Sport NZ–Isentia gender study 2024 — five years of tracking women’s visibility in New Zealand sports news

Summary: The fifth annual Sport NZ–Isentia study of gender balance in New Zealand sports news finds that women’s coverage has risen to 27% — a small but significant increase — while cautioning that progress is not guaranteed without sustained effort.

Since 2020, Isentia and Sport New Zealand have partnered on an annual longitudinal study tracking the representation of women in New Zealand sports news, making it one of the most significant research programmes of its kind globally. The 2024 edition, the fifth in the series, found that 27% of sports news coverage focused on women’s sport, a continued upward trend from previous years.

Notably, this increase came in a year when major women’s events, including the Paris Olympics, Paralympic Games and the Women’s T20 World Cup were held offshore, whereas previous years had shown that gender balance tends to be stronger when events are hosted in Aotearoa. Despite the coverage gains, the overall visibility of women in sports news, including athletes, coaches, officials, and fans slightly declined compared to 2023.

The report reinforces Isentia’s role as a long-term measurement partner for government and sporting bodies seeking to turn media data into actionable policies, and underlines that sustained effort and collaboration are essential to maintain and build on incremental gains in gender equity.