An opinion piece in the Oct. 6 Wall Street Journal written by Blair Levin and Larry Downes asks the question: Why is the government bailing out AM broadcasters “at the expense of innovation”?
At issue is the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act, which would mandate the availability of AM radio reception at no cost; it’s primarily directed toward manufacturers of electric vehicles, some of which either already removed or planned to remove AM reception capability in their EVs due to interference from drivetrain electronics.
I’ve long held that lazy engineering causes the problem. Either that or the engineers at General Motors and Toyota – which never planned to drop AM – are better than those at Tesla and Ford, which did.
According to the WSJ piece, fixing the problem will cost EV makers $4 billion by 2030. I doubt that figure is anywhere near accurate – once the shielding and designs are set, the cost should be minimal. In any case, carmakers have to do it anyway it’s illegal for an EV to cause radio interference to another receiver.
And consider this: The recent hurricanes in North Carolina and Florida have proven AM’s worth.
In one example, InsideRadio.Com tells the story of WWNC/Asheville, North Carolina. As Tropical Storm Helene hit landfall, causing floods, power outages, and more, the station went into all-information mode, acting as a lifeline to area residents with breaking news, ways to help and rescue information.
Without power or internet and mobile phone services, the only real way for residents to get their information was through the one reliable medium easily available: radio. And AM radio, with its long-range reception, worked its magic.
Inside Radio reported that station personnel were trapped in the studios due to the downed power lines and fallen trees. But instead of bailing out or shutting down, the station became a clearinghouse for rescue efforts.
The staff monitored ham radios to relay information on active rescues, rising waters and more, broadcasting as many first-hand accounts as possible and helping to bring the community together and likely helping to save numerous lives.
“I think it’s really shown a lot of people who might have forgotten about radio, or maybe just didn’t listen to the radio much anymore, that there is a need in our world for it,” Mark Starling, station news director and morning host, told the Asheville Citizen-Times. “Because when it came right down to it, when that storm was going on, it was the only medium that was left that was able to get people information.”
Think about it: In an emergency, where would you turn? Most likely KFI (640 AM) – which operates as the area’s emergency notification station, or KNX (1070 AM, 97.1 FM). Radio is important, and keeping it available, free, is a must.
My Dash, Not Yours
A pet peeve of mine centers around HD Radio, and its ability, depending on the model, to display station logos, album art, or even song and station information. That’s a really nice thing. What isn’t nice are advertisements that some stations seem to think are OK to display.
Yes, I know that radio needs to exploit any revenue source it can. But I hardly think that ads in this fashion can bring in that much revenue … certainly not enough to make up for the bad feeling it gives listeners. This is my dash. I paid for it. Stations do not have the right to place advertisements in my car without my permission. I don’t need to see an ad for an attorney on my radio display.
Rabbitt Redux
Two weeks ago, I mentioned there was a new recording on YouTube featuring Jimmy Rabbitt on KZLA (now KLLI, 93.9 FM). In the story, I wrote how I didn’t realize Rabbitt was ever on the station.
Turns out there is a reason for that. “The aircheck that Timmy posted was a demo he (Rabbitt) made,” explained reader and radio expert Jeffrey Leonard. “It was never in the air … He never got hired at KZLA”
So that’s why airchecks of him there are few and far between! It also explains the lack of commercials. Leonard told me that it fooled him as well … at first. Regardless, it does stand as a testament to the style and musical artistry that was Jimmy Rabbitt. If you missed it, go to youtube.com/watch?v=ICvUaV6ZQkU
Richard Wagoner is a San Pedro freelance columnist covering radio in Southern California. Email rwagoner@socalradiowaves.com
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