Alternative Versus Mainstream Media: Representing of Women’s Sport in Iranian Sports News and Users’ Comments

Abstract

This quantitative content analysis examines the framing of women’s sports in Iran by both mainstream and alternative media outlets and users’ comments on the posts. Data were collected in 2023 from Instagram pages representing mainstream (Varzesh3) and alternative (Iran International) media sources, yielding a sample of 149 posts and 14,442 user comments. The scheme code was executed based on data using quantitative content analysis and did not rely on previous research’s codebook. Media frames were categorized into seven thematic areas, while user responses were coded across eight distinct framing categories. Statistically significant differences emerged in some media frames. Significant differences in user framing were observed for all categories except one. Additionally, certain specific distinctions were observed in the framing of some media posts. User framing broadly reflected media-driven political orientations. The observed discrepancies between media and user framing underscore the critical role of the political information environment in shaping media consumption and production within both mainstream and alternative media contexts, suggesting that sports media can convene counter publics even in highly controlled media systems.