David Lynn Painter, Brittani Sahm and Paul Schattschneider
This investigation's purpose is to compare coverage of the corporate social responsibility (CSR) behaviors of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) and Major League Soccer…
Abstract
Purpose
This investigation's purpose is to compare coverage of the corporate social responsibility (CSR) behaviors of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) and Major League Soccer (MLS). The goals are (1) to extend CSR analyses beyond organizational reports and (2) to compare coverage of professional sports teams' CSR behaviors across genders.
Design/methodology/approach
Specifically, this quantitative content analysis compared local newspaper coverage of the socially responsible behaviors of the three NWSL and MLS teams owned and operated by the same organizations in Portland, Houston and Orlando.
Findings
The NWSL teams received significantly less and more negative coverage than the MLS teams. Moreover, the NWSL coverage was more individualistic, more focused on ethics and quoted individual team players more frequently, while the MLS coverage was more collective, focused on philanthropy and quoted team organization members more frequently.
Research limitations/implications
Although intentionally based on a sample of six teams, this study's results suggest the biases in coverage of women's sports teams extend beyond the playing field to their corporate social responsibility behaviors, reporting and news coverage.
Originality/value
As one of the first studies to analyze media coverage of professional sports team's CSR activities and to compare their socially responsible behaviors across genders, the results provide compelling implications for CSR scholars and practitioners, especially in the sports industry.
Details
Keywords
David Lynn Painter and Brittani Sahm
This investigation analyzes Asian, European and North American coverage of esports' justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) issues as a case study of media organizations'…
Abstract
Purpose
This investigation analyzes Asian, European and North American coverage of esports' justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) issues as a case study of media organizations' communications on these topics.
Design/methodology/approach
This quantitative content analysis describes coverage of esports' race, gender, age and social class issues to draw inferences about media organizations' abilities to meet the organizations' social responsibilities when reporting on organizational JEDI issues.
Findings
There were significant differences across continents; however, most stories only mentioned gender and age, seldom noting esports' race or social class issues.
Research limitations/implications
Although all stories analyzed were published in English, the findings extend research suggesting culture may shape the tones, frames and salience of social justice issues in the media.
Practical implications
JEDI issues were not the most prominent topic in at least 80% of the coverage, indicating the normative framework guiding professional journalism since the Cold War fails to guide responsible engagement with contemporary social justice issues.
Originality/value
As one of the first studies analyzing media coverage of organizational JEDI issues, the results of this content analysis (N = 763) provide a quantitative basis for a critique of media organizations' social responsibility when reporting on these issues.