NAPLES, Florida, February 15, 2017 - According to the latest MIW Gender Analysis Study released by the Mentoring and Inspiring Women in Radio Group (MIW’s) out of 11,229 AM and FM radio stations - accounted for by PrecisionTrak as of December 31, 2016 - 1,944 or 17.8% have women holding the General Manager position in 2016. This is a half-point increase from 2015, which was 17.3% and continues to show growth from 2004, twelve years ago, when the percentage was only 14.9%. The annual study is compiled, analyzed and released by the MIW’s from information provided by PrecisionTrak*.
In the top 100 radio markets, the number of female GM’s is almost the same as the national average when evaluating all markets. In 2016, women managed 17.7% of stations in these markets, which compares to 16.3% in 2015. Overall, sales management continues to provide the best management opportunities for women. In 2016, 31.5% of all stations had a women sales manager, which is up one full percentage point from the prior year. And in the top 100 markets, 31.4% of the stations have women SM’s, which is a slight increase from 2015.
The greatest challenge for women in radio management continues to be found in the programming department. Women currently program only 10.7% of all stations in the country, which compares to the same number ten years ago. The news is better in the top 100 markets where women programmers now represent 12.2%, which is basically flat from last year.
The MIW’s have been analyzing and publishing these gender numbers for the past seventeen years. “It is so important that we track women in broadcast leadership roles,” says MIW Group spokeswoman Kay Olin. “Not only does it keep us focused on our MIW mission, it keeps us focused on supporting and growing a leadership path for female professionals that have chosen a career in radio broadcasting.”