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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine cultural narratives of intercollegiate media guide covers and to compare present findings with previous research by Kane and Buysse (2005) which revealed that there had been a shift from non-action images of female athletes toward images of athletic competence and a decline in gender differences between female athletes and male athletes. Content analyses of 476 guides from the 2009-2010 season reveal a return to gender differences, as female athletes were less likely than male athletes to be portrayed on court and in action. Images were also mediated by the type of sport and the location of specific conferences aligned with geographical locations. Results represent a shift backward and suggest that the battle for accurate, responsible media portrayals of female athletes as competent sportswomen was only temporarily won.

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