15% percent of all sports news coverage here in Aotearoa spotlights women’s sports.
Not only that, New Zealand’s women’s sports coverage is the best in the world, doubling Australia which currently represents women’s sports in 7% of it’s coverage.
With Aotearoa geared to host three women’s world cups between 2021 and 2021, Sport NZ Cheif Executive, Raelene Castle, says that now is the time to create a benchmark and “shining a light on what’s good and what’s not, and starting a conversation to create positive change” because right now, “It’s also not good enough. “We need to show female athletes they are valued.”
The report also shows we’ve got a long way to go in terms of what coverage women’s sports attracts, with disproportionate comments on sportswomen’s personal life and appearance being apparent too.