Sports Night, Go On and The (new) Odd Couple are all popular TV sitcoms that show sportscasters at work. Sports Night is considered one of the most realistic portrayals of a network sports show modeled after the early ESPN Network. Go On centers around Ryan King, a sportscaster, and The Odd Couple’s main character, Oscar, in the new version, is a radio talk show host working from home. This paper will look at the stereotypes of sportscasters and compare the fictional portrayals of these and other TV show characters to those who earn their living behind the microphone discussing sports. George Gerbner’s cultivation theory is used to determine the extent of influence these television shows have had on the public perception of how sportscasters work and what they are like. Little research has been done on this subject. This study will use surveys and interviews with previous, current and aspiring future sportscasters. The information gathered will be used to determine the extent to which television shows have helped form the public’s perception of sportscasters, and how this perception has influenced current broadcasters in their expectations versus the reality of working in this iconic American medium.
About the presenterLaveda J. Peterlin
I worked in the media in Chicago for more than a decade and aspire to be a full-time Professor teaching the next generation of journalists. My research interests include sports broadcasters, radio and The Tonight Show.