With Women in Radio, Meaghan Taylor is making airwaves more representative.
Meaghan Taylor doesn’t need a microphone to be a force in radio. As the digital content producer for “The Steve Harvey Morning Show,” the Florida A&M graduate and Buckhead resident oversees social media, blogs and other online materials for the syndicated radio program and its more than 100 affiliates.
But she has broader influence as the founder and chief marketing officer for Women in Radio, an organization that uses networking, mentorship, internships and job placement to address the gender disparity in an industry where men hold 60% of the jobs.
Founded in 2016, Women in Radio drew 175 attendees from 20 states to Atlanta Tech Village for its eighth annual conference in March and presented its inaugural Trailblazer Award to Thea Mitchem, the executive vice president for programming at iHeartMedia.
Taylor, 32, spoke with Simply Buckhead about Women in Radio’s successes and opportunities.
What drew you to radio?
I actually went to school to be the next Nancy Grace, which is definitely out of my character because I’m so shy. I wasn’t allowed on TV news until I got to a certain year at the university. So I just ended up at a radio interest meeting instead, and I fell in love with college radio.
Why did you start Women in Radio?
It was mostly about making new friends. Most of my friends were in the health care field, and they just didn’t understand everything we have to go through. I needed mentorship, but most importantly friends who understood what it was like.
Is the gender disparity worse for women of color?
I would say so, yes, because I feel like they are seen in music like R&B or hip-hop. We don’t see many in the pop or country field or actually leading stations or being in any corporate structure. And what’s crazy is that women are the main consumers of radio. Who knows better what a woman would like than a woman?
What progress have you seen since 2016?
I know a lot of women who have been following us for years now who are starting to get those program director contracts or full-time contracts, which is a big thing. So many people working in the industry are just part time and not getting paid for their work.
How can the industry keep making progress?
They should be looking at what we’re doing. We’re making strangers into mentors and mentees. Imagine what they could do internally. I also think it starts with the colleges. We don’t really have an opportunity to take a class about the [radio] industry where we can be prepared for those roles.
What are your goals for Women in Radio and for yourself?
I would love to be back in the classroom in some way. For a brief time, I was working for the Connecticut School of Broadcasting teaching radio and social media. I would like to do that in a university or local college level. I would also like to partner with the city of Atlanta in the next five years to help with media training for any girls or boys who would be interested in doing that when they’re older. I would love to make Women in Radio my fulltime job, where I’m able to do more with the younger generation.
MEAGHAN TAYLOR
@itsmeagtaylor
WOMEN IN RADIO
womeninradio.org
@womeninradio
STEVE HARVEY FM
steveharveyfm.com
@steveharveyfm
