With less than a month remaining to get the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act across the finish line before the end of the 118th Congress, Red Apple Media Owner John Catsimatidis is continuing his public awareness campaign to protect the band in automobiles.
Catsimatidis is behind a spread of full-page advertisements in the New York Post, highlighting the threat posed by certain car manufacturers’ plans to eliminate AM radios from vehicles, joined by WABC President Chad Lopez. This comes as Catsimatidis joins other New York City leaders in actively engaging with lawmakers in Washington, advocating for policies to secure AM radio’s future.
In a letter to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer led by FDNY Commissioner Robert Tucker and NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell, and co-signed by leaders from the FDNY, NYPD, Buffalo PD, and other agencies, they emphasized AM radio’s critical role in emergencies.
“AM radio has and continues to play a vital role in keeping New Yorkers safe,” the letter states, citing its importance during crises like 9/11 and Superstorm Sandy and warning of the risks posed by losing access to AM signals in future emergencies.
In April 2023, Catsimatidis recruited former Vice President Mike Pence to voice a “Save AM Radio” campaign. In the message, Pence calls AM radio “a meeting place for the American people” and emphasizes its role in ensuring the free flow of information, urging manufacturers to include AM and FM in new electric vehicles.
The AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act has garnered 271 co-sponsors in the House and a supermajority of 63 in the Senate. The House Energy and Commerce Committee approved the bill with a 45-2 vote, advancing it to the full House for consideration. Should the Act not pass before the 118th Congress ends in early January, it will have to restart its journey under a fully Republican-led legislative branch.
Help ensure that Americans retain access to a vital lifeline in times of crisis as automakers try to remove it. Contact your members of Congress by texting AM to 52886, urging them to support legislation that ensures AM radio remains in cars.
If your station is not running the NAB PSAs asking your listeners to reach out to their representatives, get them here.
John has put his money where his mouth is, adding a variety of NYC centric programming on WABC. The other owners? You tell me what’s so special about what’s left on AM radio in New York.
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