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(NewsNation) — With some car manufacturers getting rid of AM and FM radios, citing the rising cost to install them, a group of radio professionals is now fighting back.
They are urging lawmakers to mandate AM radios in every new car model in America, arguing they are a lifeline for people across the country for news, sports and emergency alerts.
The Oklahoma Association of Broadcasters President, Will Payne, joined “The Hill on NewsNation” to discuss the efforts.
“We have overwhelming support in the House and the Senate. Right now, our urge is to push leadership to bring this to a vote. We’ve got the vote. The president says time and time again he’ll sign it,” Payne said.
The AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act, if passed, would require the Department of Transportation to issue a ruling requiring AM radio to be standard in all new passenger vehicles.
“Specifically, this bill applies to passenger vehicles (1) manufactured in the United States for sale in the United States, imported into the United States, or shipped in interstate commerce; and (2) manufactured after the rule’s effective date,” the bill reads.
“The rule must require all such vehicles to have devices that can receive signals and play content transmitted by AM stations or digital audio AM stations installed as standard equipment and made easily accessible to drivers.”
According to Payne, cars having AM radio is more than merely keeping radio stations alive, but critical to national security awareness.
He noted that “82 million Americans listen every month to AM radio. But it’s also about national security. We have the emergency alert system, and we have it set up from the president’s office where he can push a button and be on every radio station across America — because of AM radio.”
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