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End of a love affair: AM radio is being removed from many cars
The Washington Post ^ | May 13, 2023 | Marc Fisher

Posted on 05/14/2023 12:29:35 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican

America’s love affair between the automobile and AM radio — a century-long romance that provided the soundtrack for lovers’ lanes, kept the lonely company with ballgames and chat shows, sparked family singalongs and defined road trips — is on the verge of collapse, a victim of galloping technological change and swiftly shifting consumer tastes.

The breakup is entirely one-sided, a move by major automakers to eliminate AM radios from new vehicles despite protests from station owners, listeners, first-responders and politicians from both major parties.

Automakers, such as BMW, Volkswagen, Mazda and Tesla, are removing AM radios from new electric vehicles because electric engines can interfere with the sound of AM stations. And Ford, one of the nation’s top-three auto sellers, is taking a bigger step, eliminating AM from all of its vehicles, electric or gas-operated.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: fakenews
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1 posted on 05/14/2023 12:29:35 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican
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To: MinorityRepublican

So....

The Deep State finally found a way to shut down “Talk Radio”.....


2 posted on 05/14/2023 12:31:53 PM PDT by Iron Munro ( Michael Byrd: "Well, Somebody had to do it - Babbitt wasn't gonna' shoot herself!")
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To: MinorityRepublican

Isn’t this racist since most AM stations these days are in Spanish?


3 posted on 05/14/2023 12:31:56 PM PDT by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: MinorityRepublican

It is obvious. AM is the one place where conservatives have a voice. The Left is behind this , no excuse is going to convince me otherwise.


4 posted on 05/14/2023 12:32:36 PM PDT by Nateman (If Mohammad was not the Anti Christ Mad Moe definitely comes in as a Strong second..)
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To: MinorityRepublican

I’ve been hearing a lot about this recently. Supposedly electric car engines make a lot of static, which drowns out AM radio signals.

is that true?

I’ve also heard, that AM radio ratings, have declined a lot in recent years, due to competition from FM, satellite radio, podcasts, internet radio, and sites such as Pandora.


5 posted on 05/14/2023 12:32:40 PM PDT by Dilbert San Diego
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To: MinorityRepublican

There will be a huge demand for an aftermarket am unit. Advice to companies, start making it now!


6 posted on 05/14/2023 12:34:20 PM PDT by Highest Authority (DemonRats are pure EVIL)
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To: MinorityRepublican

AM pretty much died with Rush Limbaugh (RIP El Rushbo).

With smartphones even old folks can learn to listen to podcasts and there are so many good ones it is 100x the content and choice as AM radio.


7 posted on 05/14/2023 12:34:35 PM PDT by volunbeer (We are living 2nd Thessalonians)
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To: MinorityRepublican

With the electric cars, I think the solid state motor controllers jam the AM Signal. But why they would get rid of it for all cars is kind of baffling. It is not like it costs a lot of money to keep AM in the car. FM has limited range so AM is important if you live out in the sticks.


8 posted on 05/14/2023 12:35:06 PM PDT by microgood
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To: Dilbert San Diego

They’ve already removed the disc players.


9 posted on 05/14/2023 12:36:22 PM PDT by fella ("As it was before Noah so shall it be again," )
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To: Iron Munro; Nateman

Yep.


10 posted on 05/14/2023 12:36:28 PM PDT by Eagles6 (Welcome to the Matrix . Orwell's "1984" was a warning, not an instruction manual.)
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To: MinorityRepublican

Will my next car be cheaper? I haven’t used AM is probably 10 years; FM in probably 5+. I have satellite radio and very happy I don’t have to keep searching for a new station as I drive down the road.


11 posted on 05/14/2023 12:36:51 PM PDT by Reno89519 (Anybody But Trump - Tired of His Boorish Antics, Poor Hiring and Life Choices. We Can Do Better!)
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To: MinorityRepublican

No CD or tape player in my newish Jeep. I made a “mix tape” on a 156Gig tiny chip card I plugged in and now I have about 30 hours of my favorite songs before it repeats. I no longer even have to touch the “radio” as the volume buttons are on the back of my steering wheel.


12 posted on 05/14/2023 12:38:06 PM PDT by Delta 21 (MAGA Republican is my pronoun.)
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To: MinorityRepublican

This has been posted many times, and it should continue to be posted to remind people about censorship.

Today you might say it probably does not matter cause I can get the podcast, but I disagree.

Sure you can probably get the pod cast, but how are you going to know about the talking head in the first place?


13 posted on 05/14/2023 12:38:10 PM PDT by algore
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To: MinorityRepublican

Our AM was used to listen to Russ.

Now, it is used re disasters, like earthquakes, fires, floods, etc. Now, that may be Hispanic only.


14 posted on 05/14/2023 12:38:20 PM PDT by Grampa Dave (Free speech is the main right that you have! Without it, you have no others! (Tucker Carlson!))
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To: MinorityRepublican

I read AM radio will be an option instead of standard eqiopment


15 posted on 05/14/2023 12:38:51 PM PDT by kjam22
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To: Dilbert San Diego

should not matter, there wont be enough electric to power cars anyway.


16 posted on 05/14/2023 12:39:26 PM PDT by Ronald77
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To: MinorityRepublican

I am very sure that EV’s break federal rules on RF interference. And this fact has to be hidden. They not only interfere with internal radios, but they generate interference all around them as well. Including in other cars.


17 posted on 05/14/2023 12:40:22 PM PDT by Revel
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To: MinorityRepublican

I would wager that China makes the majority of new car radios today, and that China has created wholesale pricing structures to eliminate conservative AM talk radio before another Rush Limbaugh can emerge.


18 posted on 05/14/2023 12:40:40 PM PDT by nagant
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To: MinorityRepublican
Automakers, such as BMW, Volkswagen, Mazda and Tesla, are removing AM radios from new electric vehicles because electric engines can interfere with the sound of AM stations. And Ford, one of the nation’s top-three auto sellers, is taking a bigger step, eliminating AM from all of its vehicles, electric or gas-operated.

Which proves the engine noise theory is an excuse.

Die, corporate scum.

19 posted on 05/14/2023 12:41:00 PM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks (FBI out of Florida!)
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To: MinorityRepublican

I always look past what they are saying for the real reason. The static picked up by AM radios can be lessened by better shielding, or by better quality radios.

But then they they wouldn’t be able to shut down Right “wing” broadcasters.


20 posted on 05/14/2023 12:42:08 PM PDT by I want the USA back (The media is the most subversive and harmful institution on the planet. Tied with democrat party.)
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