Framing NIL: How the Media Attempts to Shape Public Perception Surrounding College Basketball's Hottest Topic
Academic Level at Time of Presentation
Senior
Major
Journalism
Minor
Sports Communication & Marketing
List all Project Mentors & Advisor(s)
Dr. Carol Terracina-Hartman
Presentation Format
Oral Presentation
Abstract/Description
After decades of monetary regulation over collegiate basketball programs and their players, the NCAA officially introduced new bylaws in 2021 allowing players to profit from their name, image, and likeness (NIL). In an effort to determine how the media has attempted to shape public perception regarding this issue in the years since that decision, I've performed a content analysis utilizing tested and reliable cluster analysis methods comparing articles from a designated time frame with the 2021 decision date as the center point. This research sheds an important light for better understanding the current college and professional basketball landscapes and how the public is being led to approach the ever-changing NIL ecosystem. It also provides a clearer look at sports media objectives and suggests how coverage of this topic will evolve moving forward. By determining how the media is attempting to shape public perception through their coverage of a hot button issue such as this, several avenues for future research across a myriad of disciplines will emerge.
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Honors College Senior Thesis Presentations
Framing NIL: How the Media Attempts to Shape Public Perception Surrounding College Basketball's Hottest Topic
After decades of monetary regulation over collegiate basketball programs and their players, the NCAA officially introduced new bylaws in 2021 allowing players to profit from their name, image, and likeness (NIL). In an effort to determine how the media has attempted to shape public perception regarding this issue in the years since that decision, I've performed a content analysis utilizing tested and reliable cluster analysis methods comparing articles from a designated time frame with the 2021 decision date as the center point. This research sheds an important light for better understanding the current college and professional basketball landscapes and how the public is being led to approach the ever-changing NIL ecosystem. It also provides a clearer look at sports media objectives and suggests how coverage of this topic will evolve moving forward. By determining how the media is attempting to shape public perception through their coverage of a hot button issue such as this, several avenues for future research across a myriad of disciplines will emerge.