“When the power goes out and cell towers go down, Americans can depend on radio to provide them the emergency information they need,” said Midway Broadcasting CEO Melody Spann Cooper during a Senate Commerce Subcommittee on AM radio yesterday. Committee members are considering the “AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act (H.R. 4313).” If passed, the measure would mandate automakers to retain AM radio in the dash or be fined. They would also need to notify customers if a vehicle can’t receive AM signals.
Some automakers are thinking about or have committed to removing AM from future electric car designs because of interference concerns. Ford famously said it was in this camp and then reversed itself after consumer backlash.
Alliance for Automotive Innovation President/CEO John Bozzella explained that automakers like Tesla have come to this decision because of the way the car batteries are integrated into the vehicle, weight and the expense of redesigning to retain AM. Up to 99 percent of the cars on the market now still have AM in the dash, he said.
However, because of the reasons Bozzella cited, “AM’s being phased out.” That’s why his organization and the Consumer Technology Association oppose the bill; They don’t want a mandate, calling that a slippery slope. Bozzella said: “I wouldn’t mandate it and then study it,” saying the study should come first. “This bill takes AM and puts it in front of every emergency [thing] in the car. I do think there are ways to address this. It costs time and money.”
He said his organization “is committed to letting customers at the point of sale know if they want a car that doesn’t have AM, we will give them a device to hear it for free.”
Shapiro said most of the time, listeners are hearing emergency information for example, in their home, “so there are many ways of getting radio today, either via satellite or through the internet.” He explained that “Chinese automakers are way ahead of us. Now, we’re telling automakers you have to redesign the car and put in [more] expensive batteries. Most of the customers who buy these high-end cars [like Tesla’s] don’t want it,” meaning AM.
Full Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) said: “I usually have a problem with mandates, but in this case Congress’ hand is being forced because of what [automakers] are doing. I hope the takeaway is companies must do what’s best for consumers.”
Several lawmakers oppose removing AM from the dashboard, especially those who live in rural areas.
Asked if he sees a happy medium between a mandate and where the issue is now, Shapiro said yes. “I think it’s a solution in search of a problem.” Citing plug-ins, he said there’s other sources of getting AM in the car. “A mandate is dangerous and hurts the U.S. globally in electric vehicles.”
Bozzella and Consumer Technology Association President/CEO Gary Shapiro said customers who still want AM have other options in the car like satellite radio or internet radio. Bozzella also said dealers can offer, for free, ways to receive emergency information on AM, such as hand-cranked radios.
Cooper, who was also testifying on behalf of the NAB, said asking a person to stop their car during an emergency to get a hand-crank radio out of their truck is “not feasible.” Midway is Chicago’s only Black and Female-owned broadcaster. She said stations that serve low-income Black and Latino listeners, seniors and veterans may not be able to afford those satellite radio or internet radio options in the vehicle.
Navajo Nation Executive Director Justin Ahasteen said, “Our AM station is in the Navajo language so elders can learn of emergencies. My mother used to wake up at 5 a.m. on a snow day and listen to the car radio. We have areas that have no electricity and water, let alone broadband.” He said those speaking against keeping AM in the car don’t take terrain into account, saying mountains in the West often block out FM signals. “AM in vehicles is a lifeline.”
By Leslie Stimson, Inside Towers Washington Bureau Chief
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