News/Research

Abigail De Kosnik on what is lost — and gained — when Olympics coverage becomes a round-the-clock spectacle.

24 Jul, 2024

Abigail De Kosnik on what is lost — and gained — when Olympics coverage becomes a round-the-clock spectacle.

Jason Pohl's Berkeley News article on "what is lost — and gained — when Olympics coverage becomes a round-the-clock spectacle," discusses how this year's choose-your-own-adventure way of viewing has democratized how, when and even who we watch, and Abigail De Kosnik is one of the experts weighing in on our choices.

“Even if someone doesn’t sit down and watch hours of the Olympics, they can still become fans of specific Olympic athletes by viewing and reviewing their medal-winning performances on social media,” De Kosnik said.

De Kosnik views the changing, and increasingly fragmented, coverage of the Olympics as a net positive. Besides exposing more people to potentially new sports or athletes whose performances become viral sensations, social media and sport can challenge society’s assumptions and ways of thinking about ethnicity, gender and sexuality.

Read more here!