Abstract

This chapter will critically investigate the worrying trend of online harms encountered by contemporary sports journalists in the United Kingdom. Rather than using abuse, hate or violence, this work utilises harms which allows us to take a broader approach to how the internet impacts upon sports journalists’ practices and behaviours both in personal and professional ways. It draws on previous literature which illustrates that women journalists in particular face a disproportionate amount of online harms which includes abuse, but also harassment and sexual advances. It considers a range of triggers that exacerbate online harms such as the type of news story in question or the time in which the story is released. The chapter will explore and critique a range of practices and policies enforced by sports media organisations designed to effectively support and protect the workforce against online harms. It will conclude by offering a series of recommendations aimed at sports media organisations to most effectively safeguard sports journalists from current and future online harms.