Bill to mandate AM radio installations in vehicles moving through U.S. Senate

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WIAT) — Sen. Katie Britt (R-AL) is co-sponsoring a bill that would require auto manufacturers to keep installing AM radios. It’s called the AM Radio For Every Vehicle Act. Some say there are better ways to get emergency alerts. But advocates argue it saves lives.

The static of an AM radio is a sound some have forgotten, but not all.

“Out in those rural communities, radio stations are still carrying high school football and basketball and baseball,” said Sharon Tinsley, president of the Alabama Broadcasters Association. “They’re still reporting what’s going to be served at school for lunch today.”

She said people still count on AM radio. “They’re still gonna cover the local city council. They’re still gonna tell you what’s going on with the fire department. And road closures,” she said. “And any kind of crime reports. That sort of stuff still comes across AM and FM radio across the state.”

But not all agree. Several auto-groups wrote a letter to Congress against an AM radio mandate.

They said it’s “an unnecessary action in the modern communication era and has no bearing on the ability of drivers to receive emergency alerts…”

Autauga County Emergency Management Agency director David Bagley said AM radios interfere with new technology. This is why manufacturers want to do away with them. “And that’s understandable,” said Bagley. “There’s dollars associated there. And we understand that. But, for emergency management, and me as an emergency management director, I need to be able to communicate with people.”

And that means using all forms of communication.

“Hurricane Helene, Hurricane Katrina- if we had some type of national event- military event, where we wipe out communications. We know AM radio is an efficient and effective medium that we can use.”

The bill passed out of the Senate Commerce Committee and now heads to the Senate floor for a vote. Sen. Katie Britt said Alabama communities rely on AM radio for life-saving information.