Yes on the AM Radio in Every Vehicle Act... Star Parker

[mystery-ak]

Yes on the AM Radio in Every Vehicle Act
Star Parker
Jul 29, 2026

It is rare for me to support anything inserting more government into our lives.

However, I'm now looking at one of these exceptions.

It's the AM Radio in Every Vehicle Act.

The legislation pushes back against automobile manufacturers moving to no longer include AM radio as standard equipment in new cars.

The bill mandates a Department of Transportation rule requiring that all new vehicles manufactured in the U.S. or imported come equipped with an AM radio and the ability to receive AM radio broadcasts.

At first glance, I felt, as I most always do, that what business is it of government to tell manufacturers what they should produce? These companies stay in business because they are the experts in how best to serve their customers.

In the name of disclosure, I am on the board of the National Religious Broadcasters, and NRB supports this legislation for various reasons, one being that AM radio is an important platform for Christian broadcasting.

However, despite my great zeal that all Americans hear the Gospel, I would not support this legislation for that reason. Again, we are talking about suppliers and consumers, and in my view, markets should operate freely and privately, and particular interest groups should not get government involved to protect and mandate what they want.

Given my first reaction to the bill, I was surprised to see the very wide (317 co-sponsors in the House) and very bipartisan support that it has.

I also noted senators—such as Ted Cruz, Rick Scott, and the late Lindsey Graham—whom I consider strong conservatives—who are on board as co-sponsors.

https://townhall.com/columnists/starparker/2026/07/29/yes-on-the-am-radio-in-every-vehicle-act-n2680295

[Cyber Liberty]

Killing AM radios in cars sounds like a way to kill off talk radio in general. 

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

Let the market decide IMO.

[DefiantMassRINO]

It may be a public safety, emergency management, or civil defense concern.

AM Radio is a legacy component of the Emergency Broadcast System.

Many state traffic information agencies broadcast news of delays and construction on AM Radio Channels.

There are FM talk radio stations ... mostly sports radio, though.

[libertybele]

Killing AM radios in cars sounds like a way to kill off talk radio in general.

Well, it's a beginning ...

[Wingnut]

Fun Fact:

Every radio made in the U.S. between 1953 and 1963 was required to feature the miniature triangles: one at 640 on the AM dial, the other at 1240. Table radios, car radios, transistor radios: None were exempt.

This was part of Conelrad, an acronym for “Control of Electromagnetic Radiation.” In the event of a Soviet air attack, all broadcasts would go silent except for official emergency instructions over the government’s special network. The triangles, simplified versions of the Conelrad logo, were intended to help citizens, nervously hand-adjusting their radios, to find the proper spot quickly.

There was another, parallel purpose. The national Conelrad announcements were designed to emanate from a constantly shifting lineup of local transmission towers, each owned by a station whose programming had paused. In the event of an attack, each would feed the 640 and 1240 emergency frequencies. So if Soviet bombers entered American airspace, they wouldn’t be able to use the local tower signals as navigation aids. By the time they figured out where one signal was coming from, another tower would have taken over.

[berdie]

Although not a retirement issue......when I worked I always listened to AM radio,

Traffic, weather, news and talk radio. FM doesn't have the same regular features. WBAP for me!

[Cyber Liberty]

Although not a retirement issue......when I worked I always listened to AM radio,

Traffic, weather, news and talk radio. FM doesn't have the same regular features. WBAP for me!

Do you want the suits at Toyota or Ford making that decision for you?

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

Do you want the suits at Toyota or Ford making that decision for you?

Just install an aftermarket radio... or buy from a brand that didn't do this.

[Sighlass]

https://www.crutchfield.com/

Put in your own radio, from a awesome company that custom makes the attachments to fit your car... Crutchfield rocks...

[Cyber Liberty]

Just install an aftermarket radio... or buy from a brand that didn't do this.

Have you ever tried to do that with a 2026 computerized dashboard? 

[Sighlass]

Have you ever tried to do that with a 2026 computerized dashboard? 

You may have a point... No I haven't checked until now (and it looks hard to do)... and to be honest I haven't even tried it on a post 2000's car/truck...

I entered a few truck models at Crutchfield and it looks to be impossible to easily mod some models.

I am a fossil ...

Now days even batteries are a pain to swap out. (According to my brother's truck).

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

Have you ever tried to do that with a 2026 computerized dashboard?

No, but nearly all AM radio stations have an "Iheartradio" presence these days.

[Cyber Liberty]

No, but nearly all AM radio stations have an "Iheartradio" presence these days.

Doesn't that require an Internet connection?

[DCPatriot]

I go back to Joel Spivak on WTOP.  Or was it WMAL??

He would change the topic on the top of every hour.  Sarcasm galore!!

[the OlLine Rebel]

I love my AM.  I’m a bit too obsessed, all day is bopping between my 2 favorite local talk stations.

[roamer_1]

I went away from AM talk radio long before Limbaugh died - Haven't been back to it - Nothing there for me. As far as music goes, that's HankFM (KHNK FM, Outlaw Country), which I would be listening to in the truck, if I were still driving... And which I listen to every morning with my breakfast, to catch the news... AM could dry up and I wouldn't know the difference.

FM could dry up and I would notice - But HANKFM is online too, anyway.  Then the whole thing would be whether you could get to internet in the car. Which, if you have a cell tower in range, or are satellite connected, then there ya go.

Functionally, an alternative that is not an alternative - Because the beauty of radio is that it functions outside of the normalcy of internet phones and cellular phones - When the whole dang thing goes to hell, like in a hurricane or tornado those radio towers are worth their weight in gold.

And for that reason alone, the option should be preserved.

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

Doesn't that require an Internet connection?

Ok easy enough these days with cell phones and data plans.

[Cyber Liberty]

Ok easy enough these days with cell phones and data plans.

We require automakers to add thousands to the price of cars for pollution control and increased fuel efficiency.  Side window air-bags.  Requiring AM radios costs a lot less than forcing commuters into expensive data plans.

Stick with radios....

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

We require automakers to add thousands to the price of cars for pollution control and increased fuel efficiency.  Side window air-bags.  Requiring AM radios costs a lot less than forcing commuters into expensive data plans.

Stick with radios....

This is like backup cameras... backup cameras are now required on all vehicles I believe. They're a good thing, but on principal I just hate sort of the government "knowing" what's best for us... and same thing for AM radio. I'm basically opposed to it on principal alone.

I remember when they wanted to force all smartphones to have an FM radio in them, which is ridiculous.

[GtHawk]

The biggest outcry over the death of AM in cars will come from the Hispanics and Asians who now own 90% of all AM stations.

[catfish1957]

The biggest outcry over the death of AM in cars will come from the Hispanics and Asians who now own 90% of all AM stations.

Many say that AM radio died when Rush Limbaugh did.

And honestly there would never have been POTUS Trump without Limbaugh's '15 endorsement.

[roamer_1]

This is like backup cameras... backup cameras are now required on all vehicles I believe. They're a good thing, but on principal I just hate sort of the government "knowing" what's best for us... and same thing for AM radio. I'm basically opposed to it on principal alone.

I remember when they wanted to force all smartphones to have an FM radio in them, which is ridiculous.

I can concur with that, in spirit. In the age of 100k dollar pickup trucks, they are ridiculously feature-rich, in comparison to say, mid-80s, when I think things went spiraling out of control.

How about this: IF a radio is supplied, THEN AM. As the bare minimum.
As a square-body Chevy fanatic, I have been buying and installing FM capable radios into my pickups for decades. And better speakers too.

I would choose to buy a midrange head unit (radio, phone link, Android Auto capable monitor, backup cam, forward cam) for my 78 square body pickup today. I would naturally choose to add cupholders. I would not choose Butt Warmers, which I think to be utterly hilarious...

I wonder what a totally bare pickup would cost today - One outfitted comparably to a mid 80s rig... I have no need for independent suspension. I would prefer a straight axle. I have no real love for automatic transmissions. I would almost always prefer a stick (though I would opt for overdrive too). I would rather have manual hubs that don't continually turn the front axle. I want analog systems - realtime meters.

It's a pickup, dammit. It's made for work. But it is nearly impossible to get a pickup with merely a stick and a straight axle. And manual hubs. I have to supply them if I care to. And you would shiver at the cost of that. It almost can't be done.

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

I can concur with that, in spirit. In the age of 100k dollar pickup trucks, they are ridiculously feature-rich, in comparison to say, mid-80s, when I think things went spiraling out of control.

How about this: IF a radio is supplied, THEN AM. As the bare minimum.

Mandated by the government?

[Cyber Liberty]

Mandated by the government?

Just like seat belts and air bags, that add more to the cost than requiring an AM radio.

[roamer_1]

Mandated by the government?

Sure. If you buy a CB, it comes with 40 channels... Mandated frequencies, reserved for Citizen's Band radios. You can buy handhelds with one, three, or five channels of your choice, and the only mandated channel in all cases is channel 9, which is the emergency channel.

Likewise radios in automobiles - AM is reserved frequencies, licensed for use by broadcasting stations. If you supply a radio, it must contain all of those frequencies that compose 'AM radio' - Not only the ones that might, say, pay you for exclusivity; no, you must supply the entire AM band.

That was later expanded to FM band, which again, is a reserved band of frequencies, licensed for use by broadcasting stations - if you supply FM band, you must supply it all, in fairness to those who have paid licensing within the scheme.

Since AM is the root of the scheme, how is it fair to omit it? If anything, FM, as the extension, could be omitted, or the whole radio omitted... Or supply both. It would be similar to supplying the original 23 channels in CB... which DID go on for a while - you could elect to buy either 23 or 40 channels for a while. but the root channels - the 23 - were always supplied.

In this digital age, the cost of supplying AM is a pittance if a radio is supplied. So it is not a matter of monetary value. Likewise, supplying both AM and FM in a head unit is but a pittance in the cost of a head unit itself.

So if it is not a matter of saving money (assuming FM will be supplied, AM is no real extra cost) then the motive must be something else.