A bipartisan effort to require AM radio in new vehicles is advancing in Congress, setting up what supporters say could be a major win for broadcasters and the medium.
Last month, the U.S. House passed the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act that would require automakers to include AM radio in new vehicles at no additional cost to consumers. The bill awaits action in the Senate, where a companion measure has already garnered support, according to public records.
Broadcasters said AM radio remains a critical source of information, offering news and weather alerts, particularly when cell networks and internet service are disrupted or unreliable. And Chicago remains one of the country’s most influential radio markets, with several well-known AM stations attracting listeners for news, sports and talk programming.
“AM radio — all radio — has always been about connection, and in Chicago, especially, the connection is incredibly strong,” Mary Sandberg Boyle, vice president and general manager of WGN-AM 720, said. “You don’t need a subscription. You don’t need a data plan or an app. You turn on the radio, and it’s there.”
Chicago is the third-largest radio market in the country, with an estimated listener population of roughly 8 million, according to Nielsen Audio market rankings.
Boyle said the accessibility of radio becomes especially important during severe weather and breaking news situations.
“That’s when local radio is really more important because we have the ability to stay live, pivot our content and what we’re covering, and we can access a large amount of audience members very quickly and keep everybody safe,” she said.
Boyle also serves on the board of directors of the National Association of Broadcasters, which has argued that preserving AM radio access is an access issue rather than a matter of nostalgia.
The legislation emerged after several automakers removed AM radio from certain electric vehicle models, citing interference from electric power systems. Companies including Tesla, Rivian, Volvo and others have either eliminated or limited AM radio in some EVs.
The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, which represents most major automakers, has opposed the requirement. In congressional testimony last year, President and CEO John Bozzella argued that “analog AM radio does not contribute to motor vehicle safety” and requiring it as standard equipment “is not necessary to ensure public safety.”
Under the bill, the U.S. Department of Transportation would be required to develop regulations ensuring AM radio remains available in new vehicles sold in the U.S. The measure would also bar automakers from charging consumers separately for AM radio access.
Senate leaders haven’t announced when the measure could receive a floor vote.
Evolving media landscape
While public discussion around the legislation has largely focused on emergency alerts and news access, some scholars say preserving AM radio also has implications for media diversity.
“AM radio is fascinating,” Zachary McDowell, associate professor of communications at the University of Illinois Chicago, said. “It allows for a lot more diversity in content.”
He said many immigrant and language-focused stations operate on the AM band, providing programming that may not be widely available elsewhere.
“I think the media landscape is really overwhelmingly homogenized right now, and AM radio is important in many markets,” he said. “It’s a space that still allows for all sorts of different voices that is still open and accessible.”
The format has remained popular because listeners can’t find similar programming anywhere else, said Rodney Gibbs, executive director of Heartland Signal, which operates progressive talk radio station WCPT-AM 820.
“Despite the kind of shiny objects that digital media is, AM radio still has a viable and durable audience,” Gibbs said. “It’s a daily, unscripted, authentic conversation between the host and the listeners. You don’t get that from broadcast television. You don’t get that from digital media.”
Gibbs also said station operators increasingly see the medium as part of a broader media ecosystem.
“AM radio remains the heart of what we do,” he said. “But it’s the beginning. It’s not the end.”