Many in the radio industry are concerned with electric vehicle manufacturers removing AM radios from their upcoming models. John Catsimatidis, owner of 77 WABC, won’t be going down without a fight.
According to a December report from The New York Times, most electric vehicle makers have dropped AM radio because the models generate more electromagnetic interference than gas-powered cars, which disrupts the reception of AM signals. AM radio proponents have argued that interference could be easily negated by the manufacturers, but claim the automakers are refusing to do so as a cost-saving measure.
“Rather than frustrate customers with inferior reception and noise, the decision was made to leave it off vehicles that feature eDrive technology,” BMW said in a statement to The Times.
Tesla, Audi, Porsche, and Volvo have all removed AM radio their electric vehicles, with Volkswagen and Ford also removing the band from select models.
In an interview with InsideRadio, Catsimatidis responded to a question about AM no longer being standard in electric vehicles by saying “Wait ’til you see the class action suit. We carry a big bat.”
When asked about the potential loss of AM radio and a shift to FM, the Red Apple Media owner said “Write this down. I’ve got something up my sleeve.”
A move to an FM signal would be the latest of several heritage AM talk brands making the shift to FM. In October of last year, New York all-news station 1010 WINS added an FM-simulcast on 92.3. That move followed KNX News in Los Angeles launching a simulcast on 97.1 FM in 2021 after broadcasting on the AM band for more than 100 years.
