Women deserve more than just a chair at sports media table

This is a column by Shireen Ahmed, who writes opinion for CBC Sports. For more information about CBC's Opinion section, please see the FAQ.

Every year on International Women's Day, I am invited to be part of a panel or an event to amplify the achievements of women in media or sports media industries. I am always honoured to do it and excited about the conversation. But I have been thinking a lot about the way women's voices are showcased in sports media and other predominantly male spaces. Are these conversations tokenized or are we being seen and heard?

I sat on a panel with a few colleagues at CBC Sports last week to talk about women, sports and media. The brilliant Andi Petrillo hosted the discussion with me, the incomparable Anastasia Bucsis, and the legend that is Signa Butler.

Fellow Haligonian Butler was captain of my high-school soccer team in Halifax. She was an extraordinarily talented player and her grin is the same as it was 30 years ago. Monika Platek and Sarah Jenkins, two exceptional members of our CBC Sports unit, produced the show. Jenkins moonlights as a TikTok influencer and Platek is the social media lead, a digital visionary with more than a decade of experience.   

We opined, shared and we laughed. We also gave each other compliments. I couldn't help but see Anastasia smile shyly when I told her how great she is and how impactful her work is. It's one thing to say that she's humble, but this incredibly talented Olympian is excellent as a host, play-by-play commentator and team member. I am not trying to embarrass my colleagues, but women are often predisposed to being modest about their accomplishments. And I am annoyed about that. 

Petrillo is literally award-winning. In November, she was the first woman to win Sports Media Canada's Outstanding Broadcaster award, and was the first woman to have a daily sports radio show in Canada. When I say I am among incredible women, I mean it. And we are part of a small group of women and non-binary folks in sports media who aren't the dominant population demographic. Each one of us carries expertise and strength.

WATCH | An IWD Conversation: Where do women's sports stand in 2023?

Women in sports media often have stories of unkind and sometimes terrible moments in our careers. Whether we are intimidated or overlooked for opportunities, or have dealt with sexist and abusive comments online, those experiences can affect people in particular ways.

A 2020 study from the Women's Media Center called "What Online Harassment Tells Us About Our Newsrooms: From Individuals to Institutions," explained that women journalists may choose self-censoring to avoid or minimize abuse. 

I also have the added fun (read with sarcasm) of being a target of racist comments. There are moments that I pretend don't affect me, but in smaller circles I nod and share and empathize with other women. 

We are part of a unit at CBC Sports that has pledged to have gender balanced coverage, but it can't be just one department at one media company. It can't be only us with a few women (some racialized) in important roles but not yet at the helm. It has to be more. It has to be the entire industry. 

Currently, women's sports make up less than five per cent of sports broadcast on television. Sure, there are steps being made and initiatives seeking to make a change, especially in the U.S. There is potential for tremendous growth because we know the importance and impact of women's sports in Canada and around the world. 

I teach sport media and sports journalism at Toronto Metropolitan University. My classes are far from gender balanced, but every year the number of female students rises.