It’s not just the U.S. that is losing access to AM radio in some vehicles. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours.
Ford Canada confirms that it’s removing AM radios from all vehicles globally. Ford’s Canadian division says Canada will no longer have access to the AM band in upcoming vehicles. Radio Ink Dot Com says it’s the first confirmation that removing AM from dashboards won’t be isolated to the U.S. A Ford Canada spokesperson says that to listen to AM, all drivers have to do is link their phones to the vehicles entertainment system and stream the stations they’re looking for.
Canada has more than 180 AM radio stations. Many of those stations broadcast news and information needed in remote areas that have less than ideal data coverage, making streaming difficult, if not impossible.
The Canadian Association of Broadcasters says this marks another profound challenge to AM radio. “It’s unfortunate that the assumption is made that internet streaming of stations will be a suitable substitute in remote Canadian areas,” the group says.
Listen to Sabrina Halvorson’s This Land Of Ours program here.
Sabrina Halvorson
National Correspondent / AgNet Media, Inc.
Sabrina Halvorson is an award-winning journalist, broadcaster, and public speaker who specializes in agriculture. She primarily reports on legislative issues and hosts The AgNet Weekly podcast. Sabrina is a native of California’s agriculture-rich Central Valley.