When Radio America Syndicated Talk Host Chad Benson goes on-air each weekday from his Sacramento base at iHeartMedia’s KSTE, he has an image of his listenership. “A small business owner, 46 years old, or a school teacher mom with kids,” he begins. “It’s a diverse crowd: black, white, Hispanic, gay, straight.” Playing to this diversity is key to his success.

Knowing he attracts a wide swath of the U.S. is “how I know I’m doing the job right,” he says. “It’s not ‘the 65-70-year-old generation,’ but includes listeners in their 20s.” Benson also recognizes that his talk radio pulpit goes beyond typical topical politics, because those listeners are as diverse as America—with numerous interests outside of a single realm. That’s why he is heralded as a next-generation on-air personality, attracting Millennials to radio by keeping the conversation hopping from one topic to the next. It’s necessary in a radio world that requires both information and relief from the loudness of multiple news narratives.