What Is The Effect Of Sports Media Coverage On Adolescents

The Effects of Sports Media Coverage on Adolescents These days the media has a heavy influence on the perceptions, aspirations, and beliefs of the public. This effect is especially true in the lives of adolescents and the media coverage of celebrities and sports stars. One can easily witness the nonstop coverage of all the details, both professional and personal, of the world’s top athletes. Media outlets recognize that a large portion of the American population is younger, and that they have grown up in the technological age. Therefore, formerly non-traditional methods of news reporting are now the norm. Social media platforms such as Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, etc. are now the way that young people get their “news”. These stories and images are easily accessible and are powerful in their ability to reach and affect their targeted audience. Covering their every movement, from their performance, clothing, and off-the-field behavior, this can be positive or negative in numerous ways. Throughout the history of sports, many fans hang on to past championships and successes. Nostalgia is what drives each fan to hope for more success to come. The general sports fan loves to see …show more content…
In fact, it is not only the most elite athletes that receive critical coverage of their professional and personal lives, it seems that all athletes are fair game. Young people are particularly susceptible to the influence of what they see and read on social media. Of course they are looking for role models, the media holds out athletes as cool, rich, and talented. This imagery makes adolescents look up to them. However, when these same athletes make bad choices, for example: Johnny Manziel, OJ Simpson, and Michael Vick, it can confuse young fans as to who they should look up to. The media has great power in responsibility in keeping athletes’ roles in our lives in