Mentoring and Inspiring Women in Radio, Inc. (MIW), a designated 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to advancing female leadership in radio broadcasting, has released the results of its 25th Annual Gender Analysis Study. For a quarter century, MIW has compiled and analyzed the number of women rising to management roles within the radio industry, providing one of the longest-running benchmarks of female leadership progress in broadcasting. The study specifically tracks women holding General Manager, Sales Manager, and Program Director/Brand Manager positions.
The MIW Gender Analysis Study, based on raw data collected by PrecisionTrak from all U.S.-based commercial radio stations, has been published annually since the organization’s founding in 2000. The figures and percentages shown below represent calendar year 2025 and reflect 11,215 AM and FM radio stations across America, as accounted for by PrecisionTrak as of December 31, 2025.*
General Managers: 22.07% (2366 stations) had women holding the General Manager position in 2025. This is a slight increase from last year where the number was 21.67% and compared to 2004 continues to show solid growth when the percentage of female General Managers was only 14.9%.
In the Top 100 markets, 24.09% (784 stations) were managed by women, which is almost a 5% increase from 2024 and still continues to run higher than the national average.
Sales Managers: Overall, the best management opportunities for women in radio continues to be in sales management. 35.31% (3561 stations) had a woman Sales Manager in 2025 which is basically flat from 35.67% in 2024.
In the Top 100 markets, the numbers continue to run ahead of the national average at 37.61% (1156 stations) although they showed a decline from 2024 which was 42.94% .
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 13.02% (289 stations) which is a slight gain from 12.38% in 2024.
In the Top 100 markets, the numbers are greater than the national average as female programmers now represent 15.25% of the total number of Program Directors/Brand Managers, which is a major increase from 11.23% from 2024.
“Twenty-five years of data give us clarity,” said MIW Board President Sheila Kirby. “We are encouraged to see movement in General Manager and Programming roles, particularly within the Top 100 markets. At the same time, flat growth in sales leadership and the continued underrepresentation of women in programming nationally remind us that progress is not automatic. Sustainable advancement requires intention. MIW remains committed to mentoring, advocating, and creating pathways for women to lead at every level of the industry.”
*All information provided by PrecisionTrak is subject to limitations of data provided by radio companies. The analysis is dependent upon the accuracy and completeness of PrecisionTrak (Precisiontrak.com) data as of December 31, 2025
