TL;DR
The U.S. House is expected to vote the week of September 14, 2026, on the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act.
The bipartisan legislation would require new vehicles to maintain access to AM broadcast radio.
The conversation is bigger than AM radio itself. It is about maintaining reliable access to local news, emergency information, and community voices.
During severe weather, natural disasters, and other emergencies, radio can continue providing information when power, cellular networks, or internet access are disrupted.
At Mid-West Family Marketing, our local media brands, including 104.7 The Cave, 105.1 The Bull, 102.1 The WON, Q92.9 and the Around The Ozarks Podcast Network, are part of the local media ecosystem that helps keep our community informed, entertained and connected.
A Big Vote Is Coming for Local Radio
For more than three years, broadcasters and industry advocates have been working to keep AM radio available in America’s vehicles.
Now, the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act is scheduled for a standalone vote on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives during the week of September 14, 2026. The legislation would require new vehicles manufactured or imported for sale in the United States to maintain the ability to receive AM broadcast radio.
For those of us in local broadcasting, this moment matters.
But this conversation is about more than preserving an old technology.
It is about preserving access.
Why Is AM Radio Being Removed From Some Vehicles?
As vehicles have become more technologically advanced, some automakers have begun removing AM radio receivers, particularly from electric vehicles.
One reason is that electric motors and other vehicle components can create electromagnetic interference that affects AM reception. Automakers have also increasingly focused on digital entertainment systems, streaming audio and other connected technologies.
The result is that access to AM radio is no longer guaranteed in every new vehicle.
That may not sound like a major issue when you have a smartphone, cellular service and multiple streaming apps available.
Until you don’t.
When Everything Else Goes Down, Radio Can Still Be There
One of the strongest arguments for maintaining AM radio in vehicles is public safety.
AM radio plays an important role in emergency communications and can reach listeners across large geographic areas. During severe weather, natural disasters, prolonged power outages or other emergencies, people still need reliable information.
Where is the storm headed?
What roads are closed?
Where can people find shelter?
What areas should be avoided?
Where can families find updates?
When Hurricane Katrina caused widespread destruction and prolonged power outages, many residents relied on battery-powered and vehicle radios for information.
Here in the Ozarks, we understand the importance of timely local information. Tornadoes, severe storms, flooding, and other emergencies do not wait for you to find Wi-Fi or refresh an app.
Local broadcasters can already be on the air, sharing updates, communicating important information, and helping their communities understand what is happening.
That matters.
Local Media Is About More Than Entertainment
At Mid-West Family Marketing, we operate in an industry that has changed dramatically.
Radio is no longer the only way people consume audio. News and information are no longer limited to a television broadcast or the morning paper. Audiences have more options than ever before, and local media companies have evolved alongside them.
We embrace that evolution.
Our local media family includes KKLH, 104.7 The Cave, KOMG, 105.1 The Bull, KOSP, 102.1 The WON, and KQRA, Q92.9. Through the Around The Ozarks Podcast Network, we have also expanded the ways local stories, conversations and information can reach people when and where they want to listen.
Each platform may look and sound a little different, but they all serve an important purpose: connecting people to their community.
From music and sports to local conversations, community events, podcasts and breaking information, local media creates a connection that national platforms simply cannot replicate in the same way.
We know this community.
We live here.
We work with local businesses.
We talk about the things happening right here in the Ozarks.
And when something important happens, local media can help get information into the hands, ears and screens of the people who need it.
Free and Accessible Information Still Matters
There is another important part of this conversation: broadcast radio is free and accessible.
You do not need a subscription.
You do not need to download an app.
You do not need a data plan.
You do not need an account.
You simply turn it on.
That accessibility matters, particularly during an emergency.
While streaming, podcasts, apps and connected vehicles have created incredible new opportunities for how we consume media, they often depend on other infrastructure, including internet access, cellular service, power or a connected device.
Broadcast radio remains a simple and accessible way to receive information.
And while the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act specifically focuses on AM radio, the larger conversation is about ensuring people continue to have reliable access to information when they need it.
The Future of Media Is Local
At Mid-West Family Marketing, we believe in innovation.
We believe in new technology, new platforms and new ways to connect businesses with audiences.
That is why our company exists across multiple forms of media.
From 104.7 The Cave (KKLH) and 105.1 The Bull (KOMG) to 102.1 The WON (KOSP) and Q92.9 (KQRA), radio continues to connect us with listeners across the Ozarks.
Through the Around The Ozarks Podcast Network, we continue to find new ways to tell local stories, have meaningful conversations, and connect our community with the people, businesses, and topics that matter here.
The way people consume media will continue to change. It should.
But progress should not mean losing access to the local information and communication systems communities still rely on.
Whether someone gets their information from AM radio, FM radio, a podcast, a website, social media, streaming video or whatever platform comes next, the need remains the same:
People need access to reliable, relevant, and local information.
That is why this vote matters to the broadcasting industry.
That is why it matters to Mid-West Family Marketing.
And ultimately, that is why it matters to the communities we serve.
Because local media is not just about what is playing on the radio, what is trending online or what is available to stream.
It is about connection.
It is about having a voice.
And sometimes, especially when people need information the most, it is about simply being able to turn on the radio and know that someone local is there.
