Why Christian Broadcasters Are Clashing With Automakers Over A New Bill
Ever since the repeal of the FCC’s Fairness Doctrine in the 1980s, AM radio has maintained a reputation as the domain of free market capitalist advocacy.
But now that automakers such as Ford and Tesla have been removing AM radios from some new models, many groups are fighting to save the format through government regulation.
Their solution, the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act, has found broad support in the Christian broadcasting world, including endorsements from the National Religious Broadcasters (NRB), which represents more than 1,100 member organizations, and Salem Media Group, which owns 95 radio stations and specializes in Christian and conservative media.
AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act
The bipartisan bill, reintroduced by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Sen. Edward Markey (D-Mass.) in January, calls on the Secretary of Transportation to “issue a rule requiring access to AM broadcast stations in passenger motor vehicles, and for other purposes.” This bill, along with a House version, enjoys broad support from lawmakers and is expected to become law. The Senate version currently has a near filibuster-proof 58 co-sponsors, while 128 legislators have lent their support in the House.
In a March op-ed, NRB president and CEO Troy Miller promoted the bill as a safeguard against corporate control of free speech. Miller also planned to discuss the bill during a March 25-April 1 media event in Washington.
“Removing AM radio from cars would limit a historically free and open medium, placing control of information into the hands of a few powerful corporations,” Miller argued in the Newsmax piece. “At its core, this issue touches on a fundamental principle: Americans should have the freedom to access content of their choosing without corporate gatekeepers determining what they can and cannot hear. AM radio provides a platform for voices that might otherwise be marginalized by algorithm-driven digital platforms.”
Nic Anderson, Salem Media Group’s vice president for government affairs, told MinistryWatch he has been lobbying for a mandate for the last two-and-a-half years.
“AM radio continues to be a viable option for niche talk programmers,” Anderson said. “Religious and faith, political formats, foreign language, sports, and farm are just a few of the formats that succeed on the AM band. There are over 4,000 AM broadcasters throughout the country, and over 80 million listeners each month.”
Public safety and emergency communications
Francis J. Hoffman, chairman and CEO of Relevant Radio, a Catholic network with over 220 owned and affiliate stations, addressed a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson praising the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act as a public safety necessity.
“For years, AM Radio has served as a crucial source of information during emergencies, delivering real-time updates when other communication methods falter,” Hoffman said. “In the face of hurricanes, wildfires, tornadoes, and power outages, AM stations continue broadcasting even when cell networks and internet services are disrupted. Millions of Americans, especially those in rural and underserved regions, depend on AM signals for emergency alerts, evacuation guidance, and critical news. Reducing AM Radio’s reach would put countless lives at risk in their most critical moments.”
AM radio’s utility as an emergency communication medium has been a key factor in amassing a political coalition that goes beyond broadcasting interests. Letters endorsing the mandate have reached Congress from groups including Louisiana first responders; a coalition of first responders from Florida, Georgia and North Carolina; and a list of former and current New York safety officials.
Other defenders of AM radio include AARP, the National Association of Broadcasters and President Donald Trump, who vowed to preserve AM access while addressing the National Religious Broadcasters convention in February 2024.
Aging technology and the free market
However, voices from the automotive industry counter that AM radio is an aging technology whose importance for emergencies has declined, and that radios are causing interference problems in electric vehicles.
In 2023, the Zero Emission Transportation Association (ZETA), the Consumer Technology Association, the Alliance for Automotive Innovation and TechNet petitioned Congress to oppose the bill.
“Requiring the installation of analog AM radios in automobiles is an unnecessary action that would impact EV range, efficiency and affordability at a critical moment of accelerating adoption,” said ZETA Executive Director Albert Gore in a statement released at the same time. “Mandating AM radio would do little to expand drivers’ ability to receive emergency alerts. At a time when we are more connected than ever, we encourage Congress to allow manufacturers to innovate and produce designs that meet consumer preference, rather than pushing a specific communications technology.”
The Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank, agrees that the free market, rather than a top-down mandate, is the best path forward.
“New technologies always disrupt older ways of doing things and analog radio is not exempt from this rule,” David Inserra, a Fellow for Free Speech and Technology at the Cato Institute, told MinistryWatch. “While many still use AM radio, Americans are increasingly consuming media through new digital, streaming, mobile, and satellite technologies. Indeed, radio stations can still be accessed through modern technologies as can public safety alerts. Car manufacturers may choose to drop older technologies from their vehicles, especially as some modern car features may interfere with AM signals. Rather than have the government mandate which technologies we use, we should let the market determine what technologies work best for Americans.”
Regulation and public trust
Left to be seen is how, if passed, such a mandate could affect regulation of AM radio programming.
Since the repeal of the Fairness Doctrine (which required stations to give balanced treatment to controversial topics) and the passing of the 1996 Telecommunications Act (which removed restrictions on the ability of corporations to buy up multiple radio stations), government control has been light. The Federal Communications Commission censors indecency, obscenity and egregious intentional falsehoods (“broadcast news distortion”), and requires commercial broadcasters to give “reasonable access” to political candidates for advertising. Otherwise, stations enjoy broad First Amendment protections.
Matthew Jordan, a Penn State professor of media studies, suggested in a CBS News op-ed that if companies are forced to provide AM radio, the government should regulate it in a manner similar to how it regulates Low Power FM, which is more tightly controlled.
“If Congress and the FCC are going to frame AM radio as an essential public service, I believe it should once again push for public interest standards in exchange for a license. Only then will AM radio live up to the spirit animating the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act,” Jordan said. “In other words, if the U.S. government is going to tell automakers to install AM radios as a matter of public interest, shouldn’t they also ask broadcasters to demonstrate they are worthy of the public’s trust?”
This piece is republished from MinistryWatch.
Tony Mator is a Pittsburgh journalist, copywriter, blogger and musician who has done work for World magazine, The Imaginative Conservative and the Hendersonville Times-News, among others. Follow his work and observations at twitter.com/wise_watcher.