Two Sides of the Chinese Sports Media Story: Contrasting State-Owned and Commercially Sponsored Chinese Websites by Nation and Sex of Athlete

Abstract

This study content analyzed news coverage of two state-owned and two commercially sponsored Chinese sports websites over a 14-day period, focusing on issues of nationality and biological sex. Examining 3,417 news stories and 2,327 news images, this study found that the online sports coverage on state and commercial media can be largely divergent, with the former prioritizing party-state ideology and the latter pursuing commercial profits. Compared to the state websites, the commercial websites tended to provide foreign athletes or teams more coverage, whereas the sexualization of women athletes on commercial websites was significant, yet virtually nonexistent on state websites.