AM radio was presented as a vital asset for the public good in times of emergency on last night’s network television installment of the CBS Evening News. During its “Eye on America” segment, the program highlighted the dramatic and emotional efforts of iHeartMedia’s WWNC, Asheville in the wake of the devastation wreaked upon western North Carolina during and following the destructive winds and flooding of Hurricane Helene. Under the headline How radio became a lifeline for western North Carolina residents during Helene, the in-depth feature reported: “When Hurricane Helene struck western North Carolina, it knocked out cell phone service in some areas, forcing many residents to depend on the radio for communication and information. For days, WWNC-AM radio host Mark Starling and his producer, Tank Spencer, served as a proxy dispatch service, helping to coordinate wellness checks and connect the stranded with nearby resources.” The report served as a high-profile shot in the arm for the widespread campaign to pass the AM Radio For Every Vehicle Act which Congress is expected to vote on later this year to prevent auto manufacturers from eliminating AM radios from the dashboards of new vehicles. Pictured above: a screen shot from the CBS Evening News of WWNC-AM morning host/news director Mark Starling on the air during the storm. To watch the entire report, please click here.
