Free Republic

Conservative talk show hosts, FEMA are fighting carmakers, tech industries in lobbying battle over drive-time radioA motley crew of AM radio advocates, including conservative talk show hosts like Hugh Hewitt and federal emergency officials, are lobbying Congress to stop carmakers from dropping the old medium from new vehicles. Tesla, Volvo, and BMW are among the companies that have already stopped providing AM tuners in some models. Last year Ford said it would join them—until CEO Jim Farley reversed course “after speaking with policy leaders.” [Snip] Sens. Ted Cruz (R., Texas) and Ed Markey (D., Mass.) are leading the Senate effort,...

The broadcast industry was abuzz yesterday following Ford Motor Company’s announcement that it will keep AM radio as a feature in its newer model cars. It’s welcome news for AM advocates who have been fighting for the preservation of the senior band in recent months. That fight, however, is not over. Lawmakers continue to push for legislation that would protect AM in all vehicles, and radio broadcasters are keeping the pressure on other automakers to follow Ford’s lead. Ford CEO Jim Farley made the announcement via social media Tuesday morning: “After speaking with policy leaders about the importance of AM...

Ford is reversing course on AM radio. In a tweet today, CEO Jim Farley announced the company was backing off its decision to release new vehicles without AM radio broadcast capabilities. Instead, all 2024 Ford and Lincoln models will be able to tune in to AM radio. And for the two electric vehicles released without AM radio capabilities, a software update would be pushed to restore it. The announcement came after Farley said he spoke with policy leaders on the “importance of AM broadcast radio as a part of the emergency alert system.” A bipartisan group of lawmakers introduced legislation...

DETROIT (AP) — Owners of new Ford vehicles will be able to tune in to AM radio in their cars, trucks and SUVs after all. CEO Jim Farley wrote in social media postings Tuesday that the company is reversing a decision to scrub the band after speaking with government policy leaders who are concerned about keeping emergency alerts that often are sounded on AM stations. “We’ve decided to include it on all 2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles,” Farley wrote on Twitter. “For any owners of Ford’s EVs without AM broadcast capability, we’ll offer a software update” to restore it, Farley...

Bipartisan legislation is being introduced in the House and Senate to keep AM radio from being removed from electric vehicles amid concerns the electric motors interfere with its frequency. The AM for Every Vehicle Act has the support of Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.), Rep. Tom Kean, Jr. (R-N.J.), Rob Menendez (D-N.J.), Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.). In the Senate, Sens. Edward Markey (D-Mass.) and Ted Cruz (R-Tex). The legislation would "direct the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to issue a rule that requires automakers to maintain AM broadcast radio in their vehicles without a separate or additional payment, fee, or surcharge," according...

AM radio is the one broadcasting method that liberals have not been able to dominate. Thus, the left has been scheming for ways to destroy this avenue of conservatism.

Good Morning/Afternoon,MEGAOnThisInternationalWomensDay2021Thank-YouKatherineForTakingGoodCareOfRushTheLastCoupleOfYears!!Dittos!!

Former President Donald Trump said Wednesday, hours after the death of Rush Limbaugh was announced, that he will not try to replace the popular radio host. “There’s a lot of people that are mentioning that and no, it’s not anything I’ve thought about. But he’d be a hard one to replace. You know, we talked to a friend of yours, Sean Hannity, he said, ‘He’s irreplaceable.’ And I view that too. I say he’s irreplaceable,” Trump said during an interview with Newsmax TV. “You wouldn’t want to follow Rush, it’s the old story, you get somebody like that, you don’t...

Jeff Kuhner who sits in for Michael Savage today told his audience....* His ratings (worldwide over the web and local) are through the moon.* His parent station will move him to 12 to 3 time-slot sometime after 7/4.* Syndication to follow in a few months.* This puts him in Rush's time-slot of which he alluded he would compliment him ( my words ).

Talk radio veteran Darryl Parks is a harsh critic of how the format continues to lose touch with most of the radio audience who aren’t white male baby boomers. In a new post this week he takes aim at Rush Limbaugh, describing the leading conservative talk host’s “fall into oblivion.”Parks notes that Limbaugh’s program is sinking in the ratings in New York and Los Angeles and has been shuttled off to lower ranked stations. Now it’s rumored– as first reported by Robert Feder–that his Chicago affiliate is preparing to dump ol’ Rushbo, too. A spokeswoman for WLS-AM owner Culumus Media has denied that rumor, though Parks...

Ex-Rep. Joe Walsh ‘kicked off the air’ over racist terms on radio Fri, 06/20/2014 - 3:37am Mitch Dudek According to posts on former U.S. Rep. Joe Walsh’s Twitter account Thursday night, the conservative radio talk-show host was kicked off the air on WIND-AM (560) for using racial slurs while trying to have a discussion about racial slurs. In a series of tweets posted about 7 p.m., Walsh says: “Just got kicked off the air until further notice. Tried to have honest discussion about racist terms and management censored my language.” And: “I’m trying to have an honest, adult conversations about...

...at least one man in Washington is tuning in. Ajit Pai, the lone Republican on the Federal Communications Commission, is on a personal if quixotic quest to save AM. After a little more than a year in the job, he is urging the F.C.C. to undertake an overhaul of AM radio, which he calls “the audible core of our national culture.” He sees AM — largely the realm of local news, sports, conservative talk and religious broadcasters — as vital in emergencies and in rural areas. “AM radio is localism, it is community,” Mr. Pai, 40, said in an interview....

I stayed in my seat and listened politely, though I wanted to jump up and cross-examine the people onstage. Frankly, I couldn't believe what I'd just heard, and it was so important that it needed to be clarified immediately. Could it really be true? I'd been predicting it for years, but when I heard those words, it was like seeing an old friend I loved being knifed in the gut. I felt victimized. But I also felt vindicated. The moment I am referring to was during our Radio Ink Convergence conference, held earlier this week. For two days, digital experts...

I am seeking advice on a good AM/FM/mp3/CD portable radio. I have had several that are poor FM performers because of our location relative to hills, mountains and distance. Size and weight are not issues if FM sensitivity is the best. Good sound quality, battery operation would be nice to have. Biggest problem is not getting Talk Shows like/including RUSH.

Radio broadcasts on medium wave will end within a few years if a powerful coalition of commercial radio interests has its way. Ofcom, commercial radio's regulatory body, will launch a debate in the coming months on the future of radio. Many predict that it will result in the end of AM broadcasts as we have known them since the days of the Home Service and Light Programme. The growth of digital broadcasts, either on radio, over the internet or through digital television, has left commercial AM broadcasts with only 3.8 per cent of the national audience this year. While the...

Art Bell's beloved wife of fifteen years, Ramona, died unexpectedly last night after an asthma attack. At present, the exact cause of Mrs. Bell's death has not been determined. It apparently took place during her sleep. Until her death, Art and Ramona Bell had not been apart a day since they were married. Mrs. Bell had suffered from asthma for years, and took her normal steps to control the attack, which occured sometime last night in Laughlin, Nevada where the Bells were taking a brief vacation. Ramona Bell was 47 years old.

Is talk radio becoming derailed by peculiar programming moves, unfocused hosts and some who just don't belong on the air? Recently, the Radio Equalizer has begun to receive feedback from industry managers, air talent and listeners, alerting me to disturbing developments in the medium. At a time when blogs, XM, SIRIUS and podcasting threaten AM radio from every angle, one would expect a sharp focus on what works, an effective plan of attack. Instead, the decisions become more baffling every day, with no sign of change coming soon.

Newly released Arbitron radio ratings bring some questions to mind, such as: --- Will Air America's apologists finally come up with a fresh batch of excuses, after insisting more time was needed for it to catch on? Isn't that one getting stale? --- Will some of the traditional talk stations, now showing audience declines, make changes soon?

The Great Planet X Debate 11p-12a PST: coast to coast AM radio Astronomer Phil Plait (badastronomy.com) will debate alien contactee Nancy Lieder (zetatalk.com) over whether a 'Planet X' will pass close enough to the Earth to cause a pole shift and spur many disasters in the next few weeks. Plait will then be the solo guest for the last two hours. for information and discusion only,not for profit etc,etc.

Last night Steve Somers of the Truckin' Bozo Radio Network promoted the Free Republic. He read the mission statement of FR to the thousands of truckers nationwide who listen to the show for news about the industry, conditions, and discussion of current events. The Truckin' Bozo is carried on AM and the XM satellite radio system.