Industry News

Ford Reconsiders – Will Keep AM Radio in 2024 Cars and ’23 EVs

According to a report by the AP, Ford is changing its previously announced policy regarding AM radios. Ford CEO Jim Farley states, “We’ve decided to include it on all 2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles. For any owners of Ford’s EVs without AM broadcast capability, we’ll offer a software update.” Reacting to Ford’s earlier decision, U.S. lawmakers rolled out a bi-partisan, bi-cameral bill that would authorize the National Highway Trafficim Safety Administration to require AM in new vehicles at no additional cost, citing safety for citizens, access to foreign language programming and more. While Ford’s change of heart takes some of the immediate heat off the industry, there’s no indication legislators won’t continue pushing the legislation. Reacting to the bill, the Alliance for Automotive Innovation called the bill unnecessary and said the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Integrated Public Alerts and Warning System sends public safety messages across numerous platforms including FM radio, streaming sites, satellite radios, and cellular networks. Read the AP story here.

Industry Views

Is Eliminating AM Radio from EVs a Serious Threat to Talk Radio?

An in-depth article by automotive writer Dale Buss published today (2/2) in Forbes is adding volume to radio industry chatter about the seemingly ominous trend toward elimination of AM radio from the dashboard of electric cars based on the premise that the already-static-sensitive band’s listenability would be obliterated by these vehicles’ intense electromagnetic fields. The article titled, EV Makers Are Eliminating AM Radio, Infringing On Iconic Medium, quotes TALKERS founder Michael Harrison who also contributed to some of the piece’s “background” information and premises. In the article, Harrison supports the observation that the sale of EVs constitutes a small fraction of the current automotive marketplace and it will be years before they achieve a critical mass to impact the health of AM radio. In the meantime, Harrison asserted at this morning’s meeting of the TALKERS editorial board, “There are far more immediate existential threats to AM radio, not to mention FM radio, with which the broadcasting industry must contend.” He points out, “Relevance and identity! AM radio being dumped from dashboards is an innocuous thing to worry about. FM radio will be dumped from the dashboard as well… the entire idea of a radio-exclusive appliance is on the verge of obsolescence… and we’re not just talking about electric vehicles – we’re talking about all vehicles! We’re faced with an all-encompassing computer system at the fingertips and voice control of the driver and passengers.” Harrison continues, “In the meantime, today’s media consumers are savvy enough to know how to find their entertainment and information brands via the combination of Bluetooth and smartphone. Thus, the challenge facing both AM and FM radio – two increasingly irrelevant designations – is to maintain the importance, distinguishability and brand of the medium itself – R-A-D-I-O – and not let it get lost in an endless ocean of options available to the potential audience.” Read the Forbes piece here.