WICT'S PAR Survey: Mixed Messages
Fewer Women Overall, But Some Parity In Cable
by K.C. Neel -- Multichannel News, 12/7/2009 2:00:00 AM
The overall percentage of women working in the cable industry continued to erode in 2009, but there was some good news in this year’s PAR Initiative Survey conducted for Women In Cable Telecommunications. Women have almost reached parity with men in the enterprise-sales arena, with their ranks reaching 44.3% in the industry’s business-to-business operations divisions.
“There has been steady growth for women in this category and it proves that when attention to hiring practices is paid to from the beginning, positive results will occur,” said Joanne Cleaver, who conducts the PAR — pay equity, advancement and resources for work/life balance — survey every year for WICT and Working Mother Media. “The B-to-B segment of the industry essentially started when PAR did in 2003 and a number of companies have worked hard to make sure that line of business was fully integrated. We told companies this was a rare opportunity to build equity from the ground up, and they listened. It’s a good narrative of how public and private conversations using the PAR survey have reshaped the industry.”
The latest survey also showed women have made substantial gains on the technology side of the business. Women comprised 22.4% of all technology employees in 2009, compared to 15.1% in 2008. Women of color in new media comprised 8.4% of all employees in technology, up from 8.3% last year. But women IT managers and project directors fell to 19.4% this year from 27.9% in 2008.
The number of women in senior executive roles rose to 25.1% in 2009, up from 22.8% in 2008. But while the bump is statistically significant, Cleaver said, the number of women with senior-executive positions is still down from the industry high of 28.6% in 2006. Other key metrics were also down from previous years. For instance, women comprised 35.5% of industry managers in 2009, the smallest percentage reported in the last five years, Cleaver said. Moreover, women represent 34.6% of middle managers in 2009, down from 35.4% last year. First-line managers fell to 34%, off from the 35.8% posted in last year’s survey results. The industry also significantly lags behind general industry as well, according to data from Working Mother Media. While women make up 35.7% of the total workforce in the cable industry, the average for industries followed by WWM is 53%.
“We wish the numbers were a bit better for cable than they are this year,” Cleaver said. “But given the economy, companies are in damage control right now and the numbers could be worse. Cuts are happening everywhere, including the cable industry right now.”
Despite a downturn in some key metrics, recently named WICT CEO Maria Brennan said the overall trends are positive. Brennan, who before joining WICT earlier this fall served as president of American Women in Radio and Television, said cable-industry executives grasp the idea that including women within their company ranks is good for business. But more can and will be done as WICT equips organizations with implementable best practices tailored to their corporate cultures, she noted.
Other organizations look at the media landscape and diversity as a whole, said Brennan, but only PAR is customized to foster gender diversity. The PAR Survey’s individual consultations are crucial to companies’ success, she added.
Cleaver agreed. “Each participating company receives a scorecard that benchmarks them against their peers and other industries,” she said. “We have extensive one-on-one conversations with representatives from every company and show them where they are excelling and where they are stalling. We also give them three ideas to help them get unstuck. They are all very receptive to that.
“The scorecards are very in-depth and completely customized and they are a powerful catalyst for change,” said Cleaver.
For the seventh consecutive year, Cox Communications was named the best operator in WICT’s PAR Survey. Discovery Communications, also a perennial top-scoring company, was deemed the best programmer in this year’s survey. After falling off the “best” list a year ago, Bright House Networks was again ranked among the best companies in the industry when it comes to its policies and practices in hiring, retaining and advancing women in the workplace. Bright House expanded its leadership circle to include 18 women this year. The elite program designed for top-tier middle managers is now in its fifth year, said Bright House corporate vice president of human resources Linda Chambers. Several participants have been promoted or given expanded responsibilities in the wake of participating in the program, Chambers said.
“The erosion we’ve seen in several PAR results can be reversed by continuing to develop a pipeline that cultivates female talent,” Brennan said. “We must challenge and train women in the field, providing them the opportunity to grow and lead. When the industry is intentional and equitable in its approach to attracting, retaining and advancing women, the results are impressive.”
The PAR study also singled out Bright House Networks for its efforts to expand the number of women in technology and new media jobs. And the operator has systematically expanded its telecommuting programs, which benefits all workers, but particularly those working in its call centers.
The top executives at Bright House take the PAR Survey very seriously every year, Chambers said. Results are combed over to determine what the company is doing well and what needs tweaking. “We all think we are doing the right things,” she said. “The PAR Survey actually shows us where we are strong and where we need help. It’s a powerful tool.”
HOW CABLE RATES
Cable vs. Working Mother Media statistics:
| Cable | WMM | |
| SOURCE: 2009 WICT PAR Survey |
||
| Women employees | 35.7% | 53% |
| Women managers | 35.5% | 49% |
| Women sr. execs | 25.1% | 38% |
WOMEN IN TECHNOLOGY
Female workers in cable, across sectors:
| 2008 | 2009 | |
| * Data was not yet calculated SOURCE: 2009 WICT PAR Survey |
||
| Tech employees * | 15.1% | 22.4% |
| Corp. HQ Technology | 24.7% | 27.8% |
| New media* | 36.8% | 36.1% |
| B2B tech support* | 36.8% | 44.3% |
| Engineering/project director* | 27.9% | 19.4% |
WOMEN OF COLOR
Female workers in cable, by category:
| 2008 | 2009 | |
| SOURCE: 2009 WICT PAR Survey |
||
| All workers | 15% | 15.6% |
| First-line managers | 13.5% | 13.3% |
| Senior managers | 4.6% | 4.5% |
2009 WICT PAR INITIATIVE
Best companies for women in cable:
| BEST OPERATORS | BEST PROGRAMMERS | PAY EQUITY | ADVANCEMENT | RESOURCES FOR WORK/LIFE SUPPORT |
| SOURCE: 2009 WICT Par Survey |
||||
| Cox Communications | Discovery Communications | Scripps Networks | Scripps Networks | Cox Communications |
| Time Warner Cable | Turner Broadcasting System | Turner Broadcasting System | Cox Communications | Discovery Communications |
| Comcast | NBC Universal | Discovery Communications | Comcast | Turner Broadcasting System |
| Bright House Networks | Scripps Networks | Cox Communications | Bright House Networks | NBC Universal |
| Suddenlink Communications | Lifetime Entertainment Services | ESPN | Turner Broadcasting System | Time Warner Cable |
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