[SFDXA] Let’s save radio - Kim Komando

[Bill]

        TODAY'S TOP STORY


  Let’s save radio

When I was growing up, my dad worked for United Airlines, and I traveled 
a lot. I would always sneak a portable AM radio in my backpack, and as 
the plane crisscrossed the country, I would tune into various stations 
along the way. Never would I have imagined what that little hobby would 
become for me.

While FM radio listening is huge, AM radio is still massively important. 
When hurricanes knock FM stations off the air, AM stations are often 
more resilient.

AM radio is so crucial that FEMA is installing emergency studios, 
transmitters and generators at 77 mostly AM radio stations nationwide to 
maintain communications in the event of the worst (with special thanks 
to all ham radio operators!).


    The car companies making decisions

You need to know several automakers told a Senate committee they'll nix 
(or have already nixed) AM radios in all their vehicles. This includes 
BMW, Mazda, Polestar, Rivian, Tesla, Volkswagen, Volvo, Porsche 
and Mercedes.

Ford has since reversed its decision (at least temporarily) after 
considerable negative feedback. Ford says no one listens to AM radio 
anymore. Huh?


    Know the numbers

Every day in America, at least 4,185 AM radio stations broadcast news, 
talk shows, sports and other important programming. AM radio draws an 
audience of 82.3 million people — more than one in three American radio 
listeners — each month.

Get this: 57% of AM radio listeners tune into news/talk stations, the 
very outlets that carry breaking local news. Plus, in rural areas where 
FM radio signals are iffy, people rely on AM to stay plugged in.

Thanks to its long broadcast range, listeners can still tune into an AM 
station, regardless of where they are. Think about /that/ the next time 
you're road-tripping off the grid. So, why remove AM radios?


    The REAL reason

Electromagnetic interference in electric vehicles. Because the electric 
motors in EVs throw off harmful static, AM radio quality suffers in an 
EV to the point where it's unstable and unlistenable.

Car manufacturers simply do not want to pay for the necessary research 
to develop AM radios that work in ALL vehicles, EVs or gas.


    Don't touch that dial

So, Congress has stepped in. The AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act 
<https://click.convertkit-mail.com/4zunrp2337ueh5dgeokiqu30rvv77t5/e0hph7h065nvgnf7/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubW90b3J0cmVuZC5jb20vbmV3cy9hbS1yYWRpby1uZXctY2Fycy8=> 
of 2024 has the bipartisan support of 60 U.S. Senators and 
251 cosponsors in the House of Representatives.

If it becomes law, all new cars would be required to have working AM 
radio, free of charge. That's right, no pesky subscription fees. The 
bill now has a supermajority (read: the “magic number” to be 
filibuster-proof) in the Senate and a simple majority in the House, 
meaning it’s likely to become law. Fingers crossed.

Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D‑NJ) wants any vehicle without an AM radio to 
display a safety warning on a window sticker. He says that it should 
read, “Warning: No AM Radio. Vehicle Unsafe in Certain Emergencies.” See 
an example sticker here 
<https://click.convertkit-mail.com/4zunrp2337ueh5dgeokiqu30rvv77t5/7qh7h8hoq34l70a9/aHR0cHM6Ly91cmxkZWZlbnNlLmNvbS92My9fX2h0dHBzOi9kMTJ0NHQ1eDN2eWl6dS5jbG91ZGZyb250Lm5ldC9nb3R0aGVpbWVyLmhvdXNlLmdvdi91cGxvYWRzLzIwMjQvMDEvVGl0bGUtMTItc2NhbGVkLmpwZ19fOyEhQmc1ZWFzb3lDLU9JSTJ2bEVxWThtVEJydFctTjRPSktBUSFLSUg4bUQwXzlSbGNIb0RfQ3FkQTl0a3l2LWQ0RnFoU1JiODlOZE1MLU9VZW15LXd4Y2puVGpBYlRTOEJURmNkYWdtYVZPYVNDZGlmUDJ5dlptX1Z3Ul9sJTI0>.

What’s next? It still needs to be scheduled for a vote. Want to do your 
part to keep AM radio alive?

 1. Sign this petition
    <https://click.convertkit-mail.com/4zunrp2337ueh5dgeokiqu30rvv77t5/owhkhqhrp589vriq/aHR0cHM6Ly9wMmEuY28vZnRjd244Zw==>
    to voice your opinion to legislators.
 2. Text "AM" to 52886.

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