Entering the limelight: The Virginian-Pilot's newspaper coverage of teenage sports stars from 1970--2004

This study examines how The Virginian-Pilot covered teenage sports stars between 1970 and 2004, with an emphasis on determining whether coverage changed during that time. Five questions were asked: How much and in what ways did stories focus on positive and negative off-field behavior? How much did stories focus on a phenom's relationship with his or her team? How greatly did stories emphasize age? How positively did stories present the on-field accomplishments of phenoms? and how often did stories offer opinions on decisions phenoms needed to make or offer unrealistic assessments of a phenom's future? The study uses framing theory to explain changes during the course of the era. The results of a quantitative content analysis determined that after 2000 reporters rarely made age a factor in stories. Beyond that though, there were not major changes over the years. Reporters tended to focus on positive off-field behavior and painted on-field feats in an almost gushing fashion. They also, even in news stories, offered opinions on what decisions phenoms ought to make. Suggestions on how to alter future coverage are offered.