COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – The U.S. House of Representatives has overwhelmingly passed the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act, a bipartisan bill aimed at forcing automakers to keep AM broadcast capabilities as a standard feature in all new passenger vehicles at no additional charge.
Driven by a coalition of safety advocates, rural lawmakers, and organizations like the NAB and AARP, the legislation responds to a growing trend of manufacturers—particularly electric vehicle brands—stripping AM tuners from dashboards.
Proponents of the bill emphasize that AM radio serves as an irreplaceable lifeline during natural disasters and severe weather when cellular networks, power grids, and internet access fail.
The federal push to protect the airwaves strikes a deep chord in rural communities across the country, including right here in Coldwater.
A prime example is AM 1590 WTVB, which has been broadcasting as “The Voice of Branch County” since our first sign-on in the summer of 1949.
Originally launched by Twin Valley Broadcasters Inc. from a cinder-block building on U.S. 27, WTVB has spent nearly eight decades delivering essential agricultural updates, local high school sports, and critical emergency alerts directly to drivers’ dashboards.
As the newly passed House bill heads to the Senate, it aims to guarantee that historic local stations like WTVB remain accessible to commuters and rural residents long into the digital age.
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