Female journalists must deal and confront many obstacles; one being harassment, especially since the incline of social media use. Many journalists are embracing the world of social media to build their brand, engage with their audience, or use it as another way to get their stories out. It all seems like a win for journalists. Social media is a gift, but for women journalists it’s just another thing they must deal with that men journalists can only imagine. Women are judged on their appearance and many times results in them being objectified. Particularly in sports journalism, the media is failing women. Sports should not be an area where women are unrepresented or where they have to take “soft” stories because of the misconception that men are the only ones who can handle “hard” stories. Women have an uphill battle when it comes to being a journalist, but with so many determined and hardworking women the time will come.
Sometimes we do not realize what is going on right around us, or in the industry that we choose as a career. The only way to become more aware is to ask the ones that are in the forefront, and must deal with it daily. I spoke with Taylor Rooks on her views of what is going on in the sports journalism industry today. Keep reading to get answers on how she approaches tracking news, working in a male dominate sports, and more!
How do you approach tracking news?
Of course, you always want to go to the source. Whoever wrote the story. See their evidence. If you know a source involved in the story, get their take. If there is a quote that came from a player, a report about a player and if I know the player, I contact them. I’ll get a quote from them, time to verify, and get their side. Whether it is a coach or whoever, I always make sure I’m following the stories from creditable places. It’s the main thing, and you can never fact-check too much. Right now, we are in a place where people think their stories are their opinions on something, and I think I have been guilty of this as well. They think that it is news, so I believe making sure you are getting your news from places that make their stories based on fact. If I’m trying to get hard news I always keep that in mind.
What are your thoughts about sports journalism being a male-dominated field?
It certainly is a male-dominated field. I think women in sports journalism feel like they are seen as a woman first and a journalist second. I think they wish people would see them on the same level. Although I know being a woman has its challenges, I believe it also gives me certain advantages as well. Women offer a very unique, very necessary point of view to things going on in sports; whether it being an actual game, domestic violence issue or if its treatment of women in sports.
If it’s female sports, it is hard to have a conversation with everyone in the nation watching, when you are alienating half the nation. One thing people don’t realize about sports is what draws people to them so much are the stories, and that is a human interest both for men and women. Women love watching the game too! Being a woman working in sports is empowering, and if anything, you feel a sense of responsibility. You want women to be represented, while wanting other women to see you doing sports to know they can do it to. As much as there are pressures and struggles with being a woman it’s very necessary, and beneficial to all people who watch the game.
Do you ever receive emails or comments that are crude or harassing?
Yes, on Twitter daily. I receive comments on Instagram. One thing I learned early is, you can’t pay any mind to that type of stuff. Everyone behind a computer is going to have something to say, and most likely is going to be rude or inappropriate. What they say about you is not your concern, and it is not your responsibility to be concerned about it. Honestly, it happens to both male and female broadcasters but defiantly more to female. As sad as it is, all you can do is control how you feel about it. I’m also a big believer in if somebody is going to be tweeting, emailing or commenting things that are threatening, they should be punished. I don’t think anyone should have to endure threatening language. It is one thing if a person disagrees with you, or says a curse word at you, that’s something you shouldn’t get in trouble for. However, if they are harassing and threatening you, there should be consequence for that.
I can say it genuinely doesn’t bother me. I started doing this so young this isn’t something new for me. I’m young right now, so it seems like a part of it. I don’t think it bothers me as much as other people.
Links to Taylor Rooks Social Media and Podcast
Amazon has taken on the role of helping to show how women are underrepresented in the newsroom. Good Girls Revolt, is a ten-part series by Amazon inspired by a landmark 1970 case involving a group of women working at Newsweek magazine who sued their employers for gender discrimination. The show is based on a book The Good Girls Revolt, by Lynn Poviich, a young woman who work at Newsweek starting out as a secretary in the magazine’s Paris bureau. The show is about coming into your own voice and seeing you have the right to make demands and pursue your dreams. Even though the show takes place in 1970 it gets the conversation started. The issues that they address some women can still relate to today.
curated by kay mckenzie 
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