Sports Media and Children's Value System - Football Matches as a Model

Abstract

Sports media is considered one of the most prominent forms of mass communication, exerting a profound influence on the formation of collective consciousness through its presentation of diverse types of sports content. This influence has become particularly significant in light of the widespread proliferation of modern technologies, which have made sports a daily subject accessible to various segments of society. Among all sports activities, football matches, in particular, stand out as the most engaging events for children, forming an integral part of both their imaginary and real worlds during a crucial developmental stage that constitutes the foundation upon which the individual’s future personality is built. It is in this stage that core values are shaped values that guide behavior and social interactions. Given that media - including sports media- plays a pivotal role in the process of socialization, its impact on the value systems of children becomes a subject worthy of thorough investigation and analysis. From this perspective, the importance of this study emerges, as the researchers seek to explore the nature of the relationship between sports media content directed at children -particularly football matches- and the values these children acquire as a result of their exposure to and consumption of such content.