(MURFREESBORO) Here's an update on the public's outcry to Ford Motor Company's announcement that they plan to eliminate AM radios from 2024 models.
This story is playing out across America. The National Association of Broadcasters just released the results of an AM radio audience survey: More than 80 million Americans depend on AM radio and removing it from vehicles is a dire public safety risk.
A surprise for Ford--25 per cent of that total are Ford customers.
A Murfreesboro motorist dropped by WGNS in her new Ford Explorer. She was incensed and said, "If they eliminate AM from next year's Fords, where will I get the news? I've been a Ford fan for 30-years, but I'll have to change."
The National Association of Broadcasters is encouraging the public to let U.S. Congressmen know your thoughts by texting AM to 52886 and telling them to keep AM radio in cars. To date, listeners have sent over 173,000 emails and counting to their legislators.
More U.S. Reps Are Helping
Reps. Mike Gallagher (WI-8) and Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) are the latest policymakers to express great concern about automakers removing AM radio from cars. The two sent a letter to the Federal Emergency Management Administration voicing their concerns about the impact to the Emergency Alert System.
We are asking listeners to help us contact Congress by texting AM to 52886 and telling them to keep AM radio in cars. To date, listeners have sent over 173,000 emails and counting to their legislators.
- DependOnAm.com is an information hub with a grassroots call to action where listeners can quickly and easily tell their members of Congress to advocate for AM radio in vehicles.
Also this week, The National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters (NABOB) sent a letter the Congressional Black Caucus urging the preservation of AM radio in cars.
- "African Americans have a limited number of media outlets that cater to their specific needs, and AM radio helps fill that gap by providing a platform for locally produced content that is relevant to their audience," the letter said.
More Local Information
WGNS’ Bart Walker said, “We must make Congress aware that the public uses AM radio. Since WGNS-AM signed-on-the-air over 76-years ago, it’s call letters have stood for Good Neighbor Station (WGNS). A good neighbor is there to help in an emergency. Whether it’s a deadly tornado, flood, ice storm, blizzard, fire or other disaster. WGNS teams with emergency responders and broadcasts life-saving information.”
In reality, this is the genetic make-up of AM radio. The first radio stations were AM. From the beginning these stations gave election results, news about weather, conversations with local leaders, play-by-play of high school, college and major league sports, Swap’n Shop and much more.
Another WGNS listener sent the radio station an email: AM radio is also essential to aircraft navigation. One of the first radio navigation systems used AM radio. This is still used today. ADF. Automatic Directional Finder. (The pilot tunes to an AM radio station in the town in which they are traveling, and the instruments show the pilot which direction to fly to get them to that town).
Let the U.S. congress know your feelings by texting AM to 52886 and telling them to keep AM radio in cars.
