Gender, media and new media methods

The dramatic shift in sports media representation and interaction to online environments has significant implications for feminist research and activism. No longer limited by traditional media gatekeeping, the voices of sportswomen and women’s sport fans are now visible and actively contributing to public understandings of women’s sport. What impacts does this shift have on feminist media methodologies? In this chapter, we map the historical trajectory of methodological approaches for investigating representations of physically active women, identifying important knowledge gained over the past half-century, as well as limitations and gaps in the research corpus. We then explore the use of conventional methods in online environments and discuss emerging methodologies and methodological issues that are not only enabled but also theoretically necessary in a digitally mediated world.