Let’s talk about the listeners who really matter. Not the casual sampler. Not the “drive-by” cume. Not the person who accidentally landed on your station while searching for Bluetooth. I’m talking about your P1 core listeners, your First Preference fans.
They don’t just like your station. They choose it. And if you truly understand them, you can win what I call the War of Usage, increasing weekly listening occasions and time spent listening.
The 20/80 Reality Check
Pareto’s Curve — the famous 20/80 rule — has a profound effect on radio ratings. Roughly 20% of your cume audience often accounts for 80% of your quarter-hours. Translation: a relatively small group of passionate listeners carries your ratings on their backs. So the objective is simple (though not always easy):
Find out what the core wants — and give it to them.
Not what you think they want. Not what the competition is doing. Not what someone at corporate “has a good feeling about.” What the core listener wants.
Perceptual research is your flashlight in a dark room. It helps you identify expectations, emotional triggers, and the real reasons listeners tune in — and stay.
So What Is the “—est” Factor?
The “—est” factor is the biggest benefit your P1 listener believes they receive from your station. It’s the defining word that ends in “—est.”
The strongest. The fastest. The funniest. The hottest. The most. It’s what your station means to them. It’s what they expect every time they punch the preset. It’s your dominant attribute, the one you own in their mind. And here’s the key: if you don’t define your “—est,” your competitor will.
Differentiation Wins
We are no longer competing just with the station across town. We’re competing with satellite, podcasts, and an endless scroll on Spotify and YouTube. Differentiation is not optional. It’s oxygen. The strongest brands separate themselves by their uniqueness. They don’t try to be everything to everyone. They become the thing for someone. When you clearly own an “—est,” you make it easier for listeners to understand:
- Why you’re different
- Why you matter
- Why they should stay
Clarity builds comprehension. Comprehension builds loyalty. Loyalty builds time spent listening.
Owning the “—est” in News-Talk
In spoken-word formats, the “—est” factor is often easier to see:
- Hottest Talk
- The Most Talk (All-Talk)
- The Most Sports (All-Sports)
- Fastest News
- Hippest Hosts
- Funniest Talent
- Most Controversial Personalities
- Craziest Morning Show
Whatever it is, own it fully. Halfway positioning creates halfway passion.
Passion Drives Ratings
Stations that dominate and superserve their P1 core win with time spent listening. When listeners feel understood and served, they commit. They stay longer. They come back more often.
The “—est” factor isn’t just positioning, it’s emotional branding. It taps into how the station feels.
Is it urgent? Comforting? Outrageous? Smart? Rebellious?
Emotion creates partisanship. And partisanship creates loyalty.
When a station truly owns its “—est,” it becomes a destination, not just a background option.
Be Focused & Targeted
“—Est” requires discipline. It means focusing on the narrow core that best represents your format niche — not watering down your identity to chase everyone.
All-Sports and News stations often have this advantage built in. But music stations can own it too.
Oldies? Play the best 60s-70s.
Classic Rock? Own the biggest anthems.
CHR or Urban? Deliver the freshest hits.
If you try to stretch too far, you risk becoming average-est. And no one wakes up excited about average-est.
Star Power Matters
In Talk Radio, passion is driven by star talent. Names like Sean Hannity, George Noory, Dave Ramsey, and Glenn Beck bring familiarity and expectation. Familiarity breeds habit. Habit breeds usage. Big stars amplify your “—est.” They personify it.
Final Thought
The “—est” factor drives:
- Passion
- Differentiation
- Comprehension
- Loyalty
- Time Spent Listening
It clarifies your brand in a noisy world. So ask yourself: What is the one word ending in “—est” that your core listeners would use to describe your station? If you don’t know it, find out. If you know it, amplify it. And if your answer is “We’re kind of the pretty-good-est”… we have some work to do.
In a future column, how the “—est” factor applies to music formats, and how to sharpen it without slicing your cume.
Pic designed by fabrikasimf for Freepik.com.
John Lund is President of the Lund Media Group, a radio programming consulting firm with specialists in all mainstream radio formats. Did you find this article useful? You can leave a comment below or email John at John@Lundradio.com.