Citing public safety, broadcasters press Congress to require AM radios in new cars

Radio broadcasters from around the country are meeting with members of Congress Tuesday to press their case that AM radios should still be in all new vehicles.

The broadcasters say the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act is about public safety, especially when cell phone networks fail during a major national emergency. Wendy Paulson, president of the Minnesota Broadcasters Association, joined Cathy Wurzer on Morning Edition while en route to the Capitol.

Paulson said there are several reasons why AM radio remains valuable.

“Think about rural America. Broadband isn't necessarily everywhere and prevalent everywhere,” she said. “There might be severe weather. Wireless can go down. AM radio is always dependable. It's resilient, and it is always there.”

The National Association of Broadcasters reports that there are tens of millions of weekly AM radio listeners, and that it’s especially important to agricultural communities, communities of color and other underrepresented groups. Paulson said broadcasters from 31 states made their way to Capitol Hill Tuesday.

Listen to the conversation by clicking the player button above.

• Minnesota set for another warm spell, but it won't break records
• Morning Announcements for Oct. 14 and 16
• New film documents Minnesotans who stood up during ICE surge
• Minnesota State considers shifting funding from 2-year colleges to support struggling universities