A major sporting event can
leave a media legacy
A content analysis of print media resulting from the Australian Surf
Life Saving Championships at Scarborough, Western Australia
Sport and media, media and sport
• Symbiotic relationship between sport and
media
Sport promotion <-> media content
• Sporting events are the “shop window” of
sport organisations– Masterman 2004
• Publicity is a positive benefit from an event– Dwyer, Mellor, Mistilis & Mules 2000
Method-1
• Newspaper content analysis– Riffe, lacy & Ricco 1999
• Western Australia focus
– The West Australian (daily, from 1997)
– The Sunday Times (weekly, from 2001)
• Accessed from 1997 via Factiva
• Inductive category development– Mayring 2000
Coding table
1. Surf sports
a. Australian Surf Life Saving Championships
(ASLSC)
2. Surf lifesaving
3. Other surf lifesaving articles
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
19
97
19
98
19
99
20
00
20
01
20
02
20
03
20
04
20
05
20
06
20
07
20
08
20
09
20
10
20
11
20
12
20
13
20
14
Nu
mb
er
of
arti
cle
s
Year
Focus - other
Focus - lifesaving
Focus - ASLSC
Focus - surf sports
“The media coverage of surf
lifesaving has gone back to
where it was two years ago,
which was almost bugger all”- Surf Life Saving Western Australia board member
“… the relationship with Surf WA and the media is a bit stronger … we had to push to get stories in whereas now, they’ll ring us and ask if anything’s going on”- Western Australian club president
Conclusion
• Hosting an event can provide new and
increased areas of promotion
• Improved relationships with sport
journalists can assist.