CMT to have equal parity for female artists when it comes to broadcasting music videos, effective immediately
Country Music Television (CMT) will be making sure female artists get equal airtime for music videos on their channel, effective immediately.
This means that when it comes to showing music videos on their channel, there will be a direct 50/50 split between male and female artists in order to ensure equality. Previously on CMT, the balance was 60/40 male.
The issue of female representation in country music in America reared its head fairly recently, when Kelsea Ballerini, Cassadee Pope and Kacey Musgraves highlighted a country radio station in America that said that it is decided there that there cannot be two female country artists back to back being played.
A few days later, CMT took to their social media accounts to share the news, which they stated would take place with immediate effect rather than impose the equal measures at a later date.
“Effective immediately all music video hours on CMT and CMT Music channels will have complete parity between male and female artists,” they tweeted out. “That means 50/50.”
The news has been welcomed by many corners of the country music spectrum, with many hoping that it will pave the way for other radio stations and music video channels to follow suit.
The issue of female representation in country music is far from a secret, with the gender imbalance being especially notable on country radio. A SongData study that emerged in April 2019 stated that the total amount of airplay that female artists and male-female ensembles combined is just 13-15%.
