Media makes a big difference in the way we view sports today. One of the reasons sports are such a big part of American culture is due to the media. The media also affects the way that we see athletes in our culture. A main issue raised by the way that media portrays athletes is whether or not an athlete should be considered a role model.
Unlike in earlier times, athletes no longer have the privacy that was enjoyed by athletes such as Babe Ruth, Red Grange, Sonia Heine, and Helen Wills. Because sports are so popular in American culture, media coverage of sports is huge. Due to the expansion of the different forms of media, we also get inside scoop on the lives of athletes. This raises many questions: Are athletes also celebrities? What is different about athlete compared to other entertainers such as actors, actresses, and singers? Many of these questions are answered in the article, "Role Model: A Critical Assessment of the Application of the Term to Athletes," by Todd W. Crosset.
Since media coverage of sports is so extensive, many kids are attracted to sports and athletes. Children look up to many athletes in similar ways that they would look up to other celebrities. This also raises more questions, should children or youths consider athletes as role models? This leads us into what Crosset has to say in his article.
According to Crosset, the word role model is defined to be non-parental, significant adults or extended family members who are not God-like or transcendent beings but rather the "regular" people in our everyday lives who provide guidance and upon whom we model our behavior. Based on this definition, athletes cannot be considered role models, because athletes are high status non-related adults with whom the fans or observers have little personal contact. The word hero was used to describe certain athletes, but now it is nearly impossible for any public figure to maintain a heroic figure due to extensive media coverage.
