Andrew C. Billings

Andrew C. Billings is professor and the Ronald Reagan Chair of Broadcasting in the Department of Journalism and Creative Media at The University of Alabama. He is the current director of the sports communication program. His research is focused on the study of Sport Communication. Billings received his PhD from Indiana University in 1999. He has held the position as the chair of the Communication and Sport Division of the National Communication Association. Other former positions include the chair of the Sport Communication Interest Group of the International Communication Association and the Research Symposium Chair for Broadcaster Education Association.

His research consists of the intersection of sport, mass media, identity content within sports, and consumption habits such as fantasy sport. Billings has won numerous national awards including the National Communication Award, as well as the Broadcast Education Association, and the Association in Mass Communication and Journalism and provides academic perspective to journalists on matters related to sport communication.

Research Interests

Billings' research focuses on various aspects of how American sports media covers and affects issues of gender, race, and identity. His 2008 and 2018 books Olympic Media: Inside the biggest show on television and Olympic television: Broadcasting the biggest show on Earth respectively analyze the production, content, and the effects of NBC's broadcast of the Olympics Games. In particular, he focuses on the topics of ethnicity, gender, and nationality, and how that is communicated to the public via the telecast. In 2009, Billings co-authored with Heather L. Hundley Examining Identity in Sports Media, focusing on how identity issues are communicated and shaped by sports media. His 2018 book, Mascot Nation focused on the controversy surrounding Native American sports mascots, analyzing aspects of the visual, textual, ritualistic, and performative aspects of sports mascots.  

Selected publications

Books

Billings has authored 18 books, notable texts include:

• Billings, A.C. (2008). Olympic media: Inside the biggest show on television. London: Routledge
• Billings, A.C., & Hundley H. L. (2009). Examining identity in sports media. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
• Billings, A.C, Angelini, J.R., & MacArthur, P.J. (2018). Olympic television: Broadcasting the biggest show on Earth.  London: Routledge.
• Billings, A.C., & Black, J.E. (2019). Mascot nation: The controversy over Native American representations in sports. Champagne, IL: University of Illinois Press.

Journal Articles

Billings has approximately 160 published journal articles. Notable papers include:

• Eastman, S.T., & Billings, A.C. (1999). "Gender parity in the Olympics: Hyping women athletes, favoring men athletes." Journal of Sport and Social Issues. 23(2):140-170.
• Eastman, S.T., & Billings, A.C. (2000). "Sportscasting and sports reporting: The Power of Gender Bias." Journal of Sport & Social Issues. 24(2):192-213.
• Eastman, S.T., & Billings, A.C. (2001). "Biased voices of sports: Racial and gender stereotyping in college basketball announcing." Howard Journal of Communications. 12(4):183-201.
• Billings, A.C., & Eastman, S.T. (2003). "Framing identities: Gender, ,ethnic, and national parity in network announcing of the 2002 winter olympics." Journal of Communication. 53(4):569-586.