Kate Mason made history as the first woman to lead national television coverage of a Men’s Test cricket series. In 2024, she led TNT Sports’ broadcast of England vs. India, a landmark moment for the industry.
Kate’s achievement marks a significant milestone, reflecting progress towards greater diversity in the sports media. However, there is still a way to go.
According to Ellen Hyslop, co-founder of The Gist, only 18% of sports journalists are female or non-binary. In an interview with Forbes in June, she noted this figure has risen from 14% in 2019, when she co-founded The Gist alongside Jacie deHoop and Roslyn McLarty. Women’s sports media coverage has also grown, increasing from 4% in 2019 to 15% in recent years.
Last summer, the Paris Olympics became the first Games to achieve full gender parity. For the first time since the modern Olympics began in 1896, the International Olympic Committee distributed an equal number of quota places to male and female athletes.
Kate, who covered the Paris Olympics for WBD Sports and Eurosport, told the Sports Gazette: “It was one of the most unbelievable things I’ve ever been a part of, as a broadcaster or just generally in my life. Seeing a 50/50 gender split for the first time in Olympic history, and just remembering that, we’ve come such a long way.”
Breaking into the sports broadcasting industry
Kate spoke to the Sports Gazette about her journey into sports broadcasting, particularly with few female role models to follow:
“The arrival of people like Clare Balding, even though they were outliers, made me think, ‘Wow, there’s someone here – this is great news.’ Rather than wondering why isn’t it 50/50, I felt, ‘Well, okay, it looks like they need more people to go and get into this space.’”
This kind of representation is crucial for driving change within the industry. When young girls see women excelling in these roles, it helps them envision themselves in similar positions, just as Kate did.
“I liked that I could feel an affinity with some of them, not that you always have to. Not everyone in the world needs to watch a sports programme presented by someone with exactly the same characteristics as them. But it was great to feel that you could fundamentally be a really keen sports fan, and that could lead to a path where you get to watch live sport, be around it, and talk to athletes.”
Given the growth of women’s sport, diverse perspectives in newsrooms are essential for highlighting underrepresented stories and addressing overlooked issues.
Reflecting on her experiences as a lone female voice, Kate shared:
“I’ve always felt like I’ve got to bring up stories. I tried to pitch a women’s football show about 10 years ago and got shouted out of the room.
“I suppose I could have avoided doing that, but I felt that if I’ve managed to get into the room, I’ve got to do it, and I’ve got to keep trying to get people to recognise that, even though you might not think these stories are that interesting, potentially 50% of the population might – or even more, because it’s not just women who watch women’s sport, far from it.”
The challenges in a male-dominated field
“Whenever you’re the only one with any particular characteristic in a room, you feel a bit more noticeable,” Kate added.
“Sport has been seen as a male-dominated space for years, and therefore, being female is slightly unusual.
“The boring thing is when people say, ‘Do you actually like sport?’ This is not the sort of thing you get to do easily. There was a lot of pushback, working stupid hours, and not getting paid any money. So yes, I actually like sport. If I didn’t, don’t you think I would have done something else?!”
Kate recalled another instance when, while presenting a general sports news show, she was the only person to notice that the only women mentioned in the entire hour were WAGs. Despite raising the issue, the agenda remained unchanged.
“It was a reminder that nobody had noticed; nobody thought about it in that way apart from me. Sometimes when it’s only you, it’s hard to persuade people.
“I remember thinking that was hard. Even though I was in this seemingly prominent position as a presenter, I didn’t seem to be able to influence people’s impression of that.”
As a trailblazer in the industry, Kate discussed the responsibilities that come with the role. She highlighted the pressures of being seen as a ‘female’ broadcaster rather than simply a broadcaster:
“One of the reasons I wanted to be a sports broadcaster was to open that space a bit more to women and to make people feel welcome.
“I did feel a responsibility to be good. Even though I was excited and felt comforted by the fact there were women who’d gone ahead of me and had reached big roles in the industry, I didn’t want it to be, ‘We have to get more women in, so let’s hire Kate.’ I never wanted it to be like that. I always thought of myself as a sports broadcaster, not with any kind of gender attached to it.
“It’s not just for women and others who don’t see themselves represented in the space. It’s also because I feel so lucky to be able to do this. If I don’t do a good job of the broadcast, it feels like I’ve really wasted that moment.”
How has the industry improved?
While things are far from perfect, it’s important to recognise the positive progress that has been made.
Looking back on her career of more than a decade, Kate described the transformation as: “like night and day.”
She added: “In the last 10 years, I cannot believe how different it is. Moments like the Lionesses winning the Euros really changed things. It makes me a bit emotional because it is so different.”
In the UK, the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ) reports an increase in women entering the industry. In 2023/24, over 20% of students registering for NCTJ-accredited sports journalism courses were women – up from just 7% in 2021/22 and 14% in 2022/23.
This growing diversity is gradually reshaping newsrooms. Research from the Harvard Business Review shows that teams with equal gender representation make better decisions 73% of the time. By including diverse perspectives, they avoid blind spots and make more informed choices.
As Kate said: “It’s so much better when you’re in a room that’s 50/50 – it’s just more comfortable.
“There are so many more women and people of colour, and people talking about being gay in the space. I know that sometimes people say, ‘Can’t we just talk about the sport? Does this really matter?’ But if you haven’t been on the end of that, it is hard to empathise sometimes with feeling like this space isn’t your space.”
What comes next?
Given the significant progress in recent years, it’s clear the industry is evolving. Now, the focus shifts to what comes next.
When asked about her hopes for the future, Kate said: “For me, it’s very tied to wanting more women to participate in sports. To have that feeling in a football crowd or in a group of people watching sport, and to recognise that it’s a community you’re a key part of. Even if you just go for a run on your own and never tell anyone about it, you’re part of that big sports community.”
She emphasised the need to spotlight the remarkable stories in women’s sport. Part of what makes men’s football so popular is its ubiquity – even the smallest details are well-known, allowing people to engage with its narratives. To generate similar enthusiasm for women’s sports, people need to know the athletes and their stories.
While acknowledging the progress made, Kate noted that significant disparities remain. For example, none of the 50 highest-paid athletes in Forbes’ 2024 list were women.
“Now, that feels like a bit of a mercenary way of looking at it, but when there’s investment in a sport – when there are people willing to pay you lots of money to win it – they’re putting time in to make sure that people come and watch.
“So, with public funding, and educational establishments, I’d basically like to see some sort of edict where, for as much money as you spend on men’s sport, you have to spend on women’s sport. This is probably a long-term ambition, but I think recognising that it is a thriving space and not some sort of charity is what’s going to change things over the coming years.”
While Kate remains an inspirational figure for aspiring sports broadcasters, inequalities and challenges persist in the industry. However, she ended on an optimistic note, saying: “Every time I go anywhere, I meet so many brilliant people who want to see better done in this industry. If they keep working together, it’s going to be great.”
Featured image credit: @Lateef.photography
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