Final Comments

In closing, I feel that I have gained a great deal of knowledge towards answering my research question. While there is of course no single, clear answer to everything, I have drawn some solid conclusions.

My Question (once again):
How has the female sideline reporter grown to become a fixation in sports broadcasts today?

A few conclusions:
-The transformation of female sportscasters from Mary's to Eve's, potentially due to cultural norms in the late 1990's and the earlier part of this decade.

-The propagandized method of production in which 'sex' sells; these reporters happen to be commonly young and beautiful, thus adding another element of attraction to televised sports events.

The necessity of the female sideline reporter has grown stronger than ever, but the only question that has been left unanswered is whether or not these women are fully respected as necessities in these programs.
- GateHouse News Service's Mike Nadel criticezed Erin Andrews in 2008 after a Milwaukee Brewers vs. Chicago Cubs game for "Her skimpy outfit -- designed to accentuate her, um, positives -- had players leering at her. Some made lewd comments under their breath. Others giggled like 12-year-olds." This according to Street & Smith Magazine's Sports Business Daily.
As Andrews responded by saying that she does not consider herself a "sex object" rather a "tomboy", I begin to wonder if there will ever be an understanding among both male and female spectators that the female sideline reporter is a role in which women cherish the work that they do, and not the attention they draw.

Goodbye My Faithful Readers,
Blog Master Nilsen