title: An Analysis of BBC Television Coverage of the 2014 Invictus Games.
abstract: The Invictus Games are a parasport competition for service members and veterans with illnesses and injuries. The 2014 Games were aired by the BBC, for a total of 12 hr of coverage. This study aimed to investigate what messages were conveyed regarding parasport for veterans during the BBC's Invictus Games broadcast. A content analysis was conducted. Five qualitative themes were identified: sport as rehabilitation, the promotion of ability over disability, the social environment, key outcomes of participation, and the importance of competition. Quantitative results indicated that 2 segment types accounted for the majority of the broadcast: sport coverage (50.57%) and athlete experiences (12.56%). Around half of the coverage focused on participants with a physical disability (51.62%). The findings demonstrate key similarities to and differences from previous explorations of parasport media coverage, with the needs of the event and athlete population potentially influencing the broadcast.
authors.affiliation: 1 Queen's University.
authors.forename: Celina H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Shirazipour
authors.affiliation: 1 Queen's University.
authors.forename: Madelaine
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Meehan
authors.affiliation: 1 Queen's University.
authors.forename: Amy E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Latimer-Cheung
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000846:Anniversaries and Special Events; D006233:Persons with Disabilities; D004739:England; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D038622:Internationality; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel; D013177:Sports / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013690:Television / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
keywords: disability; media; military; sport