The Effect of Hosting the Olympics on National Image: An Analysis of US Newspaper

Coverage of Host Countries with Reputation Problems

Jianjun Yao

In his graduate thesis, Jianjun Yao explores the difference in the United States media’s portrayal

of countries prior to and after hosting the Olympic Games. Yao compared the media coverage of

four different Olympic Games: Moscow, Seoul, Barcelona, and Beijing. The media outlets he

reviewed publications from were the ​New York Times​, the ​Los Angeles Times,​ and the

Washington Post​. His overall conclusion is that media in which the host countries were

negatively portrayed decreased after they hosted the Olympics. Additionally, he noticed a

correlation between countries hosting the Olympics and a rise in positive media coverage

regarding the nations. This is significant to my research question because it shows how media

coverage prior to, during, and after the Olympic Games can change drastically. The general U.S.

population may shift their views regarding other countries after being exposed to the news that

may put host nations in a more positive light.

5,535 Hours of Impact: Effects of Olympic Media on Nationalism Attitudes

Andrew C. Billings, Kenon A. Brown, and Natalie A. Brown

This study focused on how media coverage within an Olympic host nation influenced the

population. This data was collected by surveying people who lived in London when it hosted the

2012 Olympics. The authors of this article found that there was an increase in nationalism

displayed by the people who were surveyed. It was determined that the media coverage was a

major factor in this change. This is relevant to my topic because a spike in nationalism could
cause citizens to have increasingly positive views of their own country and potentially more

negative ones of others. While my question addresses how nations view one another, I think that

this source gives an interesting perspective about how the media coverage can alter the public’s

views of its own country.

Pride and Prejudice

Kaori Hayashi

In this source, Kaori Hayashi explores how media coverage of the 2012 London Olympics

differed between five world nations: China, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the

United States. Hayashi determined that each country’s media had a distinct attitude. While some

countries were very political, others took a more nationalistic approach. I thought that this

information was very relevant to me because it highlights how a person’s perception of the

Olympics and the participating countries can be influenced by the media. The fact that there is

data that explains how reporting can vary country to country is extremely significant. This shows

that there is often bias in the media and that very rarely it is something that remains totally

objective.

Do Mega Sporting Events Promote International Trade?

Andrew K. Rose

This source examines the impact that hosting a major sports event has on a nation’s economy and

its international relations. Rose goes beyond just the Olympics, discussing different types of

major sports events and how they stimulate development and trade within a country. He explains
that countries often need to advance their infrastructure when they sign on to host one of these

events. Nations agree to take on this initial burden because of the money the event itself will

bring, as well as the potential to show other nations that they are ready to become more advanced

and successful. The information in this source is relevant because it gives insight to the financial

aspect of hosting events such as the Olympics. The perceived economic success of a country can

be crucial in its relationships with others, whether it be regarding policy or trade.

Did the Olympics Help the Nation Branding of China? Comparing Public Perception of

China with the Olympics Before and After the 2008 Beijing Olympics in Hong Kong

Annisa Lai Lee

In this article, Annisa Lai Lee focuses specifically on the 2008 Olympic games and how it

altered the Hong Kong population’s opinions regarding China. While Hong Kong is technically a

part of China, it is also considered to be an independent entity. As a result, the people of Hong

Kong have a unique national identity. As a result, this study provides an interesting perspective

into how the Olympics can have a major impact on people’s perception of a country. Lee

compared data from an initial 2005 survey with data from a survey taken one year after the

Olympics in 2009 to find a difference in Hong Kong’s views of China. Lee’s data concluded that

China’s image improved in the eyes of the people after the Olympics. This is important to my

research because it supports the claim that the Olympics can increase nationalism and support for

the host nation from both within and outside of the country. Ultimately, this research shows how

influential the publicity and press regarding the Olympics can be.