House Communications Subcommittee Chairman Bob Latta (R-OH) has expressed his hesitancy to support a mandate for AM radio in vehicles until car companies provide answers.
According to Inside Radio, Latta, along with three other members of Congress, will host a hearing on the issue titled “Listen Here: Why Americans Value AM Radio” on June 6. Latta stated that he will make a decision on supporting the AM for Every Vehicle Act after hearing testimony from carmakers during the hearing. The hearing is intended to be educational, but the possibility of legislation remains.
While Latta appreciated Ford’s decision to reverse its initial plan to exclude AM receivers from its vehicles, he emphasizes the need to hear from other carmakers.“It is my hope that announcing this educational hearing will show the important role AM radio stations have played for decades,” Latta said when first announcing the hearing.
Latta, along with Rep. Greg Pence (R-IN) and 100 bipartisan House colleagues, sent letters to various automakers urging them to maintain AM radio in all their vehicles. Latta mentioned that many other Republican lawmakers will wait until after the hearings to decide on supporting the bill, as they want to ensure all facts are considered.
Some lawmakers have made their stance clear on the issue. Rep. Steve Alford (R-KS) called Ford’s reversal a “first big win” in Congress and called for other automakers to follow suit. Alford emphasized the importance of preserving AM radio and highlighted the impact of public pressure.
Automakers have cited electromagnetic interference as the reason for removing AM radio from their electric vehicles. The Consumer Technology Association (CTA) suggests that alternative options such as FM radio, internet streaming services, improved rural broadband, and text alerts can compensate for the loss of AM radio access.
Latta argues that lawmakers need a comprehensive understanding of the interference claims and should consider the benefits of AM radio transmission. He raises concerns about the loss of emergency broadcast capabilities if the internet were to go down, emphasizing the redundancy provided by AM radio. Latta points to past events where wireless connectivity was limited, and broadcast radio played a crucial role in disseminating essential information.
Ben Downs, owner/GM of Bryan Broadcasting, questions the need to remove AM from dashboards, stating that the argument of noise interference is unclear since the FCC has strict limits on external broadcast interference. He also believes that technical issues are not a valid reason, as existing Ford EVs and hybrids have coexisted with AM radios for years.
Opponents of the AM for Every Vehicle Act, including the CTA, predict its failure, drawing parallels to previous attempts to mandate FM radio chips in cellphones. David Donovan, President of the New York State Broadcasters Association, views it as a public safety issue and believes broadcasters have enough support in Congress to pass the bill.
On the other hand, media broker and station owner Larry Patrick doubts Congress will strongly support the legislation, noting that automakers operate internationally, and many countries have done away with AM.
The proposed legislation will go through the Communications and Technology Subcommittee chaired by Latta.