Copyright © 2005 Journal of Media Business Studies. Erika Falk and Erin Grizard, “The ‘Glass
Ceiling’ Persists: Women Leaders in Communication Companies,” 2(1): 23-49 (2005).
The “Glass Ceiling” Persists:
Women Leaders in Communication Companies
Erika Falk
Johns Hopkins University
Erin Grizard
University of Pennsylvania
ABSTRACT
!
"
#
$ %
$
KEY WORDS: &
' (
)*+
, - ' ( #
'. / 0
( 12 )*+3 0 4
15$03 6 7 . 16 . 3
4 2 7 !
0 '
Falk and Grizard24
8
(
14 9 )* 3
- ))
, 9 " 9 : "
)) "
'"
( 1, - ; )) 3
0 <==> 9
! > ? ==
1@ . A , ; <==>3 <
))) 1 ))) 9 9 ; )))3
! <
6
'" ))= > ??+
<=
<
# ( 19
))B3 5 C
, " <=== ' %
( 1"
6 & , 9 ; <==<3 ! B>
D
9 !
+ == 1<=== 9
9 ; <===3
.
1- @ E F <==<3 ,"
=
' ?=
+= (
# !
" ))?
' +=
% # ( 19 ))B3
.
7
Journal of Media Business Studies 25
9
-
"
2 9 9 )*<
!
#
= .
! ) ! >
7
12
- C )*<3 0
WHY THE GLASS CEILING PERSISTS
"
4
: 4 9 $
!
'
# !
# ( 14 E $ ))*3
)*= '
(
" )==
5 C '
<* > G
(
14 ))BH B3 " #
% .
! 4
C
1: ))?3
&
"
Falk and Grizard26
2 , 9 9
'
( "
0 ))+ . - !
' ( "
?=
19 ))B3 4
, 9 9 ! 1B> 3 9D
B 1: ))?3
I ' !
#
( 19 ))B3 4
!
#
19 ))B3 : : 4 9 $
14 E
$ ))*3
"
' !
( 19 ))B3 9 C . .
! 1- ))?3
WOMEN-FRIENDLY HUMAN RESOURCES POLICIES
"
% 1$ 2 4
& ; <===3 D
'
( 1 . , <== 3 "
C C 4 4 0
14 0 3
%
%
1- @ E F <==<3 C
%
C
7 J
!
% 1- <== 3 I
% 0
7 B
Journal of Media Business Studies 27
<< !
+ 12
6 ; <==>3 ! " # $ % & $
'((( 19 E 5
<==>3 ! + % %
!
' ( 4 #
%
1 . , ; <== 3
@ #
% 1$ %C E <===3
0-4 % 1 3
1.
2 ; <==<3 " E $ 1 . @ 9 3
K*== === 14 7 3 & &
)*?
0 )+
14 7 3
5 C 7
1" <==>LC <==>3
5 C 0
5 C
= < 1
24 &" 2 4 & " <3 9
5 C L <==+
" 1" <==>L
C <==>3 " <=== *)
*+
1:
9 ; <==<3
" D 5
1" <==>LC <==>3 ,
+ 2 ? 6 +< C
)? B* *= 1" <==>3 C
1+ 3
1, 0 ; <==>3
C
"
@ '
( 1 >3
< 5 C 24 &" 24 &"
1' . , ( <== 3
Falk and Grizard28
%
=
K
14 7 3
1$ 2 4
& ; <===3
METHODS
. 7 7 ===
H 1 3
1 <==> 2 ==
0 <==>3 . ,D 1 6-93 2
D , 1 2 3
!
>
@
<==< .
<==< C
D 9 1CD93 =%F =%F
CD9
0
A .
=%F 2 $ 000 0 = 1@
D : 3 0 14 & 5C"
& >3 =%F
=%
F . =%F
.
0
7
.
7 :
"
7
-
-
7
> 2 ,D
6-9L
# 6-9
Journal of Media Business Studies 29
5
!
I
!
!
$
H' ( ' (
' ( ' ( '
( ' ( ' (
' ( ' ( ' (
' ( ' ( ' ( ' (
' ( ' ( '
( ' ( '
( ' ( ' ( '
( ' ( ' ( '
( ' ( ' ( '
(
.
C >% "
<==> . 7
.
#
9
9
1
3 .
% B 1?= 3 2
1@ " E " E . C " & >
9 3 *
H 9 F %: . $ 9
: @ " " , C 9
$ @ M E 9 0 . 9 C -
9 - 4 %, %4 , % N , 0 6
9 9 7 9 9 4 & 5C"
. 9 , ?
H C-9 9 0 C O 9
9 9 9 0@ P 9 .
. E @ C . 1 " &
. 3 ,D "4 9 D : : @ E C 4 %.
D . C 6 Q 9 :
Falk and Grizard30
6
2 <
1 ? 3
1+ 3 *
1*> 3
. 7
17
3
1
% % !
%
3 4
R
? B
.
# 2 4
& " 124 &"3 .
D
<*
==
"
# 0
# %
% >+
# 9 4 %
.
#
?
$
+ == # 0
1$ 3
C
1 $ 3
.
2 #
H
@
S<T T =T
< 2
+ 1
Journal of Media Business Studies 31
3
# S <T T =T U.
#
+ 2
# * V
> 9 1
1$ 33 S <T
T A A=T
+ @
S<T T
=T
@ 1
24 &" 3S <T T
=T
$
= . #
1 3
0 1 3
%
1 3
1 3 1 3
# 1 3 .
WOMEN IN EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP
. <==<
==+
#
1 = 7 3 6
! C
9 # =
C B 1 < 3
<
<==< 5 C , " : , 9
+=
4
== === .
2 D , ,D 1 6-93 !
Falk and Grizard32
Table 1: Top Companies for Women in Executive Leadership
Industry Company Number of
Executives
Number of
Women
Executives
Percentage of
Women
Executives
Publishing Scholastic Corporation 16 8 50%
Telecom Verizon Comm. 28 9 32%
Publishing Belo Corp. 26 8 31%
Entertainment Viacom Inc. 10 3 30%
Publishing R.R. Donnelley & Sons 24 7 29%
Publishing New York Times Co. 21 6 29%
Telecom Qwest Communications 14 4 29%
Telecom SBC Communications 88 24 27%
Telecom Cox Communications 61 16 26%
Publishing Knight-Ridder 23 6 26%
Publishing Gannett Co., Inc. 32 8 25%
Telecom Charter Comm. 16 4 25%
Publishing Washington Post Co. 12 3 25%
Telecom WilTel Communications 4 1 25%
Table 2: Lowest Ranking Companies for Women in Executive
Leadership
Industry Company Number of
Executives
Number of
Women
Executives
Percent of
Women
Executives
Telecom NTL Europe 5 0 0%
Publishing Mail-Well 12 0 0%
Publishing McGraw-Hill 9 0 0%
Entertainment Fox Entertainment
Group
7 0 0%
Entertainment AMC Entertainment 15 0 0%
Advertising Omnicom 10 0 0%
Advertising Grey Global 8 0 0%
1'" 6 & , 9 ; ( <==<3
<==
+ 1
3 1. 4 ; <== 3
By Industry
$
$ = C
9 = 4 %. 4 , %I 1C
>3
Journal of Media Business Studies 33
Table 3: Average Number of Women in Top Executive Positions by
Industry
Industry Percent of Women 2002
Publishing 18%
Telecommunications 16%
Entertainment 13%
Advertising 3%
Total (all companies) 15%
" %
7
1! > 3 . *
0 , 6
1 , , 3
2 N 7 ><
6 & D
2 N
0 >= "4 9 D 2 D
,
!
<= 0
J
1<=== 9 9 ; <===3
0
#
* <
>
Past Year Comparisons
D 2 == .
<== +
<==< +
$
< <= >
.
1
3
<=== < <== <==<
Falk and Grizard34
Table 4: Average Number of Women in Top Executive Positions for
Companies in the Study Both Years
Industry Percent of Women 2002 Percent of Women 2001
Publishing 20% 21%
Telecommunications 15% 13%
Entertainment 11% 14%
Total Average (all companies) 15% 14%
" %
Clout Titles
9 7
'
( 19 9 4
, ; <==<3 H9 9 D
19D 3 N 9 $ 9 19 3 C
D N $ D N $
.
" < +
== 1+ 3 +=
1* 3 C-9 9
<+
1+? 3 B
+= 1+< 3 ><* 1 3
,D
* <> 1> 3 " *
=
?B 1 3 >+* 1> 3
C 9
+ * 1 = 3 " ?*
<=* 1>> 3 <+B
1 3
Table 5: Percentage of Executives with Clout Titles by Industry
Industry Percent of Women Who Have
Clout Titles Among
Executive Women
Percent of Women Who Have
Clout Titles Among
All Executives
Telecommunications 41% 8%
Entertainment 42% 5%
Publishing 15% 3%
Advertising 0% 0%
All 32% 5%
Journal of Media Business Studies 35
Women on Boards of Directors
.
2 7
< > ?
9 == 4 1F
<==>3 @
> B 1 * 3
"
!
? B
2 299 9 C 6
" 6
*
Table 6: Companies in Which Women Comprise at Least 25% of Board
Industry Company Number of
Board
Members
Number of
Women on
Board
Percent of
Women
on Board
Publishing New York Times Co. 13 4 31%
Telecom SBC Communications 21 6 29%
Publishing Scholastic Corporation 15 4 27%
Telecom Echostar Comm. 4 1 25%
Publishing Gannett Co., Inc. 8 2 25%
Table 7: Companies with No Women on Board
Industry Company Number of
Board
Members
Number of
Women on
Board
Percent of
Women on
Board
Telecom NTL Europe 5 0 0%
Telecom Level 3 Communications 13 0 0%
Telecom IDT 5 0 0%
Telecom XO Communications 7 0 0%
Telecom WilTel Communications
Group
10 0 0%
Entertainment Regal Entertainment
Group
10 0 0%
Entertainment Liberty Media 7 0 0%
Entertainment AMC Entertainment 8 0 0%
Entertainment Fox Entertainment Group 7 0 0%
Advertising Grey Global 4 0 0%
Falk and Grizard36
Table 8: Boards with Two or More Women
Industry Company Number of
Board
Members
Number of
Women on
Board
Percent of
Women on
Board
Telecom SBC Communications 21 6 29%
Publishing New York Times Co. 13 4 31%
Publishing Scholastic Corporation 15 4 27%
Entertainment Walt Disney 17 4 24%
Publishing Tribune Company 15 3 20%
Entertainment GE 17 3 18%
Publishing Gannett Co., Inc. 8 2 25%
Telecom AT&T 9 2 22%
Publishing Banta 9 2 22%
Publishing American Greetings 9 2 22%
Publishing Deluxe 9 2 22%
Publishing Knight-Ridder 10 2 20%
Publishing Mail-Well 10 2 20%
Telecom Broadwing (name
changed to Cinncinatti
Belll in 2003)
11 2 18%
Publishing R.R. Donnelley & Sons 11 2 18%
Advertising Omnicom Group 11 2 18%
Telecom BellSouth 12 2 17%
Publishing E.W. Scripps 12 2 17%
Publishing McGraw-Hill 13 2 15%
Telecom Telephone & Data Sys. 14 2 14%
Publishing Dow Jones & Co. 14 2 14%
Telecom Verizon Communications 15 2 13%
Entertainment Viacom Inc. 20 2 10%
By Industry
$
*
=
"
) * 1 )3
Table 9: Average Percentage of Women on Boards by Industry
Industry Percent of Women in 2002
Publishing 18%
Telecommunications 10%
Advertising 9%
Entertainment 8%
Total (all companies) 12%
" %
Journal of Media Business Studies 37
Past Year Comparisons
9 ==
2 ==
7
>
Table 10: Average Number of Women on Boards for Companies in the
Study Both Years
Industry Percent of Women 2002 Percent of Women 2001
Publishing 17% 18%
Telecommunications 11% 11%
Entertainment 9% 10%
Total (all companies) 13% 13%
" %
0 ! 1
3
= =
0 <==
= . 9 " 9
==
& > 9 " E
. C . . . 9 ,
.
"
O
9
P 9
7 <==< 1M :
9 3 C 6 <==< 19 <==> $
C <==>3
<==< ' , 9 D C H < " "$$9
" . & 9 9 (
-
$
Falk and Grizard38
"
* 9
: : @ E C "
, 4 %. . 9 C - @ .
* B
6 Q 9 19
M C 7 3 . $ 9 1" 4 : 3
9 <==< 1@
I F 9 3 , 9 0 : @
" - 9 F %:
1$ 4 3
<== <==<
< *
==
5C"
6 <
0 : D & 4
6
=
) 9 9
1$ : 3L2 D
WOMEN-FRIENDLY HUMAN RESOURCES POLICIES
Benefits Offered
0
O
. + 1
% % !
%
3 .
C #
.
Journal of Media Business Studies 39
1 B <
3
: >
% ! 1 <
<3
%
1 3
1 9
"3 # 7
19 -3
#
19 93
Table 11: Average Percentage of Executives: Respondents vs. Non-
respondents
Industry Respondents Non-
respondents
Publishing 19% 11%
Telecommunications 17% 14%
Advertising No Response to Survey 3%
Entertainment 10% 15%
Total 17% 12%
" %
Table 12: Average Percentage of Women on Boards: Respondents vs.
Non-respondents
Industry Respondents Non-
respondents
Publishing 17% 21%
Telecommunications 9% 12%
Advertising No Response to Survey 9%
Entertainment 9% 7%
Total 13% 12%
" %
" %
1)B
3 %
?
Falk and Grizard40
Table 13: Percentage of Companies Offering Benefits
Benefit Percent of
Companies Offering
Some Employees the
Benefit
Percent of
Companies Offering
All Employees the
Benefit
Early Education Pre-Tax Expenses
(All Companies)
97% 97%
Publishing 100% 100%
Entertainment 100% 100%
Telecommunications 93% 93%
Annual Gynecological Exams Covered
(All Companies)
100% 97%
Publishing 100% 100%
Entertainment 100% 100%
Telecommunications 100% 93%
Birth Control Covered (All Companies) 94% 94%
Publishing 100% 100%
Entertainment 100% 100%
Telecommunications 86% 86%
Mammogram Covered (All Companies) 97% 91%
Publishing 93% 87%
Entertainment 100% 100%
Telecommunications 100% 93%
Part-Time Work (All Companies) 97% 91%
Publishing 93% 87%
Entertainment 100% 100%
Telecommunications 100% 93%
Sick Days for Sick Children (All
Companies)
97% 65%
Publishing 93% 60%
Entertainment 100% 80%
Telecommunications 100% 64%
Paid Maternity Leave (All Companies) 76% 65%
Publishing 67% 53%
Entertainment 60% 60%
Telecommunications 86% 71%
Same-Sex Partner Covered (All
Companies)
65% 56%
Publishing 67% 60%
Entertainment 100% 100%
Telecommunications 50% 36%
Flextime (All Companies) 85% 50%
Publishing 93% 47%
Entertainment 60% 20%
Telecommunications 86% 64%
Journal of Media Business Studies 41
Infertility Covered (All Companies) 68% 38%
Publishing 60% 47%
Entertainment 80% 40%
Telecommunications 71% 31%
Part-Time Benefits (All Companies) 74% 41%
Publishing 80% 40%
Entertainment 80% 60%
Telecommunications 64% 36%
Telecommuting (All Companies) 68% 26%
Publishing 67% 27%
Entertainment 60% 20%
Telecommunications 71% 29%
Job Sharing (All Companies) 32% 15%
Publishing 27% 20%
Entertainment 20% 20%
Telecommunications 43% 7%
Onsite Early Education (All Companies) 12% 6%
Publishing 7% 7%
Entertainment 20% 20%
Telecommunications 14% 0%
" %. '@ ( #
2
D %
=
0
J % J %
Top Scoring Companies
. =%< #
+ <*
9 C-9 9
9 - *)J==
. 1 " & . 3 @ M E
9 0 C 1 +3
9 - @ M E
9 0 9 "
9 C-9 9 C "
. 6-9 1
,D3
Falk and Grizard42
Table 14: Top Scoring Companies for Women-Friendly Benefits
Industry Company Score
Telecom Comcast 89/100
Publishing Company B6
89/100
Telecom SBC Communications 89/100
Telecom Time Warner 86/100
Publishing Dow Jones & Company, Inc. 86/100
Telecom Sprint 82/100
.
B+J== ?)J== ?*J==
Table 15: Average Score for Benefit Availability
Industry Average Score
Entertainment 74%
Telecom 69%
Publishing 68%
Advertising No Responses to Survey
" %. '@ ( #
0
%
#
# .
#
.
9 =%<
1
3 2
- 9 9 @
M E 9 0 F %: 1 3
== )* B=
? 9 #
Journal of Media Business Studies 43
Industry Company Score
Publishing Company C7
100/100
Publishing Dow Jones & Company, Inc. 98/100
Publishing Knight-Ridder 70/100
! 1)+ 3
4 1?* 3
I 1 ?
= 3
*
? *
== < ?= 1
3
0 C-9 9 9 6-9
1 ,D3 F %: @ M E 9 0
9 9
J 24 &"
9 9 !
0
==
* %
== 1
3
$
)
6
<=
B 9
* ==
+ 1 # 3 has been with the
company for 1 year. We considered 4 weeks at full pay the equivalent of 8 weeks at half pay, etc.
Falk and Grizard44
Table 17: Percentage of Companies Offering Specific Benefit
Benefit Percent of Companies
Offering Benefit to Some
Employees
Percent of Companies
Offering Benefit to All
Employees
Maternity Leave (All Companies) 97% 94%
Telecom 93% 93%
Publishing 100% 100%
Entertainment 100% 80%
Pay While on Maternity Leave
(All Companies)
68% 50%
Telecom 64% 36%
Publishing 73% 60%
Entertainment 60% 60%
Ability to Use Additional Leave
(e.g. vacation, sick time)
(All Companies)
79% 68%
Telecom 86% 64%
Publishing 67% 60%
Entertainment 100% 100%
Parental Leave Beyond Maternity
(All Companies)
21% 12%
Telecom 14% 7%
Publishing 27% 13%
Entertainment 20% 0%
Paternity Benefit (All Companies) 12% 9%
Telecom 7% 7%
Publishing 20% 13%
Entertainment 0% 0%
" %. '@ ( #
9 4 %.
# 9
Table 18: Average Percentage of Maternity Benefits Offered by Industry
Industry Average Score for Maternity Benefits Offered
Telecom 48/100
Advertising No Responses to Survey
Publishing 57/100
Entertainment 52/100
" %. '@ ( #
Journal of Media Business Studies 45
Correlations
.
0
%
1 T <3
1 T> 3
1 T<<3 "
.
@
% S 9D
!
S0
CONCLUSIONS
0
< 4
6
!
!
0
=
!
.
9D
1: ))?3 "
#
19 ))B3 "
0 : :
& C : : 9D
Falk and Grizard46
1: ))B3 !
%
C
1: ))B3
2 299 9 C 6
1C <== 3 6
C
#
D
0
'" ))>
C $ ==
%
(14 9 )* 3
REFERENCES
" 4 4 & H5 C N D LD " )
! * " <> <==> ?
- & : @ " F 0 . 2 & H"
I " HD C % = - H4 0 <==<
- : . & 4 D $ %% C A9 AC 0
& & ! <* ))?
- : M 7 N . D C
4 $ . + $ <= +
1<== 3H>+?% +
9 0 & C . - . " , 9 . S
" 2 = ))B <+
9 1 )))3 )))9 9 . - @ 2 ===
6 Q H9
Journal of Media Business Studies 47
9 1<===3 <=== 9 9 . 9 D %+)
6 Q H9
9 1<== 3 <== 9 9 . - @ % + 6 Q H
9
9 1<==<3 9 9 4 , 6 . 9
" A & == 9 6 Q H9
9 D & F $ 5 6 9 C HD
- $ 0 5 C <=== . @9H 5 C
@ & <==>
9 <==> $ C <==> U 6 <==>V "
HJJ J 7 ST * ) E T % " W
@ . A , - : " A 9 -
0 6 Q H9 <==>
2 6 HI == - 9 9 :
<==> ?<
2 - C %?+ D & 4 HD&:" , )*<
2 9 $ <==> U 6 <==>V "
HJJ J J ! S T E T 7 E
T
2 1<==>3 <==> 2 ==H0 H" 2 <==> U M
<==>V " HJJ J J ==J J
= ?B+> ==
2 1<==>3 <==> 2 ==H0 HD 2 <==> U
M <==>V " HJJ J J ==J
J= ?B+> <= ==
2 1<==>3 <==> 2 ==H0 H $ $ 2 <==>
U M <==>V " HJJ J J ==J
J= ?B+> = ==
2 1<==>3 <==> 2 ==H 0 H 2 <==>
U M <==>V " HJJ J J ==J
J= ?B+> * ==
2 6 1 )*+3 9 H- " C %0
4
Falk and Grizard48
, 0 4 : $ I " $ 1<==>3 " 2 $
4 >
, - H 4 2 5 6 A I 9 1 )) 3 %<+>
. @ 9 H2 , 9 9
F $ 1<==>3 9 - C & . " @ + =
4 : 2 9 $ 1 ))*3 C C D
C HA4 " " C A , >1 3H
<B
4 7 4 1<==>3 . & $ : - - U V I:
U * <==>V " HJJ J X J
X X X X X
4 9 $ 1 )* 3 . A . H 6 A M .
5 $ 0 4
4 - C 1 ))B3 . 4 - 4 0 . 2 > B
" 6 & , 9 H. " . H C .
4 C 0 1<==<3 % ? . @ 9 H5 C ,
"
$ 2 4 & HD C . . 4 1<===3 0
2 C H0 . A $ :
$ %C M D 9 - 1<===3 . %2 I : $
7 $ +>1?3H
=B% *
: : 1 ))?3 , 9 . . A C U M <
<==>V " 7 J
: 9 H9 2 & - H" U V1<==<3
6 $ . 2 U * <==>V "
HJJ J S& T<=<E@- T@ E6
0 0@T>
C & 1<== 3 $ 6 : SH : .
- 9 D%9 BH " $
$ 9 5 $
C M 1<==>3 C : - $ I - H9 $ 2
4 & - " M B <
Journal of Media Business Studies 49
. , H" 6 - C - . 9 1<== 3 %
H0 . A $ :
. 4 H" C @ 9 $ C
1<== 3 %<> . @ 9 H5 C , "
. 2 H, - U V1<==<3 6 $ .
2 U = <==>V "
HJJ J S& T*E&<T =E, 0@T+ E" 0@
T*E920@T<? <<<*E92 FD6T?<+ =)>?
50