UNESCO Calls for Fairer Media Coverage of Sportswomen

As millions around the world tune into the Pyeongchang 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Games, World Radio Day, celebrated on 13 February 2018, is dedicated to the theme of ‘Radio and Sports’. On this occasion, the Director-General of UNESCO, Audrey Azoulay, is calling on the media to provide more equal coverage of women athletes.

“The fight for equality between women and men is central to our work,” said UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay. “Only 4% of sports media content is dedicated to women’s sport.

On this Day, UNESCO is launching an awareness-raising campaign via a series of engaging spots for radio stations around the world. They will denounce the differences in media coverage between female and male athletes. Inspired by a variety of real life sporting moments, and produced by creative agency BETC, the spots draw attention to the widespread stereotypes, as well as the lack of credit and recognition to which many women athletes are subject.

“I can’t imagine fighting your whole life for something to later be objectified, insulted or straight out ignored. It’s not fair. We owe our women athletes better coverage in the media.”, says David Martin Angelus, Creative Director BETC.

All content is made available rights-free for radio stations and other media for broadcast on and around World Radio Day. Find all audio packages at the World Radio day website (audio in English, French, Arabic, Chinese, Russian and Spanish).