Minority representation in the radio news workforce held flat at 16.6% in 2026, unchanged from a year earlier and down from a record 21.5% two years ago, according to the latest RTDNA/Newhouse School at Syracuse University Survey.
Hispanic/Latino and Native American representation both rose this year, while African American and Asian American numbers fell. Minority radio news directors increased to 8.8%, still below the brief high of two years ago. Native American and Asian American news directors both reported zero this year.
Men continued to outnumber women in radio newsrooms. Both shares declined modestly — men to 56.1% and women to 42.1% — as the survey recorded non-binary respondents for the first time, at 1.8% of the workforce. Women general managers fell back to 23.6% after a gain the previous year. Women news directors gained ground in major and medium markets but lost ground in small and large markets.
LGBTQ+ representation continued a multi-year rise. Stations reporting LGBTQ+ staff members climbed to 24.8%, up from 15% when the question was first asked four years ago. Transgender representation held at 17.3%, with commercial stations reporting transgender staff for the first time. Market size remained a strong predictor across nearly every measure, with major markets consistently reporting the highest representation.
The annual survey, conducted in the fourth quarter of 2025, drew responses from more than 1,100 television stations and nearly 600 radio stations. It is supported by the S. I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University and the Radio Television Digital News Association.