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Mentoring and Inspiring Women in Radio has released the results of its 25th Annual Gender Analysis Study, tracking the number of women in senior management roles across U.S. commercial radio stations for the calendar year 2025. MIW said the study is based on raw data compiled by PrecisionTrak and covers 11,215 AM and FM stations in the United States as of Dec. 31, 2025. The annual report tracks women serving as general managers, sales managers and program directors or brand managers.
MIW said 22.07% of stations — 2,366 outlets — had a woman serving as general manager in 2025, compared with 21.67% in 2024. The organization noted that in 2004, women held 14.9% of general manager roles. In the Top 100 markets, 24.09% of stations — 784 outlets — were managed by women in 2025, a figure MIW said remains above the national average.
Sales management remains the strongest area of female leadership, according to MIW. In 2025, 35.31% of stations — 3,561 outlets — had a woman serving as sales manager, compared with 35.67% in 2024. In the Top 100 markets, 37.61% of stations — 1,156 outlets — had female sales managers, although MIW said that figure declined from 42.94% in 2024.
The most challenging areas
Program director and brand manager roles remain the most challenging areas for female representation. MIW reported that women held 13.02% of those positions in 2025 — 289 stations — up from 12.38% in 2024. In the Top 100 markets, women accounted for 15.25% of programmers, compared with 11.23% in 2024.
Sheila Kirby, board president of MIW, said the 25-year dataset provides perspective on long-term industry trends. “Twenty-five years of data give us clarity. 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,” Kirby said.
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