M4:
Mode of Address:
The main purpose of my article is to increase awareness of the impact and challenges female athletes face and also to explain the impact these injuries have on the game itself. The article is made for an audience of 16-25 year olds, which is an age category that includes but active players of the game as well as hard core fans. By discussing the mental challenges footballer have to face and the lack of female specific equipment the article encourages readers to empathise with the well known players such as Leah Williamson and Beth Mead. The language I have used is balanced as I avoided the use of too much medical terminology and instead used terms which are accessible for the young readers while ensuring the knowledge is still scientific.
Structure:
When structuring my article, I gain the attention of the young audience through the use of narrative driven content for example I began with attention grabbing sentences such as "horrific sight" of the knee injury and this helps as a hook to help the audience to understand the gravity of the issue of ACL injuries. In the middle bit of my article I move from the emotional impact of famous footballers such as Beth Mead to a wider consequence of the WSL league. I then structured my article to include a section to asking "Why?" this section I used to dive into evidence and research moving from environmental factors to biological factors. I the conclude my article with a future looking statement, this highlights the investment from the FA as well as focusing on the progress of the women's game.
Sentence Construction:
In order to ensure the content within my article is engaging I used a variety of sentence lengths and structures. I used the short sentences in order to emphasise the heartfelt parts of my article and keep them short and punchy whereas, I used longer more complex sentences to explain the scientific explanation of oestrogen levels as well as ligament flexibility when talking about some of the causes to ACL injuries. Within my article I mostly used present tense to show that the ongoing crisis is shaping the sport as well as this I used technical terms such as "Anterior Cruciate Ligament" to keep my article professional and credible.
Journalistic Style:
The journalistic style of my piece is designed to be informative, I used emotive language to open my article to humanise the statistics and scientific terminology within the article this is where I focused on the "look of their face" when the players are injured. This style appeals to the target audience of 16-25 year olds as it closes the gap between sports and scientific terminologies. I also used specific examples of high profile players to provide evidence for the data within my article this helps to ensure the article feel like a report rather than just scientific terms making it more likely to be read by my target audience and shared within the football community.
Quotation and Source Material Referencing:
I established reliability within my article by using direct quotes from my primary research which was an interview with female footballer and combining that with secondary evidence of sports science. I used quotes clearly using phrases such as "In an interview I conducted' this will provide a first hand view on the mental block players gain when recovering from injuries. Also, I referenced scientific findings such as "Q-Angled" hip and knee joints and hormonal cycles to ensure the article is factually accurate. By using both emotional experiences from players and data from sports scientists, I created a valid argument.
Distribution Platform:
In order to make sure my article meets the brief requirements I made sure my article is designed for online distribution, specifically making sure it targets platforms where the target audience is 16-25 years old which matches the articles target audience. For this reason, platform such as X as well as Instagram would be perfect to distribute the article. Also, as the audience are always online the online format of the article allows for the inclusion of other media elements such as the inclusion of video clips and player interviews who could increase the amount of people that read the article. By distributing via social media it allows the article to be easily shared among local football teams and fans as well as ensuring it reaches a wide audience and encourages conversation about more funding for the women's game as well as safety of the players.
Bernstein and Speech Codes:
My article uses Berstein's elaborated speech codes to effectively help to communicate the scientific issues and physiological issues around the ACL injuries. Instead of just using the resisted code of a casual football fan, I used complex vocabulary to help bridge the gap between sports journalism and medical science. For example when I wrote "Recent research shows that varying levels of Estrogen throughout the menstrual cycle can impact ligament flexibility." This sentence shows the elaborated code by using specific scientific terminology such as "hormonal fluctuations" which are necessary to explain the large amount of ACL injuries in women's sport to a 16- 25 year old audience.
D2:
Accuracy:
According to IPSO editors code the press must avoid publishing inaccurate or misleading information. In my article I maintained accuracy as I am dealing with medical statistics and information and using professional footballers names and therefore need to keep a professional reputation. I ensured throughout my article that all my statistics such as the ACL injury rates "come are 2 to 8 times more likely to suffer there's injuries than men" are sourced from reliable sources with titles such as the FA and sports science journalists. I accurately used high profile professional footballers such as Leah Williamson and Beth Mead, this ensures the timelines of the injuries are correct which will maintain the trust of my 16-25 year old audience and makes my article authentic.
Discrimination and Hate Speech:
IPSO forbids the use of "prejudice or reference to an individuals sex or gender". My article follows these rules as I have done this be framing my physiological differences such as wider hip angles and hormonal differences as scientific facts rather than writing it as limitations. I also avoided any language which could be seen as discriminatory towards women in sport, instead I used facts to promote women's football for better funding and more gender specific equipment such as women's football boots and challenging men standards fit all idea that currently exists in the footballing world.
Privacy:
The code state that everyone is entitled to respect for their physical and mental health when reporting on an athletes medical records can be sensitive and as a result when discussing the injuries of players such as Michelle Agyemang I have made sure that I stick to information which is already out to the public and I avoid information that hasn't been shared with the public as I dont want to cause moral panic. I have also kept the interview I had with a female football player anonymous as I stated "anonymous female footballer" By ensuring her name or club wants mention I have protected the players private life and professionals job this ensures I have complied the law of the Data Protection act as I have used her interview but kept her personal details private.
Intrusion into Shock and Grief:
ACL injuries are very tragic for athletes as they are dealing with grief of the injury as a result I have handled the description on the injury with sympathy and ensuring I was respectful throughout as I stated "horrific sight of a player falling to the ground". By focusing on the bravery and resilience of the players and the steps the FA has make to help give money to scientific research and injury surveillance, I ensure the article remains constructive as this is a sensitive topic I ensured the content is not harmful or offensive.
Reporting of Crime / Protecting Under-18s
This article does not include any criminal reporting and therefore follows the guidelines of OFCOM and the BBC when regarding the protection of young people. When mentioning young layers such as Michelle Agyemenag I have mentioned her in the contexts of talking about her achievements as a professional athlete. Also the primary research of involving a young athlete was conducted with the understanding of consent and the player agreed for their information to be shared this ensures the safety and the well being of the player.
Is My Article Legally Safe?:
To ensure my article "The Invisible Opponent: The ACL Pandemic" is legally and ethically correct fro an online platform I have ensured it aligns and meets the BBC's guidelines ad well as Ofcom's guidelines as well.
Alignment with BBC Editorial Guidelines:
One guideline is the accuracy and weight of evidence, my article meets the BBC's requirements that the content must be well sourced and based on relevant facts. I have ensured I achieve this by using evidence from high profile players such as Leah Williamson with scientific research of oestrogen levels as well as biological facts such as the q angle. This helps me to avoid misleading medical information and ensures my article is accurate and representative.
Another guideline is fairness and informed consent, I ensured that the female footballer I interviewed remained anonymous and I gave informed consent. In the interview she spoke about her mental block and the physical struggles that she is going through. By ensuring she remains anonymous, I have protected her professional career and privacy while allowing her to recall a first hand and truthful event of the impacts of the ACL injury.
Another guideline is privacy, in my article I have respected the privacy of the athletes by only using information that has already been released into the public such as mentioning announcements from Arsenal and the Lionesses England team. For my privacy research, I maintained the athletes anonymity to ensure no personal or medical data was released to the public without permission and therefore making sure I follow the Data Protection Act.
Alignment with Ofcom Broadcasting Codes:
One guideline from Ofcom was protecting under 18, in my article I mention Michelle Agyemang who is a young player who is very well known. I ensured that all references to the young players were strictly focused on their sporting careers and already known injury status. By not including private details about the young athlete and focusing on the educational side of the injury and how to prevent it my article remains as a high standard article which follows the safeguarding guidelines.
Another guideline is harm and offence, the description in my article of "horrific sight" of a player clutching their knee is written with sensitivity. While the imagery is very descriptive and vivid it shows a clear purpose as it shows the severity of the ACL crisis. I also avoided graphic medical descriptions this ensures the content provides protection for the audience so they aren't disgusted or distressed as it follows Ofcom's guidelines on offensive material.
Another guideline is privacy, my article avoids any infringements of privacy by focusing on public interest as the health and safety of athletes in women's football in the UK. By keeping the identity of the interviewed player confidential and private I have followed then guidelines of respecting the privacy of players and health struggles and personal fears.
Conclusion on Legal Safety:
By following all the guidelines the article avoids defamation, breach of confidence and copyright infringement. This helps to ensure my article is professional considers ethical issues and it is safe to be digitally distributed.
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