CMT has partnered with media research company Coleman Insights to gather more data regarding the lack of airplay female artists receive on country radio.
In the new equal play research study conducted in partnership by the two organizations, it’s reported that 84 percent of the 1,000 listeners polled between the ages of 25-54 want equal airplay on radio for female artists, while seven out of 10 listeners want to have more female artists in country music.
Additionally, 72 percent of listeners said they hear more songs by men than women on country radio, while 44 percent responded that they would be “very interested” in a radio station that highlights women. More than half said they don’t have a gender preference when it comes to the artists they listen to.
“When we approached Coleman Insights about this specific line of research, we were shocked to learn no one had ever commissioned data on the listeners themselves. CMT took it directly to the fans and what we found couldn’t have been more clear: listeners want equal play and women do want to hear women on the radio,” CMT Senior Vice President of Music & Talent Leslie Fram explains.
“This tells us country music fans want to hear good songs period. But it also tells us that we are training listeners not to hear female voices. Without creating an equal playing field, fans don’t know what they are missing,” she continues. “This is about a balance of gender and diversity. It’s essential for all voices to be heard.”
The new study comes roughly one month after CMT put into effect its 50/50 video airplay initiative, meaning that its 29 primetime videos hours are split equally between female and male artists.
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