MILWAUKEE — The future of AM radio in cars is uncertain after some electric car makers announced they are eliminating the frequency in their newer models.
Now, a group of bipartisan lawmakers in Congress, including Wisconsin Senator Tammy Baldwin, want to force companies to keep it.
AM radio has a long and storied history in this country.
“I think to when people had to just all gather around the radio and this is where they got their information,” said Homer Blow, Program and Music Director for WNOV ‘The Voice.’ “It was one thing that didn’t let them down.”
Now it’s mostly listened to during a daily commute.
According to the National Association of Broadcasters, 82 million Americans still listen to AM stations each month. About half of that listening takes place inside cars.
But that reality could also become a thing of the past. Major carmakers like Tesla, BMW, and Volkswagen say they will stop including the AM dial in their future electric car models.
Mike Spaulding with WTMJ Radio says that the move will impact more than the industry itself.
“Yeah, it would hurt, but I don’t think it’s only hurting the industry,” said Spaulding. “I think it’s also hurting people who want to be connected to their community.”
Blow agrees and says removing AM will also impact safety for people who rely on it.
“The EAS alert system is able to transmit through AM. Even when we have some of the most severe storms, it may knock off the FM but it won’t knock off our AM, so people are able to get that information.”
Safety concerns are a big reason why lawmakers at the nation’s capitol are backing up those AM stations with a new bill on the table.
The bipartisan ‘AM in Every Vehicle Act’ would require carmakers to keep the frequency in their new cars with no added cost.
Sen. Baldwin signed the bill as a co-sponsor in May, saying in a statement to TMJ4:
“Wisconsinites rely on AM radio to keep them updated during emergencies, informed on local news, and connected to businesses, organizations and their neighbors. I am proud to go to bat for Americans who depend on AM radio to do their jobs, stay safe, and keep in touch with their communities.”
The support from politicians on both sides of the aisle is felt by Blow and Spaulding in Southeast Wisconsin.
“It’s not just the industry screaming it ourselves and, like, yelling into the void,” Spaulding explained. “You’re hearing from people who do rely on it, too.”
“I think that a lot more people understand how important it is and how important AM radio is,” said Blow. “I’m happy that I’m seeing so many powerful people come out to galvanize to keep AM radios in the car.”
Their hope is that the future of the dial stays on the road for everyone.
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