1. Increase Diversity in Sports Media: Media houses should make deliberate efforts to increase the number of women and people of color in sports journalism. More diverse journalists in sports media will help in presenting more diverse and balanced perspectives.
2. Promote Ethical Journalism Standards: Given the impact of media coverage on sports personalities, media houses should Promote ethical journalism standards that encourage fact-based reporting and avoid sensationalism. Journalists should also avoid personal attacks and strive to remain objective when reporting on sports personalities.
3. Provide Education and Support for Sports Personalities: Media houses should provide education and training for sports personalities on how to handle media attention, including dealing with negative coverage. This education will help them understand the role of the media, manage their public profile effectively, and protect their mental health.
4. Increase Transparency in Media Interviews: Media houses should encourage sports personalities to set expectations for media interviews; including the right to refuse any questions that they feel are inappropriate or ask for clarification of questions that are not clear. Athletes should be allowed to have a say in how they are portrayed in their interviews and the power dynamic between athletes and reporters should be addressed.
5. Incorporate More Positive Coverage: Media houses can address the challenges of negative coverage by incorporating more positive coverage of athletes, highlighting their achievements and successes. Sports personalities should be celebrated for their successes in their respective fields, and the media should give equal attention to positive stories as they do to negative ones.
Having discussed how sports personalities are portrayed by the media suggest five recommendations on how these challenges can be addressed
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