Getting hired in Program Director and Brand Manager roles continues to be the biggest challenge for women in radio, according to the latest Gender Analysis Study from Mentoring and Inspiring Women in Radio (MIW), a non-profit dedicated to the advancement of female leadership in radio broadcasting.

MIW’s latest study, released in advance of International Women’s Day on March 8, found women in the U.S. currently program just 12.38% (1,242 stations), a slight gain from 11.50% in 2023.

Based on raw data collected by PrecisionTrak from 11,215 AM and FM commercial radio stations last year, the number of women programmers in the Top 100 markets is less than the national average at 11.23 %, a year-over-year increase of more than a percentage point from 2023.

More than 2,300 stations have a woman in a General Manager role (21.67%), a half point drop from last year, but indicative of growth of nearly 15% since 2004. In the Top 100 markets, 22.92% (792 stations) were managed by women, almost a full percentage point down from 2023, but still higher than the national average.

The study finds that Sales Manager roles are still the best management opportunities for women in the industry with 35.67% (3,663 stations) helmed by a woman Sales Manager in 2024, more than a full percentage point up from 34.37% in 2023. In the Top 100 markets, women in Sales Management roles grew almost eight per cent to 42.94% (2,048 stations), up from 35.16% in 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,” said MIW Board President Sheila Kirby, in a 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.”