Unequal coverage

Here is a letter  (scroll down to last one) from a New York Times reader about unequal coverage of womens' sports on the Time's sports pages. I hope the editors are listening. Because the link to this page will disappear in a day or two, I'm reprinting the letter below ...

June 19, 2005
To the Sports Editor:

Having a teenage daughter who has participated in team sports since age 5, I am aware of the efforts being made locally to keep the playing options level for schoolgirls. But I have been conducting an informal poll of your coverage of women's sports and I am disappointed.

Coverage of Annika Sorenstam's solid victory in the L.P.G.A. Championship is illustrative. The opening paragraphs of the Sorenstam article focused more on the challenge by the runner-up than on her achievement. Her photo on the cover was minute, while one of Payne Stewart was huge.

Day after day, The Times gives unequal coverage to women's sports. If you are truly in support of Title IX, why not devote a special page to women's sports and give equal representation to women on the front page for significant tournaments?

Suzanne Whitney Smith
Carlisle, Mass.

Copyright 2005 The New York Times Company