Source: www.insideradio.com, July 2023

As any radio brand deeply entrenched in its market can attest, loyal listeners are the lifeblood of the station. New research suggests that once a brand attains favorite station status, that attachment remains in place for a very long time.

Katz Radio Group conducted a nationwide survey of 900 radio listeners earlier this year to take a deeper look at the human connection between radio fans and their favorite station. Among the topline results: seven in 10 listeners have a favorite station, spanning music, news, talk, and sports formats. And those that have a favorite station have been listening to it for a whopping average of 18 years. Among 18-34 year-olds, that number is still high at 12 years. And it balloons to a stunning 23 years among persons 55+.

The survey underscores the important distinction between diehard fans of a station and P1 listeners. Nielsen’s definition of a P1 merely means someone that spends more time listening to that station than any other. P1 status isn’t the same as loyalty –P1s can cycle in and out of a station. “They become fans based on emotional connections,” air talent consultant Tracy Johnson has said.

The Katz survey quantifies that emotional connection listeners have with their favorite station. More than three in four listeners (77%) say their favorite station improves their mood, and 60% feel that their favorite station cares about their local community. These feelings run deep as 82% say they would truly miss their station if it were gone. The number climbs to 85% among adults 18-34.

Radio fans are not only loyal, but they are also engaged, the survey shows. Of the 70% of listeners with a favorite station, seven in 10 have actively engaged with that station in some manner – online, offline, or in person. The most engaged age bracket overall: younger adults as 43% of 18-34s have entered a contest, 56% follow their favorite station on some form of social media, and 44% have gone to a station event (including concerts, charity events, and store remotes).

As a firm that reps radio stations to advertisers, Katz plays up how these findings show how brand advertisers can tap into invested, loyal, and engaged fans. “Brands can gain local clout and acceptance by becoming a presence on stations that listeners feel connected to, and care about their community,” it says in a post on the Sound Answers blog. “Brands can extend their radio campaigns online by engaging the avid fan bases on stations’ social media platforms.” These options also include engaging consumers at station remotes and at store locations. “And last, but certainly not least, brands utilizing radio will be reaching station fans, who respond well to advertisers they hear on their favorite stations,” Katz concludes.