Ford Keeps AM Radios as Congress Weighs Legislation

As more car manufacturers announce plans to eliminate AM receivers from their new models, a bipartisan, bicameral group of lawmakers is leading a charge to make sure the popular form of entertainment – especially for conservatives – and crucial emergency communication tool remains widely available.

After Ford Motor Company announced it was going to stop offering AM radio in its new cars earlier this year, loyal AM radio listeners, the broadcasting industry, and lawmakers protested the decision, leading the American car manufacturer to change its mind for the time being.

To make sure that the more than 80 million Americans that still tune into AM radio every month are still able to access their favorite conservative talk, news, sports, or religious programming, a group of lawmakers put forward the “AM for Every Vehicle Act,” which would direct federal regulators to require automakers to maintain AM broadcast radio in their new vehicles at no additional charge.

“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. “AM radio is a critical bulwark for democracy, providing a platform for alternative viewpoints and the ability for elected officials to share our efforts with our constituents.”

Cruz is working alongside Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., to pass the bill, which he argues is essential for Americans to “retain access to news, music, talk, and emergency alerts on the public airwaves.”

Markey added that “free AM broadcast radio has been an essential tool in emergencies, a crucial part of our diverse media ecosystem, and an irreplaceable source for news, weather, sports, and entertainment for tens of millions of listeners.”

Other senators backing the measure include: Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., Deb Fischer, R-Neb., Ben Ray Luján, D-N.M., and JD Vance, R-Ohio, as well as members of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee.

In the House, the measure is being supported by Reps. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., Tom Kean, Jr., R-N.J., Rob Menendez, D-N.Y., Bruce Westerman, R-Ark., and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Wash.

Noting the important role that AM radio plays during “large-scale emergencies,” Gottheimer called out Tesla CEO Elon Musk for ditching AM radio from his electric vehicles.

“I would think that if Elon Musk has enough money to buy Twitter and send rockets to space, he can afford to include AM radio in his Teslas,” he said. “Instead, Elon Musk and Tesla and other car manufacturers are putting public safety and emergency response at risk.”

Gottheimer pointed out that AM radio has “without a doubt and without interruption, saved lives and kept our communities informed.”

“When the cell phone runs out, the internet gets cut off, or the television doesn’t work because of no electricity or power to your house, you can still turn on your AM radio,” he said.

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

While FM signals can travel roughly 50 miles, an AM signal can reach 100 miles or more.

Curtis LeGeyt, president and CEO of the National Association of Broadcasters, called AM radio the “backbone of the Emergency Alert System.”

“AM radio is instrumental in promptly disseminating vital information across all mediums during crises, ensuring that communities remain safe and well-informed,” he said.

LeGeyt lauded lawmakers’ efforts to ensure that the “tens of millions of Americans who depend on AM radio for news, entertainment and critical safety information each month can continue to have access to this reliable communications medium.”

Under the proposal, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will be directed to issue a rule that requires automakers to maintain AM broadcast radio in their vehicles without a separate or additional payment, fee, or surcharge.

It will also require any automaker that sells vehicles without access to AM broadcast radio before the effective date of the NHTSA rule to clearly disclose to consumers that the vehicle lacks access to AM broadcast radio.

It also will direct the Government Accountability Office to study whether any other alternative communication systems could fully replicate the reach and effectiveness of AM broadcast radio for alerting the public to emergencies.