205: Women Are Underrepresented in Podcasting—Here's How We Change It

What if I told you women make up less than 30% of podcast hosts and only about 6–7% of audio engineers?

As this show turns five years old and we head into International Women’s Day, I wanted to pause our usual programming and have a more honest conversation about something I can’t ignore anymore: women love podcasts, but we’re still massively underrepresented behind the mic and behind the scenes.

After nine years in the audio industry—editing, producing, strategizing, and building shows—I’ve seen the patterns. The audience doesn’t match the leadership. That gap isn’t about talent. It’s about access and confidence.

Clocking In with Haylee Gaffin is produced by Gaffin Creative, a podcast production company for creative entrepreneurs. Learn more about our services at Gaffincreative.com, plus you’ll also find resources, show notes, and more for the Clocking In Podcast.

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The Numbers Behind Women in Podcasting

I’m a numbers person. I like context. I like facts. Not because they define us, but because they help us understand what we’re working with.

Across music production and audio engineering roles, women make up less than 10% of producers and engineers. According to the Recording Academy’s Women in the Mix study, women represent 21% of artists, 12.6% of songwriters, and only 2.6% of producers. In 2018, fewer than 5% of audio engineers were women. By 2024, that number had grown to about 7%, based on research shared by Women’s Audio Mission and Northwestern University.

Yes, that is progress. But it is painfully slow.

When we look specifically at podcasting, the pattern continues. Less than 29% of podcast creators are women, according to Sounds Profitable. In the top 100 podcasts, men host around 64% of those shows, while women host roughly 30%, based on data from USC Annenberg.

And here’s the statistic that really stays with me: women make up nearly half of podcast listeners—about 47%.

The audience is there. The loyalty is there. The interest is clearly there.

So what’s creating the gap?

It’s Not a Talent Problem

According to Sounds Profitable’s 2025 Creators Report, women are less likely to start podcasts—but more likely to stick with them once they do.

That tells us everything.

There isn’t a commitment problem. There isn’t a creativity problem. There isn’t a capability problem. If anything, the data suggests that when women start, they stay consistent.

The issue is access and confidence.

When you don’t see yourself reflected in production roles, engineering positions, or hosting the top-charting shows, it subtly reinforces the question: “Am I qualified to do this?” Even if you logically know you are capable, representation shapes what feels possible.

Podcasting may feel accessible on the surface—and it is—but the deeper industry structure doesn’t always mirror the diversity of the audience.

My Perspective From Inside the Audio Industry

This conversation feels personal because I’ve lived it.

I’ve spent nine years inside the audio space. This podcast just turned five years old. And at Gaffin Creative, we are a team of women building shows every single day.

One of us is formally educated in audio production. Two of us are self-taught—learning through experimentation, trial and error, and hands-on experience. We lean heavily on Megan, our formally trained audio producer, because when someone understands their craft deeply, you let them shine.

But what I’ve learned is this: there is more than one valid path into audio.

Formal education matters. Self-teaching is valid. Curiosity builds skill. Collaboration builds excellence. The industry doesn’t benefit from gatekeeping; it benefits from shared knowledge and open doors.

The barrier to entry is often lower than we allow it to be in our minds.

Why Podcasting Is Still a Powerful Entry Point

Podcasting is still relatively young compared to traditional media like radio or television. That youth matters because it means the structure is still forming. The leadership is still evolving. The rules are still being written.

You don’t need a broadcasting degree to start a podcast. You don’t need a “radio voice.” You don’t need access to a professional studio. You can record from anywhere with the right gear.

More importantly, you don’t need to sound like anyone else.

Your lived experience is not something to minimize—it is what differentiates you. The way you think, speak, and tell stories is what makes your show distinct.

Sounds Profitable reports that one in six podcast consumers becomes a creator. About 17% of listeners attempt to create a podcast. People are making the leap every single day.

In my opinion, women absolutely belong in that 17%.

This Isn’t About Pushing Anyone Out

I want to be very clear about something.

This is not a “men are the problem” conversation. I have worked with incredible men in this industry—hosts, producers, engineers, collaborators, and listeners. Many of them have supported my work and the work of my team generously.

This isn’t about replacing anyone. It’s about widening the path.

We don’t want fewer men in podcasting. We want more women who feel empowered and equipped to step in. There is room for all of us. Expanding opportunity does not require exclusion.

The Quiet Questions Women Ask

Over the past five years of hosting this show, I’ve heard variations of the same questions from women:

“Could I actually do this?”
“Do I know enough?”
“Is my voice good enough?”
“Is anyone going to listen?”
“Should I keep going?”

Underneath all of those questions is something deeper: am I allowed to take up space like this?

If you are listening and wondering whether you could start a podcast, I want you to hear this clearly: yes, you can.

And if you already started but feel stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure what comes next, that doesn’t mean you failed. It means you’re at a decision point. Sometimes you need strategy. Sometimes you need support. Sometimes you just need space to think clearly.

Clarity can change everything.

How We Begin Shifting the Industry

Big change rarely happens overnight. But it does happen through individual decisions compounded over time.

The industry shifts when more women decide to start. It shifts when women step into production roles. It shifts when women mentor other women. It shifts when knowledge is shared openly instead of guarded tightly.

Confidence isn’t something you wait around for. It is built through action. You gain confidence by publishing the first episode, then the second, then the tenth. You gain confidence by editing messy audio and learning how to fix it. You gain confidence by doing.

You don’t need permission to enter this space.

You don’t need perfect equipment.
You don’t need a flawless strategy on day one.
You don’t need to feel completely ready.

You just need to start.

If You’re Thinking About Starting—or Stopping

If you’ve been thinking about starting a podcast, consider this your invitation to explore it seriously. Not because you should follow a trend, but because your voice might serve someone in a way no one else’s can.

And if you’re thinking about ending your show, that conversation deserves just as much thoughtfulness. Sometimes the right move is a pivot. Sometimes it’s a pause. Sometimes it’s a full stop. The key is making that decision from clarity rather than burnout.

If this episode resonated with you, my DMs are open. If you’re thinking about starting, let’s talk. If you’re unsure whether to keep going, let’s talk that through too.

At Gaffin Creative, we support podcasters with editing, full production, content repurposing, strategy, and growth planning. But more than anything, we support you behind the mic.

Because this industry changes when more women decide to step into it.

And five years into hosting this show, I believe that more strongly than ever.

Find It Quickly:

Celebrating 5 years of Clocking In (1:08)

The stats of women behind the mic (2:22)

Women in podcasting (3:21)

The team of women at Gaffin Creative (4:15)

Bringing more women in (not kicking men out) (5:18)

Women belong in the podcasting space (6:18)

Mentioned in this Episode:

Recording Academy Women in the Mix: grammy.com/news/women-in-the-mix-study-2022

Northwestern University Breaking The Sound Ceiling: northwestu.edu/blog/breaking-the-sound-ceiling