most of which report from the sidelines as opposed to the desk, and are considered by many as “eye candy” for male football fans as opposed to valuable sports reporters.  By continuing to classify women in this role and by limiting the number of female sporting events that are shown on national television, the cycle of hegemony in sports broadcasting is likely to continue.