Mentoring And Inspiring Women In Radio Group Releases Gender Analysis Research Findings

The Mentoring And Inspiring Women in Radio Group (MIW) released its annual Group Gender Analysis Study, which examines the advancement of female radio professionals. This year’s study showed growth in roles including general manager, sales manager and program director positions, though not in radio programming roles.

Females held 19.05 percent of general managers roles at radio stations in 2018, rising from 18.1 percent in 2017. That growth has been steady since 2004, when females held 14.9 percent of the GM roles. Female GMs held those roles in 19.2 percent of the Top 100 radio markets, a rise from 2017’s 18.5 percent.

Female sales managers held the role at 32.6 percent of stations in the study, rising from 31.9 percent in 2017. Females held 32.97 percent of the sales manager roles in the Top 100 radio markets in 2018, up from 2017’s 32.7 percent.

However, the study showed that growth has been relatively flat for the past 12 years when it comes to program director roles; in 2018, females held only 10.6 percent of radio programming roles, which is a drop from 11.4 percent in 2017.

“This meaningful annual exercise reminds us why we volunteer our time, and share our expertise, with other women in radio,” said MIW Group spokeswoman Denyse Mesnik. “The MIW Group is committed to encouraging growth, and honing careers, so that the road to management will be more easily attainable by women dedicated to our profession. Although 2018 numbers reflect some growth, there is still work to be done.”