Industry · Form 5500 business code 515100
Radio & Television Broadcasting: retirement plans
Plans whose sponsor entered this principal business activity code on Form 5500.
Form 5500 information is as filed by the plan administrator with the Department of Labor and may be amended. Figures reflect the plan year shown, not current balances. The business code is chosen by the filer from the list in the Form 5500 instructions.
140 retirement plans in radio & television broadcasting with 100 or more participants filed Form 5500 for plan year 2024 (122 defined contribution, 18 defined benefit). All Form 5500 pension filers in the group reported 245,504 participant records and $28.3B in net assets.
The median defined contribution plan held $74,609 per participant, well above the national median of $53,031, and its employer put in $2,494 per active participant (national: $2,174). Among plans reporting Schedule C compensation the median was $116 per participant against $123 nationally.
Employers contributed $455M and participants $842M during the year, and the plans paid out $2.84B in benefits.
In 2009 the same group numbered 211 plans with $14.7B; by 2024 it was 140 plans (down 34%) and $28.3B (up 93%). From plan year 2023 the 100-participant line counts participants with account balances, which moved many plans to the short form.
Medians compared with all US plans
| Median plan, plan year 2024 | Industry: DC | US: DC | Industry: DB | US: DB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net assets per participant | $74,609 | $53,031 | $93,412 | $86,234 |
| Employer contributions per active participant | $2,494 | $2,174 | $6,923 | $10,244 |
| Schedule C compensation per participant | $116 | $123 | $264 | $344 |
| Schedule C compensation, share of net assets | 0.14% | 0.26% | 0.30% | 0.42% |
| Administrative expenses per participant | $109 | $116 | $331 | $527 |
Medians across plans with 100 or more participants (118 DC and 18 DB plans with a Schedule H here). Fee medians cover plans reporting an amount. DC: defined contribution, such as 401(k) and 403(b). DB: defined benefit pension.
Distribution of DC plans
| Measure | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile | Plans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net assets per participant | $50,596 | $74,609 | $120,863 | 118 |
| Employer contributions per active participant | $879 | $2,494 | $4,110 | 107 |
| Schedule C compensation per participant | $54.19 | $116 | $219 | 106 |
| Administrative expenses per participant | $47.11 | $109 | $205 | 106 |
Trend by plan year
| Plan year | Plans 100+ | Participants | Net assets | Employer contributions | Participant contributions | Median DC assets / participant | Median DC Sch. C / participant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025partial | 28 | 47,270 | $3.27B | $61.5M | $151M | $86,343 | $93.89 |
| 2024 | 140 | 245,504 | $28.3B | $455M | $842M | $74,609 | $116 |
| 2023 | 146 | 299,256 | $29.5B | $567M | $842M | $66,789 | $99.37 |
| 2022 | 159 | 295,644 | $26.0B | $500M | $804M | $53,762 | $94.87 |
| 2021 | 158 | 293,442 | $31.3B | $417M | $694M | $65,144 | $93.10 |
| 2020 | 157 | 280,499 | $27.7B | $614M | $634M | $57,370 | $84.56 |
| 2019 | 165 | 276,041 | $24.4B | $351M | $585M | $49,505 | $77.76 |
| 2018 | 158 | 272,263 | $21.4B | $491M | $529M | $41,127 | $71.68 |
| 2017 | 166 | 271,331 | $22.4B | $1.02B | $479M | $43,524 | $65.97 |
| 2016 | 169 | 288,176 | $21.0B | $862M | $470M | $36,025 | $58.46 |
| 2015 | 170 | 301,785 | $20.3B | $574M | $472M | $35,995 | $47.42 |
| 2014 | 174 | 262,632 | $18.7B | $241M | $440M | $35,384 | $37.98 |
| 2013 | 183 | 310,512 | $20.7B | $430M | $427M | $30,484 | $32.44 |
| 2012 | 187 | 307,317 | $18.7B | $824M | $409M | $26,486 | $26.75 |
| 2011 | 201 | 321,399 | $16.8B | $716M | $397M | $21,876 | $26.16 |
| 2010 | 200 | 321,862 | $16.3B | $722M | $372M | $26,168 | $24.84 |
| 2009 | 211 | 335,475 | $14.7B | $451M | $376M | $21,568 | $21.27 |
Plan year is the year in which the plan year began. The drop in large plans from 2023 follows a rule change: the 100-participant line now counts participants with account balances, so many plans moved to the short form.
Provider share
Service provider organisations named most often on the Schedule C of the 140 plans on this page's list, by number of plans. A plan usually names several providers.
Largest plans
The 40 largest by participants of 140 plans with a page on this site.
| Plan | Sponsor | State | Type | Participants | Net assets | Per participant | Employer / active | Sch. C / participant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paramount Global 401(k) Plan (Fka Viacomcbs 401(k) Plan) | Paramount Global | NY | DC | 33,764 | $6.35B | $188,172 | $8,822 | $93.19 |
| CBS Combined Pension Plan | Paramount Global | NY | DB | 25,100 | $1.91B | $76,035 | $118,665 | $100 |
| Nexstar Media Group, Inc. 401(k) Plan | Nexstar Media Group, Inc. | TX | DC | 22,800 | $2.00B | $87,584 | $1,456 | $20.02 |
| Gray Media 401(k) Savings Plan | Gray Media, Inc. | GA | DC | 19,489 | $764M | $39,191 | $2,115 | $65.05 |
| Disney Salaried Pension Plan a | TWDC Enterprises 18 Corp. | CA | DB | 18,186 | $4.20B | $231,183 | — | $37.68 |
| Iheart Media, Inc. 401(k) Savings Plan | Iheart Communications, Inc. | TX | DC | 11,747 | $1.45B | $123,027 | $16 | $34.97 |
| Tegna 401(k) Savings Plan | Tegna Inc. | VA | DC | 10,063 | $995M | $98,905 | $3,131 | $61.49 |
| Sinclair, Inc. 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan | Sinclair, Inc. | MD | DC | 9,376 | $748M | $79,802 | $2,687 | $36.50 |
| Sirius XM Radio 401(k) Savings Plan | Sirius XM Radio LLC | NY | DC | 6,851 | $1.04B | $151,964 | $4,224 | $78.86 |
| Audacy Inc. 401(k) Savings & Retirement Plan | Audacy Inc. | PA | DC | 6,591 | $819M | $124,332 | $2,009 | $88.78 |
| Univision Savings Tax Advantage Retirement Plan | Univision Communications Inc. | NJ | DC | 5,797 | $529M | $91,297 | $2,323 | $106 |
| The Animation Guild 401(k) Plan | The Animation Guild, Local 839 | CA | DC | 4,927 | $659M | $133,695 | — | $87.51 |
| Perpetual Capital 401(k) Plan | Perpetual Capital Management Services LLC | VA | DC | 4,483 | $76.7M | $17,116 | $40 | $78.80 |
| Cumulus Media 401(k) Plan | Cumulus Radio Corporation | GA | DC | 4,034 | $291M | $72,034 | $767 | $84.62 |
| Learfield Communications 401(k) Plan | Learfield Communications, LLC | MO | DC | 3,266 | $199M | $60,948 | $2,425 | $98.80 |
| Cox Media Group 401(k) Plan | CMG Media Corporation | GA | DC | 2,695 | $209M | $77,384 | $4,284 | $76.98 |
| Townsquare Media, Inc. 401(k) Plan | Townsquare Media, Inc. | NY | DC | 2,463 | $111M | $44,935 | $488 | $41.76 |
| Hbi 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan | Hubbard Broadcasting, Inc. | MN | DC | 2,460 | $435M | $176,964 | $3,306 | $45.18 |
| National Public Radio, Inc. Retirement Plan | National Public Radio, Inc. | DC | DC | 2,269 | $426M | $187,654 | $5,466 | $174 |
| Abc-Nabet Retirement Trust Fund | ABC, Inc. | NY | DB | 2,208 | $713M | $322,974 | $6,923 | $902 |
| Gray Television, Inc. Retirement Plan | Gray Media | GA | DB | 2,146 | $112M | $52,358 | — | $198 |
| Westinghouse Pension Plan for Operations in Puerto Rico | Paramount Global (Fka Viacomcbs Inc.) | NY | DB | 1,891 | $20.2M | $10,664 | — | $85.02 |
| Urban One, Inc. Employee Retirement Plan | Urban One, Inc. | MD | DC | 1,821 | $84.6M | $46,467 | $0 | $37.51 |
| Allen Media Broadcasting 401(k) Plan | Allen Media Broadcast Holdings, LLC | OR | DC | 1,744 | $39.2M | $22,454 | $972 | $182 |
| Public Broadcasting Service Defined Contribution Retirement Plan | Public Broadcasting Service | VA | DC | 1,597 | $264M | $165,490 | $9,279 | $41.53 |
| CBN 401(k) Retirement Plan | The Christian Broadcasting Network, Inc. | VA | DC | 1,358 | $110M | $81,314 | $0 | $21.83 |
| Salem Media Group, Inc. Employees 401(k) Plan | Salem Media Group, Inc. | CA | DC | 1,341 | $129M | $96,342 | $0 | $103 |
| American Public Media Group Retirement Plan | American Public Media Group | MN | DC | 1,306 | $226M | $172,676 | $6,342 | — |
| Connoisseur Media, LLC 401(k) Plan | Connoisseur Media, LLC | CT | DC | 1,241 | $38.3M | $30,877 | $190 | $25.55 |
| The Lampo Group, LLC 401(k) Plan | The Lampo Group, LLC | TN | DC | 1,202 | $91.9M | $76,494 | $3,088 | $127 |
| Sunbeam Television Corporation Retirement Plan | Sunbeam Television Corporation | FL | DB | 1,179 | $167M | $142,015 | — | $287 |
| Morgan Murphy Media Savings & Profit Sharing Plan | Television Wisconsin, Inc. | WI | DC | 988 | $61.8M | $62,552 | $1,344 | $223 |
| Alpha Media LLC 401(k) Retirement Plan | Alpha Media, LLC | OR | DC | 985 | $34.1M | $34,578 | $425 | $167 |
| Entravision Communications Corporation 401(k) Plan | Entravision Communications Corporation | CA | DC | 883 | $49.3M | $55,817 | $2,117 | — |
| Saga Communications, Inc. Employees' 401 (K) Savings & Investment Plan | Saga Communications Inc. | MI | DC | 883 | $48.1M | $54,501 | $401 | $47.01 |
| Hearst Television, Inc. Union 401(k) Plan | The Hearst Corporation | NC | DC | 821 | $58.6M | $71,406 | $1,152 | — |
| Educational Media Foundation 401(k) Plan | Educational Media Foundation | CA | DC | 776 | $47.9M | $61,731 | $3,220 | $8.55 |
| Local Union No. 4, IBEW Pension Plan | Local Union No. 4, IBEW | MO | DC | 759 | $55.5M | $73,115 | $1,819 | $219 |
| Tax Deferred Annuity Retirement Plan | Wnet and Subsidiaries | NY | DC | 709 | $167M | $236,022 | $3,505 | $25.61 |
| The Retirement Savings Plan of Sunbeam Television Corporation | Sunbeam Television Corporation | FL | DC | 709 | $78.1M | $110,217 | $0 | $83.46 |
By plan size
By state
Questions and answers
How many retirement plans are there in radio & television broadcasting?
140 plans with 100 or more participants filed Form 5500 for plan year 2024, out of 180 pension plans on the full form. Smaller plans file Form 5500-SF and are counted separately where shown.
What is the typical 401(k) balance in radio & television broadcasting?
The median defined contribution plan reported $74,609 in net assets per participant (middle half of plans: $50,596 to $120,863); nationally it was $53,031. This is a plan-level average that includes former employees, not a typical person's balance.
What do employers contribute in radio & television broadcasting?
The median defined contribution plan received $2,494 in employer contributions per active participant, against $2,174 nationally. Plans with no employer contribution are included at zero.
What are average 401(k) fees in radio & television broadcasting?
Among defined contribution plans that report any Schedule C compensation, the median was $116 per participant and 0.14% of net assets (nationally $123 and 0.26%). Schedule C leaves out fund expense ratios and fees the employer pays, so it understates total cost.
Where does this come from?
Form 5500 annual reports in the EBSA research files, with filings received through 24 Aug 2026. Medians are computed by this site across plans with 100 or more participants.
Provenance
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration, Form 5500 research files, public domain, with filings received through 24 Aug 2026. Totals count every pension plan on the full form; medians and the plan list cover plans with 100 or more participants. See the methodology.