AbstractsPhilosophy & Theology

This dissertation has examined to what extent six prestigious newspapers (The Guardian/The Observer, The Daily Telegraph/The Sunday Telegraph, The New York Times, The Washington Post, El País and La Vanguardia) complied with the fundamental principles of journalism ethics (truth, justice and responsibility) in their coverage of the London 2012 Olympics. The content analysis of 6,552 pieces, their correlation with the major codes of ethics, and the conduct of 41 interviews revealed that in many areas the coverage dispelled the long-held notion of sports journalism being the “toy department”. Significant strengths include the wide range of sources employed, the comprehensive examination of the larger framework of the Olympics, the recognition of errors and the fight against discrimination. Despite all of this, the research highlights that in other core aspects, the diversity of the sporting agenda, sensationalism, stereotyping and the use of warlike language, for example, there is much room for improvement.