Idrottare eller idrottskvinna? : - en jämförande studie om hur idrottare framställs i lokalmedia

This study examines how male and female athletes are portrayed in the local newspaper Upsala Nya Tidning (UNT). The study focuses on the 2023 season and on the first teams of IK Sirius and IK Uppsala Fotboll. At the 2023 season both teams were competing in their own topflight divisions in Swedish football. The aim of the study is to analyze and compare the representation of female and male athletes in UNT’s sports coverage. The empirical material consists of ten articles published in 2023. Five articles covering the men’s team (IK Sirius) and five articles covering the women’s team (IK Uppsala). A qualitative comparative content analysis is conducted with a theoretical framework consisting of framing theory and feminist media theory. The analysis focuses on how the athletes are framed through language use, source selection and citations. The results show differences in the portrayal of female and male athletes. Particularly regarding the emphasis on the men’s athletic performance, whereas the emphasis on the women were on motherhood, puberty and mental health. The study contributes to existing research by providing insight to gender representation within the context of local media. By researching local sports journalism, the study highlights the role of local media in challenging or reinforcing traditional gender norms when reporting about sports.