Concussion in live sport broadcast coverage: How do the public perceive it?
- 1School of Psychology and Counselling, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, Australia
Abstract
Sport-concussion is widely reported in the mass media. This reporting includes live sport broadcasts that reach, and influence, widespread audiences. From a public health perspective, broadcast information about concussion should be accurate. An understanding of public perceptions of sport-concussion coverage is needed to understand potential impacts. One-hundred and sixty-three people completed an online cross-sectional survey. The survey comprised structured and open-ended questions to gather perceptions about the media portrayal of sport-concussions (portrayal-perceptions) in sport broadcasts, and recommendations to improve it (recommendations). Twelve of 30 portrayal-perceptions were endorsed (agreed or disagreed) by >50% of respondents, including that the portrayal should be improved. Ten of 12 recommendations were agreed, including that the portrayal should prioritise player health. No statistically significant differences in perceptions were found based on participant background (e.g., their concussion history). This research, through considering the way people experience sport-concussion coverage, elucidates its potential to shape understanding about sport-concussion and its management. Community members support changes to the media portrayal of sport-concussion to increase its informative value for audiences.
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BibTeX
@article{sullivan2026concussion,
title = {{Concussion in live sport broadcast coverage: How do the public perceive it?}},
author = {Karen A. Sullivan and Keeley Lappin},
journal = {PLOS One},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0358688},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0358688},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Concussion in live sport broadcast coverage: How do the public perceive it?
AU - Karen A. Sullivan
AU - Keeley Lappin
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/21
JO - PLOS One
DO - 10.1371/journal.pone.0358688
UR - https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0358688
AB - Sport-concussion is widely reported in the mass media. This reporting includes live sport broadcasts that reach, and influence, widespread audiences. From a public health perspective, broadcast information about concussion should be accurate. An understanding of public perceptions of sport-concussion coverage is needed to understand potential impacts. One-hundred and sixty-three people completed an online cross-sectional survey. The survey comprised structured and open-ended questions to gather perceptions about the media portrayal of sport-concussions (portrayal-perceptions) in sport broadcasts, and recommendations to improve it (recommendations). Twelve of 30 portrayal-perceptions were endorsed (agreed or disagreed) by >50% of respondents, including that the portrayal should be improved. Ten of 12 recommendations were agreed, including that the portrayal should prioritise player health. No statistically significant differences in perceptions were found based on participant background (e.g., their concussion history). This research, through considering the way people experience sport-concussion coverage, elucidates its potential to shape understanding about sport-concussion and its management. Community members support changes to the media portrayal of sport-concussion to increase its informative value for audiences.
SN - 1932-6203
ER -