CBA President: Failure Of Every Vehicle Act ‘Isn’t Just An AM Problem, It’s A Radio Problem.’ | Story

The omission of the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act from last week’s stopgap funding bill passed by the House and Senate may have dealt a serious blow to its future, but the fight must continue, Colorado Broadcasters Association President and CEO Justin Sasso says.

“We had more than half of Congress supporting the Act, [and] over 800,000 listeners emailed and called Washington, DC to advocate for us. And still, it wasn’t enough,” Sasso says in an opinion piece for CBA.

“As an AM radio station owner, this fight carries extra weight,” Sasso says. “However, I’ve struggled with our side’s central argument: mandating another industry to act. We pride ourselves on being a free-market, capitalist economy, where government interference in private enterprise is supposed to be minimal. In broadcasting, the Federal Communications Commission regulates the publicly owned airwaves, ensuring a civilized and efficient spectrum. This regulation, though not voluntary, has been necessary to manage limited resources and meet public needs – such as emergency alerts.”

Sasso argues that the auto industry’s stand on AM runs counter to what the public wants. “Automakers made a critical choice when they accepted government bailouts,” he says. “That taxpayer cash came with strings attached – strings that should give us, the public, a say. Automakers now argue they shouldn’t be forced to keep AM radio – a top audio choice for two-thirds of Americans – in dashboards. Yet, these same manufacturers eagerly took our money when their industry was on the brink of collapse.”

Sasso points out that the issue for passing the bill goes beyond AM itself. “This fight isn’t just about AM radio’s survival. It’s about ensuring access to free, reliable communication in emergencies and protecting a public good that has served citizens for decades,” he says. “Make no mistake: this isn’t just an AM problem. It’s a radio problem. If AM is pushed out, FM will follow. Automakers will remove these ‘freebies’ to make way for subscription-based alternatives –WiFi-dependent services they can charge consumers for.”

Sasso reminds those in the industry that “losing radio in the dashboard hurts more than just broadcasters. It jeopardizes the farmers, agricultural communities, minority voices, and underserved populations who rely on AM radio for news, cultural programming, and connection. It hurts taxpayers who bailed out the auto industry, only to lose access to free, over-the-air radio in times of crisis – or when they simply need a voice in the car that doesn’t require a credit card.”

To those working to get the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act passed, Sasso says, “At its core, this fight is about maintaining something special: a direct, free line of communication to the public. Radio may no longer hold the glamour it once did, but its role in serving communities, especially during emergencies, remains irreplaceable.”