One of the interesting issues we have in publishing JSM is the blurred line between sports media and sports communication. To my way of thinking, sports media research primarily focuses on the media--television, radio, magazines, etc. It looks at a lot of different issues, but always through the prism of the media. On the other hand, sport communication primarily explores sports through personal communication and cultural experience. We get a lot of sports communication papers at JSM, and although all of them are reviewed, I never have truly considered them to be the main focus of the journal. I think sports communication scholars would agree.
Perhaps that is why there is a potential new journal in the field that would focus on sports communication. I'm passing along the e-mail I received (by way of our editorial board member Steve McDaniel at Maryland) which tells about it. Paul Pedersen at Indiana has contributed to our journal before, and we wish him well with this endeavor. If you want to contact him to get more information, the e-mail is
ppederse@indiana.edu------------
Human Kinetics, publisher of scholarly journals and texts, is exploring the possibility of launching a new peer-reviewed journal. Please help us evaluate the potential for such a journal by completing this online survey. The survey is designed to require only a short time to complete, and your participation will prove quite valuable. The International Journal of Sport Communication (IJSC) would be the first refereed publication focused on the unique aspects and divergent activities associated with any communication in sport, through sport, or in a sport setting. Topics would range from sport public relations, all-sports cable channels, sport journalism, and interpersonal communication in sport to sports broadcasting, organizational communication in sport, sport Web logs, and sports radio. Other possible foci of submissions include socio-cultural issues in the sport media, international sport communication, sport media management and production, diffusion of sport media discourses, historical and political aspects of sport communication, content analyses of sport programming and media messages, strategic management in sport communication, economic, and financial aspects affiliated with the sport media, sport film and photography, media sports consumption and negotiation, human resources development in sport communication, emerging technologies in sport media, management of sport media organizations, sport media and the law, and sport communication personnel. Although the scope and focus of the articles would vary, the contents of the journal would be intended for academicians engaged in researching or teaching sport communication, and professionals and organizations engaged in the practice of sport communication. As an interdisciplinary journal, IJSC would welcome innovative and original research submissions on any analysis related to sport communication. IJSC would publish articles that have been reviewed by its editorial board for their perceived contribution to the understanding and advancement of the field of sport communication. We plan on the journal being a quarterly publication with approximately 100 pages per issue, published in a 6-by-9-inch format. Please take a moment to complete the survey found at http://ole.humankinetics.com/index.cfmThank you!
Paul M. Pedersen, Associate Professor, Kinesiology Dept., Indiana University
