Why does AM radio even exist?

An opinion piece in the October 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, and is 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 it is lazy engineering that causes the problem … or else engineers at the likes of General Motors and Toyota — which never planned to drop AM — are better than those at Tesla and Ford — which did. Shielding and noise blanking are among the solutions, and those that can’t get clear reception in the car are likely interfering with reception outside the car as well, which is illegal. This means they need to shield anyway.

According the WSJ piece, it will cost EV makers $4 billion by the year 2030 to fix the problem. I highly doubt that figure is anywhere near accurate – once the shielding and designs are set, the cost is minimal, and they have to do it anyway – it truly is illegal for an EV to cause radio interference to another receiver. Regardless, the recent hurricanes in North Carolina and Florida have proven AMs worth.

As but 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 and with internet and mobile phone services often unavailable or unreliable, 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.

InsideRadio.com reported that station personnel were trapped in the studios themselves, due to the downed power lines and fallen trees, so they didn’t have much choice. But in reality they could have bailed or just hidden in safety. Instead, they became a clearinghouse for rescue efforts.

They even monitored ham radios to relay information on active rescues, rising waters, and more, broadcasting as many first-hand accounts as possible … 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,” station news director and morning host Mark Starling 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 Demo

Two weeks ago I mentioned that 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 … “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! 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

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