FEMA Urged To Act On AM Radio In Cars Crisis

Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI) and Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) this week sent a letter to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator, Deanne Criswell, expressing concern over domestic and foreign automakers' decision to drop AM radio access in many new electric vehicles. In the letter, the members highlighted the important role that AM radio plays in providing life-saving information to the public and asked FEMA to outline what impact this would have on the nation's Emergency Alert System. The letter also seeks clarity on what, if any, steps FEMA is taking to prevent this from happening in future vehicle models.

In part, the members wrote, "Unlike some other communication methods, including FM and HD radio, AM radio has extensive geographic reach, including into areas where there is little cellular service or access to broadband internet. There is considerable evidence of Americans relying on radio for vital emergency information during severe weather events, such as Hurricane Sandy...Especially given the growth in sales of EVs, it is vital for FEMA to make clear the negative impacts that lacking access to AM radio will have on public safety infrastructure."

➤See the letter HERE.

Also this week, the National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters (NABOB) sent a letter to Rep. Steven Horsford (NV-4), Chairman of the House Congressional Black Caucus, expressing concern regarding the removal of AM radio from new car models and some electric vehicles. Of the top 20 automakers producing vehicles in the U.S., eight of them have removed AM broadcast from their EVs with one major automaker removing the AM radio from their entire fleet of non-commercial vehicles.

"This represents a huge setback for AM radio stations serving the needs of the African American community, as AM radio is a crucial medium for delivering content that is culturally relevant and often missing from other formats," wrote NABOB President/CEO James L Winston. "More broadly, the removal of AM radio from electric vehicles would be a step backward in broadcasters' efforts to promote diversity and inclusivity in media. It would reinforce the dominance of mainstream media outlets and limit the diversity of voices and perspectives that are heard."

A story this week in the Philadelphia Inquirer notes that since its signal travels a greater distance, the AM band in particular has long been a vehicle for news, weather updates, and police emergencies. Across rural America, including Pennsylvania, where broadband and cell phone service can be dismal, some residents, lawmakers, and emergency management coordinators are concerned that more auto manufacturers, like Ford, are phasing out AM radio altogether in future models.

Auto makers such as Ford Motor Co. and Tesla Inc. have dropped AM radio from newer EV models. Car companies say the motors on such vehicles generate electromagnetic frequencies on the same wavelength as AM radio signals, creating buzzing and signal fading from the interference. 

The government should seek assurances that auto makers will maintain AM radio in cars, said seven former Federal Emergency Management Agency administrators in a February letter to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and some congressional committees.

The issue, the former officials say, is that AM radio serves as a linchpin of the infrastructure behind the federal National Public Warning System, which provides emergency-alert and warning information from FEMA to the public during natural disasters and extreme weather events. 

“When all else fails, radio stations are often the last line of communications that communities have,” Craig Fugate, the head of FEMA during the Obama administration, said in an interview. Fugate is one of the signers of the letter.