Voices of the Gatekeepers: Examining the Olympic Channel Production Through a Gendered Lens

Abstract

This study aims to explore the content production at the Olympic Channel through a lens of gender. The eleven interviews with the Olympic Channel professionals suggest that (a) sports media professionals claimed considerable agency, with individual personality and perspectives heavily influencing their journalism practice; (b) regarding content selection, the Olympic Channel seeks to strike a balance between Olympic values and commercial pursuits; and (c) the considerable proportion of female employees play an important role in facilitating a female-friendly workplace in sports newsrooms. This study illustrates the degree to which employees at an International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) official sports media platform value gender equality in their journalism practice.