Opinion: Hey Congress, FM Deserves Protection Too

Broadcasting is in a fight for survival The post Opinion: Hey Congress, FM Deserves Protection Too appeared first on Radio World.

If Congress can act before the end of the year, it may yet require that AM stations can be heard in new automobiles in the United States. The House gave its assent in September. Passage of the legislation would be great. It will restore to AM radio some value and provide a potential boost to listenership. But what about FM? I’ve been giving this question some thought, and asking around. The bill helps FM indirectly One of the people I contacted is Rich Redmond, president and CEO of manufacturer Broadcast Electronics. He started by pointing out that the policy logic of the AM bill isn’t new. “The U.S. and Europe have both made this call before. The All-Channel Receiver Act and the FCC’s subsequent tuner rules required that television receivers keep pace with the digital transition rather than leaving viewers dependent on internet-delivered alternatives,” he wrote. “The European Union made the same choice for radio: Article 113 of the European Electronic Communications Code requires that new vehicles sold in the EU since December 2020 include a receiver capable of digital terrestrial radio reception, specifically because broadcast signals don’t depend on cellular towers or IP infrastructure to reach a listener.” Redmond said AM deserves the same protection in U.S. vehicles. “A single AM transmitter can cover tens of thousands of square miles, day or night, and that coverage doesn’t fail when cell towers lose power or IP networks go down. During hurricanes, wildfires, and grid failures, AM is often the only channel still reaching drivers with local, actionable information.” Redmond said that removing AM from new vehicles to shave a few dollars off in manufacturing trades away a public safety tool that has no substitute when the networks fail. As for the FM question, he replied: “Protecting AM reception by extension also provides a solid place for FM reception in the car despite not specifically called out in this legislation.” Preserve FM too, long term Craig Swagler, president and CEO of Baltimore Public Media, told me that the legislation’s focus on AM reflects the immediate threat facing the band. “AM is at the greatest risk of disappearing from new vehicle dashboards, while many AM stations are already fighting to retain audiences and remain economically sustainable,” he wrote. “Yet AM still reaches more than 82 million Americans each month and remains an essential source of local news, public-affairs programming and emergency information. Preserving that access is a public-service issue, not simply an industry concern.” But he is well aware that the bill does not guarantee continued presence or prominence of FM radio in future vehicles. “As automakers redesign dashboards around proprietary technology, subscription services and digital platforms, our broader concern must be protecting convenient access to all free, local broadcast radio,” Swagler continued. “This is essential because broadcast radio, whether AM or FM, remains free to all. New technologies are innovative, but many services require subscriptions, paywalls, registration, internet or cellular connectivity, or the sharing of personal data. “Broadcasting relies on the public airwaves, and as stewards of this public trust, we must continue to provide impactful, hyperlocal programming and engagement that brings communities together and keeps access free to all,” he wrote. “AM represents the most urgent need, and Congress is right to address it. But this should be the beginning of the conversation, not the end.” He said the long-term goal must be to preserve both AM and FM broadcast radio as accessible, discoverable and dependable parts of every vehicle dashboard. “Americans should not need a subscription, cellular connection or data plan to reach the local stations that inform them, connect them with their communities and serve them during an emergency.” NAB perspective In July, Radio World asked NAB President/CEO Curtis LeGeyt whether there had been any consideration of adding FM to the legislative debate. “As a practical matter, this legislation — what it will require of the automakers to keep AM in the automobile and readily accessible to the listener — will benefit FM radio as well,” he said. “The policy considerations around this bill have some uniquely AM elements, so given our legislative momentum, I don’t anticipate meaningful substantive changes to the bill at this stage in the process. But make no mistake, this legislation enacted into law will benefit all of radio, not just AM stations. And it will benefit all radio listeners.” ( Read that article here. ) My view While industry leaders have been focusing on keeping AM in cars, I do wonder: Who is protecting the FMs? While many AM are airing brokered, religious, talk or foreign-language formats, these do not appeal to many radio listeners. Over many years we’ve seen popular news, sports and talk content migrate to the FM band, joining the music and “educational” stations. The dashboard is being dominated by satellite and streaming through phone integrations, and some carmakers have explored removing popular integrations like CarPlay in favor of proprietary systems. The Rivian R2 vehicle lacks both FM and AM. General Motors has announced that it will keep CarPlay but also offer their own alternative. Will dashboard entertainment end up being a pay-to-play environment and no longer a feature? Will radio broadcasters soon have to negotiate and pay money to retain their presence on the dashboard? Is the push in Congress too narrow? Bud Williamson, an engineer and station owner as head of Neversink Media, believe AM, AM digital, FM and FM digital all should have been included, “since these methods of reception are not dependent on satellites or the cell carrier.” Another concern that isn’t sufficiently discussed is how deep within menus a listener must go to find broadcast radio. Broadcasters often say that drive time is what keeps a station financially afloat. If AM and FM are buried within menus, stations will be harder and harder to find. This is a fight for the survival of radio broadcasting, and the fight is not over. Comment on this or any article. Email radioworld@futurenet.com with “Letter to the Editor” in the subject field. The post Opinion: Hey Congress, FM Deserves Protection Too appeared first on Radio World .