Date of Award

January 2018

Degree Type

Open Access Thesis

Document Type

Master Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

English and Theatre

First Advisor

Dominic Ashby

Department Affiliation

English and Theatre

Second Advisor

R. Dean Johnson

Department Affiliation

English and Theatre

Third Advisor

Jill Parrott

Department Affiliation

English and Theatre

Abstract

The introduction of new publishing platforms like blogs into the world of sports journalism has forced journalists to modify their technique and approach to writing. This paper addresses that shift through examination of rhetorical theory, in-depth first-person research, and a culmination of rhetorical advantages for digitally publishing sports journalists. In the first section of this thesis, the author establishes the rhetorical act of blogging through the theoretical lenses of Mikhail Bakhtin and Mary Hocks while analyzing the sports blog, SB Nation. Then, the author conducts survey-driven research with actual blogging sports journalists to understand their opinions and viewpoints about blogging. After collecting all of the information, the author concludes with a discussion of two profound rhetorical benefits for digital publishing sports journalists: availability and audience outreach.

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