Entertainment in Sports

    Throughout time both media and sports and grown rapidly. Before it was people like Elvis, Johnny Cash riding around on a bus and singing in local schools auditorium, and games were played on just small fields with fans standing around it. Now, both are performed in huge arena', in front of millions, both in person and on tv. Times have changed and both are growing together and using one another to get to the next level.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/02/23/entertainment/main1340839.shtml


http://www.articleclick.com/Article/Influences-of-Mass-Media-in-Sport/1028144

Mass media is a reflection of society. "Mass media are essential agents of social change, and the specific kind of social change they are expected to help accomplish in the transition to new customs and practices, and in some cases, to different social relationships" (Zucherman) Media has started to change how we look at sports because of how it is now so wide spread. Although sports and media do not always mix well, like Super Bowl XXXVIII where Janet Jackson and Justin Timerlake (both music recording artist) decided to add in a little strip tease to their half time show. Fines were handed out and CBS was under a lot of criticism for the show.

Most athletes and organizations use media to boost who and what they are, and who they stand for. People like Chad Ochocinco of the Cincinnati Bengals (NFL team) has used to the media to call out weekly defensive back opponents on what he is going to "do," during the game. This past week he just sent t-shirts of his face to the Atlanta Falcons defensive backs as a taunt. Ochocinco also has his own tv show, "The Ultimate Catch." A dating show that is a competiton between girls to win him over. This is just one example of how athletes use media to boost themselves. Plenty of organizations use media as a way to advertise for their team and sell goods.

Coakley discusses television and newspapers depends on sports to carry both their ratings and sales. Newspapers at the beginning of the twentieth century had a sports page, which consisted of a few notices about upcoming activites, a short story or two about races or college games and possibly some scores of local games (Coakley, 2009). Now, there USA Today, a nationwide newspaper in the U.S. devotes 100 journalists and 1/4th of its space to sports. Some television companies in North America also depend on sports for programing conten and advertising revenues (Coakley, 2009). An attractive freature of sport programming for the major U.S. networks (ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC) is that events often are scheduled on Saturdays, and Sundays-the slowes days of the week for general television viewing (Coakley, 2009). These days are also big money making sports; college football, NFL, PGA final round, and other events are hosted on these days.

Billions of dollars are produced each year from media and sports together. NBC signed a $6 billion contract with the NCAA for rights to show games. Its a money making business and will continue to be that way for years to come with special cable, dish networks and PPV (Pay Per View). As long as money is made, sports and entertainment will always rise to the top financially.

Hoar, J. (2006, February 23). Fcc firm on super bowl indecency fine. Retrieved from http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/02/23/entertainment

Zimmerbucher, A. (n.d.). Influences of mass media in sport. Retrieved from http://www.articleclick.com/Article/Influences-of-Mass-Media-in-Sport/1028144

Coakley, J. (2009). Sports in society. New York, New York: The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.