AM radio has a history dating back to the early 1900’s and while I wasn’t around when Orson Welles broadcast the 1938 drama, War of the Worlds, AM radio played a major role with broadcasting news programs and music for many more decades. I recently heard about a bi-partisan Bill introduced in the Senate (you heard that correctly!) requiring AM radio capabilities to be standard in all new passenger vehicles. If the vehicle does not have AM radio as a standard option, the manufacturer must inform purchasers of this fact through clear and conspicuous labeling and may not charge any additional fee for AM radio access.

I wondered what all the fuss was about and learned that AM radio is fairly simple technology and can provide coverage over a large area with relatively low power. This makes AM radio a very reliable source of transmitting emergency alerts since it is less sensitive to distortion and interference. As other forms of modern technology have replaced AM radio in some vehicles, Bill S. 315 would change that so more motorists would have the option to get alerts from AM radio, especially in rural areas. If you think this is an important feature to have in cars, contact your Congressional Representative to let them know. Who knows, maybe we will see a bipartisan Bill pass in Congress!

Personally, I would like to lose many of the modern technology features in my car, however I’m fine with keeping the AM radio option. I wonder if this is what the Biden Administration meant by “Build Back Better”?

Reference links:

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/315

https://www.nab.org/amtoolkit/TheImportanceOfAMRadio.pdf

Laura Benson is the MCGOP Finance Chair, Executive Board Member and Legislative District Chair for LD14. She can be reached at [email protected].