Ideas for women’s sports broadcasting

The BBC is looking for for ideas ab bug out and com handsts on the future of women’s child's plays broadcasting.

So it is epoch for all those who venerate genetic mutation to make their views known.

When Alison Mitchell tweeted recently that the column Lead on Women’s pas seul at the BBC, Shelley Alexander, was looking for ideas about and comments on the future of women’s recreations broadcasting, I demand no second bidding.

So here it is; my blueprint for a break future for both women’s gambling and women’s sports broadcasting, which I believe should be inextricably linked for maximum interchangeable benefit.

First and foremost, women’s sport deserves to be managen seriously.

For far in addition long, it has been seen as an adjunct to men’s, a stop-gap, a croak resort for schedulers with airtime to kill.

This has to stop.

The BBC is trying, but at that place atomic number 18 times when women’s sport is enured with a distinct lack of respect.

During the Olympics, women’s football was subjected to several channel changes. Matches were moved from BBC2 to BBC3, to the red dismission and back again.

At this year’s play World cupful in India the broadcast unit was completely unprepared for a change of venue, causing the commentary team to be flown out in the dead of night to Cuttack.

The result was a butchering; the commentators were ill-prepared and the broadcast was interrupted every few minutes by technical problems.

This would never induce happened to an England men’s match.

Never.

Secondly, sports broadcasters have to recognise the product they have and market it accordingly.

Women’s sport is not undecomposed men’s sport with curves. It’s a totally different product and should be marketed as such.

Don’t market women’s football as “ cor sufficeing men’s but a bit slow” or cricket as “like men’s but less powerful”. Why should anyone watch that?

Emphasise the skill, the technique, and in football’s case, the lack of theatrical diving.

Accentuate the positives of the differences, don’t make them into negatives.

Broadcasters withal have to think about just who they are aiming at.

They should get a steering from the idea that watching sport is a man’s prerogative.

Market it to women.

If men tune in, so more than the better, but don’t think it has to be attuned to a man’s way of viewing women.

That way lies sexist, beach volleyball madness.

Next, make sure that women are problematic in the production of the programmes. From commissioning to producing, there should be a raft of fe priapic talent getting these programmes on air.

In a 2006 interview with the Sports Journalists’ Assocation, Shelley Alexander was optimistic about women’s opportunities in the sports media.

“It’s only a matter of time as the foundations have been laid, particularly with specific sports journalism courses being available,” she said.

And nonetheless in 2011 still only 3 per cent of sports journalists were women.

There should also be a wholesale re-education of male commentators.

I have bewildered count of the times I’ve heard wistful male reporters talking about bouncing blonde ponytails  – and yes, Charles Dagnall, Women’s Cricket World Cup 2013, I do mean you.

And if men refuse to be re-educated, replace them with women.

There are already approximately fantastic female commentators and presenters out there; Alison Mitchell, Jacqui Oatley, Georgie Bingham, Sonja McLaughlan, Clare Balding, Gabby Logan and filbert Irvine have all risen to the top of their profession, but more often than not they are commentating on men’s sport.

I have no problem with this; they are professional and knowledgeable.

I love men’s sport and am an avid auditor and viewer, but I would like women’s sport to be available. I daresay close to of those listed above would also like to be able to commentate on it once in a while.

Women’s sports governing bodys, governing bodies and practitioners allow have to shoulder some of the responsibility too.

And just as women should be involved in the process of broadcasting, so they should be involved in the organisation of their sports.

Women are woe salutaryy under-represented on governing bodies, as coaches and at grassroots level.

Until this imbalance is redressed, women’s sport will not move forward.

There is no getting away from the fact that women’s sport is often seen as inferior to men’s. And as I said, there should not be so much direct comparison, but to be truthful there is a lot mediocre women’s sport out there. This is originally due to a lack of funding, grassroots support and promotion.

No, there aren’t as many professional teams and clubs for women, but until we take women’s sport seriously there never will be.

We all know the figures about women’s participation; 80 per cent of women do not do enough motion to stay healthy, and over 50 per cent of girls are roam off sport at school, according to the Women’s Sport and Fitness Foundation (WSFF).

But what do women have to aspire to? Where are the opportunities?

Professional sportswomen often have to put up with incredible differences in pay and conditions to their male counterparts.

A woman who would like to take sport seriously can look forward to being treated as second-rate, cannot aspire to play for her country, or in some sports, even represent her country.

So why should she bother?

It’s a calamitous vicious circle.

Currently, according to the WSFF, only 0.5 per cent of commercial message investment goes into women’s sport.

But if the best aspects of women’s sport are showcased, changes will come.

Women’s sport has to be shown to be full of skilful, committed professionals who try their hardest and are technically gifted. Funders and sponsors will respond to this and see it as a product worth backing. accordingly standards will improve, turning a no-win situation into a win-win.

But broadcasters will have to buy into this. They will have to be the leaders. In some way, they will have to take a leap of faith.

And this may be hardest obstacle women’s sport has to face.

In these cost-cutting days, broadcasters may be unwilling to take risks. Why should they?

Well, in the BBC’s case the answer is easy; the BBC is a in the public eye(predicate) service broadcaster: 51 per cent of their public is female.

I flitter to say this, but isn’t it time for some “joined-up” idea? Cannot women’s sport and broadcasters get together to devise a strategy?

London 2012 was billed as a watershed mo in the history of women’s sport. We are in real(a) danger of losing momentum.

And if ever there was a time to omit in that overused word “legacy” it is right now.

 

Materials taken from Womens Views on News