LONG ISLAND CITY, N.Y. — There were slightly fewer female General Managers at U.S. radio stations in 2024 compared to the year before, while in the Top 100 markets, mixed results were seen compared to the national average.
That’s according to the latest annual MIW Gender Analysis Study, courtesy of the non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of female leadership in radio broadcasting.
Mentoring and Inspiring Women in Radio, Inc. (MIW) annually compiles and analyzes the number of women in radio broadcasting who are rising to the ranks of management. Data gathered for the study specifically tracks the progress of female professionals holding General Manager, Sales Manager, and Program Director/Brand Manager positions.
The study relies on raw data collected by PrecisionTrak from all U.S. based commercial radio stations, and has been released every year since the organization’s start in 2000. The figures and percentages shown below represent the calendar year 2024 and are reflective of 11,215 AM and FM radio stations across America, as accounted for by PrecisionTrak as of December 31, 2024.*
When looking at General Managers, 21.67% of stations (2327 in total) had women holding that position in 2024. This is a half-point drop from last year but compared to 2004 “shows solid growth when the percentage of female General Managers was only 14.9%,” MIWs notes.
In the Top 100 markets, 22.92% of stations (or 792) were managed by women. This, says MIWs, is almost a full percentage point down from 2023 but still continues to run a bit higher than the national average.
Overall, the best management opportunities for women in radio continues to be in sales management. Some 35.67% of stations (3663 properties) had a woman Sales Manager in 2024. This is more than a full percentage point up from 34.37% in 2023.
In the Top 100 markets, the numbers jumped much higher than the national average, the story showed almost an 8 percent growth for 2024. 42.94% (2048 stations) had women serving as Sales Managers in 2024 versus 35.16% in 2023.
The greatest challenge for women in radio management continues to be in the area of Program Directors/Brand Managers. Women currently program 12.38% (1242 stations) which is a slight gain from 11.50% in 2023.
In the Top 100 markets, although the numbers are less than the national average the news also is showing growth as female programmers now represent 11.23% of the total number of Program Directors/Brand Managers, which is an increase of more than a percentage point from 2023.
MIW Board President Sheila Kirby commented, “While we are encouraged by the progress in sales management and programming, the overall numbers show that there is still significant work to be done. Leadership opportunities for women in radio must continue to grow, and our mission at MIW remains steadfast—empowering, mentoring, and advocating for more women to rise into key decision-making roles across the industry.”
*All information provided by PrecisionTrak is subject to limitations of data provided by radio companies. The analysis is dependent upon the accuracy and completeness of PrecisionTrak (Precisiontrak.com) data as of December 31, 2024
