CategoriesOpinion

Time to Let AM Radio Evolve — Why All-Digital May Be Its Only Future

The recent debate over mandating AM radio in all new cars has brought fresh attention to the AM band. Industry voices, like Gary Shapiro of the Consumer Technology Association, caution that such mandates are costly. These mandates will even stifle innovation. Instead of fighting to preserve AM in its current noisy and analog state, it’s time to consider new possibilities. What if AM didn’t have to be the scratchy, staticky, afterthought in the dashboard? What if AM sound clean, deliver metadata, and offer a compelling user experience again?

That’s not a pipe dream—it’s already possible through all-digital AM broadcasting.

CategoriesOpinion

How FCC Deregulation Could Harm Local Radio and TV

In June 2025, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) initiated major changes. These changes affect how many broadcast stations a single company can own. The review, under Docket 25-133, will lead to a rollback of long-standing media ownership limits. These rules were designed to protect local news, viewpoint diversity, and competition in radio and television.

CategoriesOpinion

When NOAA Weather Radio Goes Down, EAS Must Step Up

Lately, NOAA Weather Radio transmitters have been dropping off the air across the country — from Montana to Florida. Some have been out for hours, others for days. Equipment failures, broken microwave links, and even upgrade-related issues have all played a role. For broadcasters, it’s a reminder. When one piece of the emergency alerting chain breaks, the others have to be ready.

CategoriesOpinion

Transforming Radio: Connecting with Today’s Audiences

Radio’s not dying. But it is moving — out of the dashboard, off the dial, and into every connected device we own. What was once a background medium is now ready to connect with listeners everywhere. This includes on their TVs, their smart speakers, their mobile phones, and in their cars.

And yet, too many broadcasters are still thinking inside the FM box.

That’s why a recent example from Pillar Media is so exciting. It’s not just exciting for what they did. It is also exciting for what it shows.