America


HANNITY


LOESCH


NOORY


LEVIN


Automakers Banning AM Radio From Cars


I A


Emergency alerts at risk as many see conservative talk being targeted. BY MARISA HERMAN


n april, ford motor com- pany announced it was going to stop off ering AM radio in its new cars, just one of a number of auto-


makers including BMW, Mazda, Volvo, Volkswagen, and Tesla that plan to eliminate AM receivers from their new models, especially electric vehicles. The moves drew a roar of protests


from AM radio listeners, the radio and broadcasting industry, and lawmakers. In May, Ford decided to rescind their


decision — at least for now. But many AM radio lovers see a com-


ing trend and fear for the traditional band used by millions of Americans.


other formats. “It has a tremendous amount of his-


In fact, more than 80 million Amer-


icans still tune into AM radio every month, according to Nielsen data, despite the growth of satellite radio, digital streaming services, and apps. And AM has long been seen as a bas-


tion of conservative perspectives and religious programming. Industry estimates suggest as many


as 40 million listeners tune into more than 4,000 AM stations for conserva- tive talk, news, sports, and religious pro- gramming. AM radio is what initially introduced


people to the world around them, says Michael Harrison, publisher of Talkers, the online publication for talk radio and


Vital Voices in Crisis AM stations key source of information during emergencies.


M radio plays a critical role in the country’s


emergency communications infrastructure. Most FM signals travel only about 50 miles, depending on the terrain. But an AM signal can reach 100 miles — more at night.


18 NEWSMAX | JULY 2023 According to the Federal


Emergency Management Agency, 90% of the country is within the sound of an AM station equipped with a generator and backup communications to stay on the air during an emergency. The ability to reach so


tory and roots in our culture that are not easily denied,” he said. As listeners began tuning into FM


for less staticky music in the 1980s, AM quickly became home to talk radio — especially among conservatives, pro- pelled by icons such as Rush Limbaugh. Its popularity skyrocketed in 1987


after the Federal Communications Commission abolished the Fairness Doctrine, which previously required radio stations to present contrasting views. It wasn’t long before conservative


talk cemented itself as a fi xture among AM radio stations, with personalities including Bob Grant, Barry Farber, George Noory, Michael Savage, Mark


many Americans during a crisis is what led bipartisan lawmakers to propose the AM for Every Vehicle


Act, which would require automakers to maintain AM in new vehicles. “For decades, free AM


broadcast radio has been an essential tool in emergencies and an irreplaceable source for news, weather, sports, and entertainment for tens of millions of listeners,” said Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass.


Markey has support from


a dozen lawmakers who are behind the push to keep AM radios in cars. “Each day, millions of


Americans turn to AM radio to stay up-to-date on life in their community, engage on the issues they care about, or to be simply entertained during rush hour,” said Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, one of the bill’s co- sponsors. Rep. Josh Gottheimer,


D-N.J., called out Tesla CEO Elon Musk for eliminating AM


CARR


RADIO/AGCUESTA/SHUTTERSTOCK / HANNITY/ROY ROCHLIN/GETTY IMAGES / LOESCH/COOPER NEILL FOR THE WASHINGTON POST VIA GETTY IMAGES LEVIN/ MICHAEL KOVAC/GETTY IMAGES FOR RADIO HALL OF FAME


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