New Study Reveals “Woeful” Lack of Diversity in Top Podcasts



Podcast Diversity Report Reveals Major Gaps

A new USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative study shows that top U.S. podcasts still lack meaningful diversity—especially compared to leading TV, film, and music.

Key findings:

  • 64% of hosts on top 2024 U.S. podcasts are men.
  • Video podcasts skew even more male, with the biggest imbalance in business & tech—92% male-hosted.
  • Women-hosted shows still feature mostly male guests (54%).
  • True crime is the only category with a female-majority of hosts (53%),
    but it remains 90% white, making it one of the least racially diverse genres.

Researchers describe the lack of non-white representation as “woeful”, underscoring the need for broader inclusion across the industry.


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