Women in Sports Journalism

Many of you probably know about my love for the NRL. I'm a huge fan of the sport and particularly love the Origin season clash between Queensland and New South Wales. However, as I delve into my journalism career there is now so much more I consider when watching the game.

Learning Channel Nine's NRL sports journalist Yvonne Sampson was moving to Fox saddened me as I predominantly watch the games on Nine. I loved that Yvonne was the first women to have had the opportunity to host the State of Origin. This huge career highlight for her was also a massive win for female sports journalists and women in general. It was so great to see a woman on our screens hosting one of Australia's biggest sporting moments. It was about bloody time.

Hearing her leaving the Nine Network intrigued me a lot! Was Nine going to promote Erin Molan? I know she has a lot on her plate with The NRL Footy Show. Were they going to chose another female of who audiences haven't heard of? Or, was a man going to take over her role? Being such a fan of women in sports journalism, particularly due to my own career aspirations, I really wanted to see the network promote women.

However, James Bracey is now the new face of Nine's NRL coverage and at first I was a little disappointed. After doing a bit of research this guy is exceptionally qualified and I believe more than capable of taking over from Yvonne. He has had a colourful career at Sky News and is really into his sport, having hosted his own sporting shows. I am in no way trying to discredit him as a journalist or for being a man but it really would have been nice to see another female face and hear another female voice when it comes to footy. We came so far with promoting Yvonne and I don't want to see Channel Nine do a backflip now that she's gone.

I would love to know whether there were any female candidates for Yvonne's job. If there wasn't then we really need to ask ourselves why not. There is absolutely no reason why there shouldn't have been a long line of incredibly talented women who had the skills to do her job.

Women In Media (WIM) are a journalism organisation that aim to empower female journalists and host quite a number of networking panel nights. Just last week the WIM Victorian branch hosted an AFL sports journalism panel. Now I'm not really into the Australian Football League but I think what's happening with the AFL Women's is just wonderful. Getting more television coverage and hearing more about it has done wonders. However, the panel, which included four successful female AFL journalists, all agreed that women want a fairer go on and off the field.

The following quotes came directly for the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA) article about the night. You can read it here.

The sports media in Australia is “still pale, male and stale,” broadcaster and writer Angela Pippos has told a panel discussion on women in sport and journalism.

“It’s conscious and unconscious bias . . . that’s what you’re up against,” Pippos said. “We’re talking about undoing centuries of traditions and customs here. Sport and masculinity have been doing a merry dance since ancient Greece.”

Angela, let's hope this is changing.

In regards to Channel Nine and the State of Origin, well it's still a while away but as far as I know James will be hosting. We can only hope to hear some female voices commentating on the sidelines. I must also point out that Yvonne;s move to Fox really is fantastic as she deserves a massive congratulations as Fox really is the home of all things NRL. This was one hell of an opportunity for her and another sign of women excelling in the sports industry.

#ashleighdwan #beyondthestory #journalism #NRL