Eesti Suusaliidu ja Eesti Kergejõustikuliidu representeerimine trükimeedias 2005 ja 2007
Date
2008
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Tartu Ülikool
Abstract
Description
People receive most of their knowledge regarding today’s events and happenings
through media, so their view of the world and society is developed as linked with
media influences. Choices made by journalists are often essential or sometimes
determinative in representation of events and processes, as gathering of information,
its selection and forwarding to public is done in accordance with the relevant
principles of the journalist. The representation of events and processes in the society
to the public is dependant of the subjectivity of the choices made by journalist. Paavo
Kivine has said that sport journalist can never understand sport to the very core as the
athlete is inside the sport, but the journalist stays outside (Kivine 1999).
The present work looks into representation of EKJL and ESL in printed media
throughout 2007 and compares it with representation in 2005. I chose quality dailies
Postimees and Eesti Päevaleht, weekly Spordileht that has been published since 2006
as part of Eesti Päevaleht and tabloid daily SL Õhtuleht to serve as basis of my work.
I used combined contents analyses and expert interviews to conclude my research.
The main purpose of the work was to identify how two successful and big sports
associations are represented and if the representations have significant differences, if
different publications represent sports associations essentially differently and how
objective is their representation.
The research identified that Estonian Ski Association is represented as the association
for cross-country skiing and other winter sports that belong under ESL (ski jumping,
snow-boarding, Nordic combined, Alpine skiing) are not represented in media. Most
issues relevant in connection with Estonian Ski Association are represented both in
2005 and 2007 through head coach Mati Alaver, who is key figure in Ski Association.
Top sports and athletic results were essential issues in both periods in connection with
Estonian Ski Association. Estonian cross-country skiing has been really successful in
the last years, so media sets higher and higher goals for ESL and these goals are not
easy, if not impossible to fulfil. As the expectations rise there has also been some
criticism regarding our heroes, but this on the other hand shows the independence of
our sports journalism.
Estonian Athletic Association is mainly represented through the president of the
association, that both in 2005 and 2007, although the association was managed by
different people in these years. The representation of the Estonian Athletic
Association has relevantly changed. In 2005 the central issues were money and
management and also conflicts of personalities, but in 2007 there was a total change
of issues and it’s almost impossible to find any criticism from media regarding
Estonian Athletic Association. In 2007 the association has been depicted as future
orientated and looking after its athletes. Estonian track and field has not been nearly
as successful as Estonian cross-country skiing and thus media (and society through
media) does not have such high expectations from Estonian Athletic Association.
Main difference in two reviewed periods was major decrease of media analyses and
valuations. In 2005 journalism was emotional and future orientated, but in 2007 it was
more about stating facts and barely giving any analyses. It was especially surprising
conclusion while reviewing Spordileht as this is published once in a week and its aim
should be deeper and more thorough analyses of sports, the analyses that should be
totally different from the those provided by dailies.
Daily Postimees amazed with remarkably larger reviews of sports, both in case of the
Estonian Ski Association and the Estonian Athletic Association and by greater
commitment to sports organizations. Tabloid paper surprised by its non-tabloid
attitude towards sports, you would rather expect SL Õhtuleht to print stories that tend
to give emotional valuations, but it was not so.
The importance of media communications and the relevance of media skills of the
managers of the associations were clearly pointed out in the present work. The safest
way to receive positive media representation is to bring back medals from title
championships, athletic results are essential in the representation of one popular sport
or representation of association.
Keywords
bakalaureusetööd, ajakirjandus, trükiajakirjandus, sport, spordiajakirjandus, kergejõustik, suusatamine, representatsioon