RED OAK, Iowa (KMTV) — Sen. Chuck Grassley wants to keep the AM radio dial available in new cars. Many EV makers are building vehicles without the AM dial because, they day, it interferes with other technology in the cars.
- "Iowans across the state rely on AM Radio,” said Grassley. “It's the backbone of our emergency alert system. And it's a key resource for Iowans to catch up on commodity and livestock markets, local news and the weather."
- The general manager of KCSI in Red Oak, which simulcasts on FM and AM, says that AM radio provides an important option for keeping communities informed.
- "I have an individual call me in tears and said that they'd just lost their husband just a couple of weeks prior to that,” said West. “And when she heard that we were on the air and we were talking about the storm, she knew she was going to be okay."
WATCH KATRINA'S STORY BELOW
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Who still listens to AM radio? Well, apparently a lot of people do. In fact, I do when I'm traveling around southwest Iowa, I know I can get the news on the am dial.
I'm southwest Iowa neighborhood reporter Katrina markel in Red Oak and I'm here to speak with the general manager of the radio station in Red Oak about a new bill proposed by Sen. Chuck Grassley to keep the AM dial in new cars.
"It something that's built into all of our emergency alert systems ... "
Aaron West's family has owned KCSI for more than thirty years. When there's an emergency, like the tornado that hit Montgomery County last May, the community radio station is on the air. He remembers a storm two years ago.
"I have an individual call me in tears and said that they'd just lost their husband just a couple of weeks prior to that,” said West. “And when she heard that we were on the air and we were talking about the storm, she knew she was going to be okay."
Electric car manufacturers are eliminating the AM dial from new vehicles for engineering reasons, they say. But, a bipartisan group of lawmakers want to require the carmakers to keep it.
"Iowans across the state rely on AM Radio,” said Grassley. “It's the backbone of our emergency alert system. And it's a key resource for Iowans to catch up on commodity and livestock markets, local news and the weather."
"And it is a sense of community. A familiar voice.” said West. “And just to know what's going on locally because we're a very rural community."
Industry surveys indicate roughly 82 million Americans listen to AM radio every month.
West says younger generations may listen less, but that doesn't mean the AM signal isn't still important.
"I think every layer of communication that you can have provides more security to people and you want to get everyone covered," he said.
The AM signal can reach farther than FM and when the power is out, West told me, neighbors turn on their cars to get updates.
