AM radio is on life support, FM translators are the defibrillator, and the FCC is still reading the instruction manual.
At the NAB Show in Las Vegas, FCC Media Bureau Deputy Bureau Chief Alexander Sanjenis acknowledged that a dedicated AM translator window could be coming. It should’ve been here already.
Let’s be honest about what’s happening on the AM band. We can pretend there’s some random revitalization on the way. Vintage and nostalgia are absolutely having a moment with younger demographics right now — Stanley cups, vinyl records, and bad 80s music with bad 90s clothes are in style. Except for AM radio. They don’t care about it, and let’s face it: they’re never going to.
There are certainly outliers. Some passionate listeners remain loyal to AM, and some markets still have strong performers on the band. But here’s the reality: the AM band is largely littered with programming the overwhelming majority of Americans simply don’t care about. There’s a reason for that. Decades of neglect, fragmented audiences, and the rise of digital alternatives have carved away at whatever cultural foothold AM radio once had. It’s not coming back.
So why are we still waiting on the FCC to act?
Sanjenis was candid enough at NAB. “There’s certainly more than we can do,” he said. He confirmed that the bureau is “looking at the possibility of a dedicated AM translator window,” while acknowledging “there is a massive amount of work that needs to go into it.”
That’s fair. Nobody expects the FCC to snap its fingers. But broadcasters can’t afford to wait while the bureau builds toward a perfect process.
Companies already know what they need. They need their AM brands on an FM signal to have any real chance to compete in today’s audio landscape. For some, it’s a strategic upgrade. For others, it’s outright survival. FM translators don’t just give AM stations a cleaner signal — they give those brands a fighting chance on a dial that listeners actually use.
The FCC has helped before. The AM Revitalization proceeding opened translator windows in 2017 and 2018. Those opportunities mattered enormously to broadcasters who secured a signal. But not everyone got in. Filing windows filled fast, and many stations were left scrambling. Years later, those same stations are still waiting for another shot.
There’s no compelling reason to keep them waiting. The regulatory framework exists. The need is documented. The industry has made its case repeatedly, and the FCC’s own leadership is signaling openness to movement. What’s left is will — and a timeline.
Sanjenis deserves credit for being direct at NAB rather than offering a non-answer. Transparency matters. Still, “we’re looking at it” can only carry broadcasters so far when their AM-only signal is hemorrhaging listeners every quarter. The bureau should move this up the priority list and give the industry a concrete window — not a vague promise.
AM radio isn’t going to fix itself. It’s not going to suddenly attract a wave of young listeners who’ve grown up on Spotify and podcasts. What it can do — with the right FM translator support — is keep viable brands alive, preserve local voices, and give operators a legitimate path forward.
The FCC can help. It should. And sooner is better than later.
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.
Garrett Searight is Barrett Media’s News Editor, which includes writing daily news stories, features, and opinion columns. He joined Barrett Media in 2022 after a decade leading several radio brands in several formats, as well as a 5-year stint working in local television. In addition to his work with Barrett Media, he is a radio and TV play-by-play broadcaster. Reach out to him at Garrett@BarrettMedia.com.
