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The AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act continues to wait for passage by the United States Congress. But what has transpired over the past few days and weeks in Asheville at stations like 570 WWNC should be what propels it over the finish line.
When I spoke to 570 WWNC morning show host Mark Starling last week, I left the conversation with a revitalized look at the medium we know and love. What that station, and others in the area, are doing to keep their communities updated with pivotal — often times life-saving — information is what we should all pride ourselves on in this industry.
Not only has the station served as a critical lifeline between government agencies, public officials, and the greater Asheville business community to citizens of the area, but it’s also become a trusted friend to so many who are without their “usual” forms of communication and entertainment.
The passion with which Starling spoke about not only the service to his community but his co-workers, his station, and his company was infectious. I don’t know how you could want to do anything other than be a morning show host on an AM radio station after listening to him talk about the situation and the importance the brand has played in the response to the damaging effects Hurricane Helene has had on the region.
And that, in my opinion, is what should be the selling point of the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act. Moments like these — not the flimsy whataboutisms that have been floated previously — are the real reason that AM Radio should be preserved.
I’ll be frank: I think some of the messaging surrounding the potential bill’s passage has been bad, bordering on terrible. The idea that because it would be slightly inconvenient to move the entry points of the EAS system from AM stations to FM signals shouldn’t be enough of a reason for the government to mandate that AM band remain in cars. And the idea that it’s some sort of left-wing attack on conservative talk radio is an even dumber argument. The bill was introduced by a Democratic Senator, for Pete’s sake!
But the things that can’t be denied about AM radio have been on display since Hurricane Helene slammed Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee late last month.
It has incredible signal strength. Does the audio quality stink in comparison to FM radio, satellite radio, and streaming audio? Absolutely, unequivocally, yes. But being able to pick up signals from hundreds of miles away when needed is an absolute godsend during important times.
Earlier this year, I sat in a windowless bathroom in the interior of my house as tornadoes churned through Western Ohio. Before I huddled in the bathroom with dogs, I ran to my garage and grabbed my battery-powered radio. As I scanned the channels, do you know what I found? Nothing pertaining to what was happening in my area in that exact moment. I found Sean Hannity and Jesse Kelly, but nothing about the critical information I needed.
No breaking news coverage. No local voice telling me what areas were about to be impacted and which areas were safe. I heard why Joe Biden and Nancy Pelosi stink and how the “communists” want to turn your children into freaks, or whatever blathering malarkey was being spewed. In fact, I don’t even think the EAS alerts were up-to-date or informative. It was an absolute dearth of information when I needed it most, after the power went out, internet went down, and cell service was non-existent after towers were damaged. All I had was AM radio, which failed me when I needed it. People died, and we were in the dark, both literally and figuratively.
Which is why what is happening at 570 WWNC is what shouldn’t just be taken to heart by legislators. It should be taken to heart by radio executives. Had there been someone, anyone, in the building at some heritage AM radio brands on that day, they would have been able to share valuable information with the public. To make an impact on your communities, you need to be in your communities. What is happening at iHeartMedia Asheville will be remembered by people in the area for a long time. They won’t forget who was there for them when they needed it the most.
And that is the key to the future of the AM band and the passage of the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act. Anyone can poke holes in flimsy arguments about why we need to keep accessibility widely available. But it’s more difficult to poke holes in an emotional connection millions have with AM radio. You’re not going to win people over to our side by “But what about the business interests of the companies that have dozens or maybe even hundreds of AM Radio stations?”
We have to win the argument by providing something for the general public. By serving them. Not just when the world feels like it’s going to hell, but at all times. And if we, as an industry, do a better job in that aspect, it will force the hands of legislators who either are or have been on the fence on the issue into the camp we want them to be. That’s a good thing for us and the communities we’re trying to serve.
Garrett Searight is Barrett Media’s News Editor, which includes writing bi-weekly industry features and a weekly column. He has previously served as Program Director and Afternoon Co-Host on 93.1 The Fan in Lima, OH, and is the radio play-by-play voice of Northern Michigan University hockey. Reach out to him at Garrett@BarrettMedia.com.
