Ford Reconsiders, Now Keeping AM Radio

[Kelly A]

Some thoughts on the Ford decision from radio consultant Fred Jacobs:

One point that Fred made, which I think differentiates between an auto manufacturer like Ford verses Tesla is; essentially Ford still cares about selling to Boomer's, because of their generational inclination toward 'brand loyalty'. (Ford vs. GM) Tesla buyers are much younger, folks who weren't raised with a sense of brand loyalty per se, but with a lean toward things like modernization, climate, and sustainability goals.
As we've said here many times; the under 70 set, haven't grown up with AM radio, and most don't even know it exists. Other than AM being a hotbed of right wing and religious programming.

 

[TheBigA]

Tesla buyers are much younger, folks who weren't raised with a sense of brand loyalty per se, but with a lean toward things like modernization, climate, and sustainability goals.

The other thing we know is Elon Musk doesn't care what anyone thinks.

Average age of a Tesla owner is 52. Much younger? Maybe.

Meet the typical Tesla owner: A Generation X male with a household income over $150,000

Tesla owners are overwhelmingly men, who are typically late 40s and don't have any children that live at home.

www.businessinsider.com

 

[michael hagerty]

Only to keep them from going online and posting on Radiodiscussions.

Are you sure about that, Kelly? It would explain SO much….

 

[Kelly A]

Are you sure about that, Kelly? It would explain SO much….

Absolutely! One must protect from further degradation of society through on-line discussion forums.

 

[michael hagerty]

The other thing we know is Elon Musk doesn't care what anyone thinks.

Average age of a Tesla owner is 52. Much younger? Maybe.

Meet the typical Tesla owner: A Generation X male with a household income over $150,000

Tesla owners are overwhelmingly men, who are typically late 40s and don't have any children that live at home.

www.businessinsider.com

Yeah—-the gap’s not that big. Average F-150 buyer is 55. Explorer, 56.

As of 2020, the youngest average buyer age in any vehicle segment was 45—for compact cars. From J.D. Power:

 

[wadio]

To me, this is a typewriter vs. PC/printer argument. Could you write a document with a typewriter? Sure. Do many people still use a typewriter on any regular basis? No.

Only the people that think typewriters are still useful are the elderly. Same goes for AM radio stations,

The only people who think AM Radio is useful is the people who work in the industry. Of the people I know in their 70s and 80s, AFAIK, none listen to AM Radio. Also, unlike the stereotype, they all have cellphones and don't use typewriters.

BTW, who's buying vinyl records these days? It ain't just "the old folks!"

Vinyl buyers in the U.S. by age 2019 | Statista

Consumers in the age bracket 25 to 34 were just as likely as those aged 55 and older to buy vinyl records in the United States, with 21 percent of those in both age groups having purchased at least one record in 2019.

www.statista.com

 

[wadio]

This whole situation was unnecessary, and could have been avoided if the tekkies who designed these dashboard entertainment systems would have just left AM as an option. Instead, being tekkies who probably never listened, let alone didn't think anyone else did to AM, instead should have done a little research to find out there are enough people still listening to AM to justify keeping it as a option. To me, this is a case of not thinking about the consumer, only considering their perception of AM radio. Total arrogance, not even giving vehicle buyers the option of whether they would like it or not. Apparently adding AM to the dashboard only requires a software update. And now we have a bill in Congress as a result of all of this. Unbelievable!

If automakers offer AM they need to support it. If it sounds like crap, which it always does, what are they supposed to tell buyers who complain? Sorry, we can't fix it? Not good for customer relations.

 

[TheBigA]

The only people who think AM Radio is useful is the people who work in the industry.

You really never know who listens or how loyal they are until a station makes a change of some sort. Then people speak up and come out of the woodwork. So right now, yes, you hear from industry people. They're the ones involved in the debate. But as stations switch to less mainstream formats (such as KGO) then you see more vocal opposition. It's usually negative, not positive. What we've seen since the 70s is if people can find the same content on FM, then they'll go to FM. Or anywhere else they can get what they want.

 

[KilowattKat]

If vehicle manufacturers are looking at removing useless technology, then they should also get rid of the HD subchannels, and keep HD on the main channel only. With Audacy and iHeart eliminating their HD broadcasts, I would argue that it has become more irrelevant than AM radio. At least with AM there are still plenty of listening options.

 

[Kelly A]

The only people who think AM Radio is useful is the people who work in the industry.

Or, Boomer's who are nostalgic for the days of their youth when AM was the only game in town, and FM was an interloper.

BTW, who's buying vinyl records these days? It ain't just "the old folks!"

The Hippsters started the revisit of vinyl over ten years ago. But since you made that comparison; are you claiming, like some modest growth of vinyl records, that some future generation will embrace AM radio? If you make a quality comparison: Vinyl records at least have decent audio quality, close to CD audio. AM has completely inferior quality as compared with just about anything else. With the exception of Shortwave, maybe.

 

[Miss Tuned]

Or, Boomer's who are nostalgic for the days of their youth when AM was the only game in town, and FM was an interloper.

The Hippsters started the revisit of vinyl over ten years ago. But since you made that comparison; are you claiming, like some modest growth of vinyl records, that some future generation will embrace AM radio? If you make a quality comparison: Vinyl records at least have decent audio quality, close to CD audio. AM has completely inferior quality as compared with just about anything else. With the exception of Shortwave, maybe.

Dial-a-Disc would give it a run for its money. Well overdue for a hipster revival.

 

[wadio]

... are you claiming, like some modest growth of vinyl records, that some future generation will embrace AM radio?

Absolutely not! The AM band is totally obsolete. I believe vinyl records are too but that's an argument you can't win with the vinyl fanatics.

 

[KilowattKat]

Another reason why it's not time yet to remove AM from vehicles. Some AM only stations with a significant audience:

KFI / KLAC / KFWB / KOGO / KIRO-AM / KSFO / WBZ / WABC / WDIA / WCCO

These are a few that come to mind. Feel free to add to this list.

 

[anotherguyTN]

I do next to nothing with AM like I've said in earlier posts, but it won't bother me if Ford and other companies keep it. I just won't use it unless a major disaster happens and there nothing else available.

 

[TheBigA]

I just won't use it unless a major disaster happens and there nothing else available.

I think most people would agree with you. But if you're the government and you're responsible for public safety and you already have a system in place that is based on AM access, then you can understand their interest in retaining that availability.

That's what this is about, and while leaving it up to the market isn't the best way to handle it. No one plans on being in a major disaster. That's kind of why you buy insurance. That's what having AM is.

 

[R.D.P.]

I do next to nothing with AM like I've said in earlier posts, but it won't bother me if Ford and other companies keep it. I just won't use it unless a major disaster happens and there nothing else available.

I still second your emotion.

Dan <><​

 

[kfbkfb]

AM or not AM? Carmakers mull the future of radio

ABC News' Jason Nathanson spoke to "Start Here" about the controversy over Ford's decision to remove AM radio and its change of plans after pushback.

abcnews.go.com

^^^
I remember this very clearly during the 1994 Northridge earthquake here in California. We all went into our cars to listen, to hear what was going on.


I guess some short PSAs reminding people about AM should be made and presented fairly often, what AM radio is and how to tune in distant AM stations (with mention of the unavoidable noise in distant AM station reception).


Kirk Bayne

 

[TheBigA]

I guess some short PSAs reminding people about AM should be made and presented fairly often

You're a few weeks late on this idea. It's been on the air all month.

NAB Launches PSAs for "Depend on AM" Campaign - Radio World

NAB is releasing a series of "Depend on AM" PSAs highlighting the importance of AM to the Emergency Alert System and listeners’ lives.

www.radioworld.com

NAB Launches ‘Depend on AM Radio’ Campaign.

With AM radios being left out of numerous EVs due to reception interference, NAB unveils a new campaign highlighting the importance of the legacy radio band in the car for

www.insideradio.com

 

[michael hagerty]

AM or not AM? Carmakers mull the future of radio

ABC News' Jason Nathanson spoke to "Start Here" about the controversy over Ford's decision to remove AM radio and its change of plans after pushback.

abcnews.go.com

^^^
I remember this very clearly during the 1994 Northridge earthquake here in California. We all went into our cars to listen, to hear what was going on.

Because 29 years ago, KNX was only available on AM. Now it's also on FM and streaming.

 

[Theater of My Mind]

Only the people that think typewriters are still useful are the elderly. Same goes for AM radio stations,

I wonder, Does Tom hanks listen to AM radio?

Opposite end of the tech scale, actually. He hosts a show on a streaming station carried on TuneIn.

Ironically enough, his type of show would actually be a good fit for AM, but I don't think there are any AM station owners who are forward-thinking enough to know it.

Tom Hanks, DJ! How the Actor Became a Regular Guest Host on His 'Dream' N.Y.C. Radio Station

Tom Hanks and Boss Radio 66 founder Debbie Daughtry open up to PEOPLE about the actor's 10-year-plus journey toward becoming a guest DJ for the station

people.com