The Telegraph has launched a new dedicated women’s sport section with four new staff hires and a monthly print supplement.
Telegraph Women’s Sport will be staffed by editor Anna Kessel, deputy editor Vicki Hodges and two reporters to be revealed in the coming weeks.
Three-time European champion sprint Dina Asher-Smith (pictured), England football vice-captain Jordan Nobbs and tennis coach Judy Murray have also joined as contributors to the new section.
TWS will also print a monthly print supplement, which appeared in today’s Daily Telegraph for the first time, and weekly newsletter.
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In a tweet about her appointment, Asher-Smith said: “Excited to announce that I am going to be a columnist for the Telegraph and that it comes as part of their wider commitment to women’s sport.
“This has loads of potential and will hopefully shine light on some incredible sporting feats that may have otherwise slipped under the radar”
The new women’s sport section on the Telegraph website
Women’s sports editor Kessel said: “Telegraph Women’s Sport is setting the agenda for our industry; this is truly a landmark moment for sports coverage and I am extremely proud to be part of it.
“Over the years too many women’s sports stories have been lost, forgotten, or undervalued. The repercussions of this exclusion have been felt by all women, and by young girls in PE halls across the country.
“TWS aims to play a role in redressing the balance.
“Our mission is to create greater visibility for women’s sport, bring new audiences to the subject, showcase new voices, unearth thrilling stories, champion sporting brilliance, and campaign on issues that we hope will help to bring about change for future generations of women and girls.”
The Telegraph published a manifesto alongside the section’s launch setting out five aims for its women’s sports coverage.
They are:
- addressing the under-representation of women’s sport
- celebrating women’s sport through “standalone channels”
- campaigning on key issues to encouraging women to participate in sport
- investing in specialist women’s sport journalists
- developing the sections brand to appeal with sponsors as well as readers.
The section has launched with a column by England rugby player Maggie Alphonisi and an interview with Asher-Smith.
Telegraph head of sport Adam Sills said: “We have a great award-winning team of sports journalists and commentators and already have dedicated women’s rugby and football correspondents here at The Telegraph.
“Telegraph Women’s Sport, however, is about a much bigger commitment to reporting on women’s sport and I hope it will spark interest and enthusiasm from our readers and sports fans everywhere.”
Picture: Reuters/Michael Dalder
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