The annual MIW Gender Analysis Study conducted by Mentoring and Inspiring Women in Radio has been released. The study tracks the progress of female professionals holding General Manager, Sales Manager, and Program Director/Brand Manager positions.
The MIW Gender Analysis Study, based on raw data collected by Inside Radio’s PrecisionTrak from all U.S.-based commercial radio stations, has been released every year since the organization’s start in 2000.
General Managers: 21.67% (2,327 stations) had women holding the General Manager position in 2024. This is a half-point drop from last year, but compared to 2004 shows solid growth. Then the percentage of female General Managers was only 14.9%.
In the Top 100 markets, 22.92% (792 stations) were managed by women, which is almost a full percentage point lower than 2023, but it still continues to run a bit higher than the national average.
Sales Managers: Overall, the best management opportunities for women in radio continue to be in sales management. 35.67% (3,663 stations) had a woman Sales Manager in 2024, which 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, with almost 8% growth for 2024. 42.94% (2,048 stations) had women serving as Sales Managers in 2024 vs. 35.16% in 2023.
Program Directors/Brand Managers: The greatest challenge for women in radio management continues to be in the area of Program Directors/Brand Managers. Women currently program 12.38% (1,242 stations), which is a slight gain from 11.5% 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, an increase of more than a percentage point from 2023.
“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,” MIW Board President Sheila Kirby said in a news release. “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.”
The figures and percentages 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 Dec. 31, 2024 (subject to limitations of data provided by radio companies).
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