Slight Gains for Women in Radio Management in '07

As of November 2007, women managed 15.9 percent of the 10,625 AM and FM radio stations in the U.S., according to the latest "General Manager Gender Analysis Study" from the Mentoring and Inspiring Women in Radio group. That's a slight gain from 2006's 15.3 percent -- and the number was better in the top 100 markets, where 16.7 percent of 2,222 stations are managed by women.

At the 126 broadcast groups owning 12 or more stations -- a total of 4,926 stations -- 18.8 percent of GMs are women, up from 17.3 percent back in 2002.

Looking at the five largest groups, 21.7 percent of Clear Channel's GMs at its 1,017 stations are women, while CBS, Citadel, Cumulus, and Entercome, with a collective 834 stations, average 18.2 percent female GMs. Citadel, with 25 percent female GMs, and Entercom, with 20 percent, are above the average.

"Overall, the latest statistics are encouraging to women currently working in and aspiring to senior management positions in the radio industry," said MIW Radio group spokeswoman Heidi Raphael. "It is our hope this gain will increase more substantively and more quickly as we move forward."

At the 10 groups that own from 50 to 99 stations (a total of 685 stations), the study found 16.8 percent female GMs, down from averages of more than 20 percent over the past five years. But in that group, Univision, with 27.8 percent; Nassau Broadcasting, at 27.3 percent; Radio One, with 26.3 percent, and Gap West, with 25 percent female GMs, come in above the average.

The highest percentage of female GMs was found at the 21 groups that own 30-49 stations, 23.1 percent, with four groups -- Bi-Coastal Media, ABC, Pamal, and Beasley -- having women in 30 percent of GM posts.

In the 33 groups that own 20-29 stations -- 759 stations -- the average is 17.1 percent female GMs, and in the 57 groups with 12-19 stations (841 stations), 16.5 percent of GMs are women.

Overall, 39 groups, representing 734 stations, list no female general managers at all.

The "Gender Analysis Study" is based on information provided by M Street Publications.