Are they trying to take away FM radio in the car away from us? Yes.
[This was my weekly column for GlobalNews.ca. – AC]
What’s the first thing you do when you get behind the wheel after buckling up and hitting the ignition? You probably dial up some audio entertainment — and more often than not, it’s the radio. We’ve been listening to the radio in the car since Paul and Joseph Galvin introduced their “travel radio” (brand name: Motorola) in 1930.
According to a 2025 Radio Connects study, about 80 per cent of Canadian radio listeners tune into terrestrial broadcasts on AM or FM. And it’s not just older drivers. About 60 per cent of people 18-34 also go for AM/FM listening, putting it on par with that demographic’s love for streaming services.
Not only is radio listening in the car a long-term habit, but it’s also cost-effective. AM and FM listening is free with the tuner in your dashboard, plucking electromagnetic waves out of the ether at no charge, often when we’re dozens and dozens of kilometres away from the source. You’ll have to be pretty far out into the boonies for there not to be any radio stations to be heard.
And when there’s breaking news, dangerous weather or an emergency, all you have to do is turn on the radio, and you get everything you need in real time.
Broadcasters love cars, too. Because so many people listen while commuting, it’s an excellent way to reach a captive audience, which, in turn, is good for clients who buy advertising. And if you’re listening to public or community radio, drivers don’t even hear commercials.
In short, we, the driving public and purchasers of vehicles, love free radio in the car. So why are some auto manufacturers trying to get rid of it?
