MAQUOKETA, Iowa — This isn't a job for James Shaman. It's a calling. The operations manager is an on-air host at KMAQ, an invisible passenger in your car that's there for all of your daily trips. He's been fighting for his dream since he was nine years old and is still scratching and clawing with carmakers that are trying to take him out of the car.
"Our listeners are so used to having us as their companion throughout the day," Shaman said. "It's really a privilege and honor to do so, and we just want to continue to do that."
Lawmakers in Washington are continuing the fight by introducing the "AM in Every Vehicle Act." This was in response to eight manufacturers cutting AM services from their electric vehicles, including:
- BMW
- Ford
- Mazda
- Polestar
- Rivian
- Tesla
- Volkswagen
- Volvo
Advocates argue rural communities like Maquoketa can suffer without AM access.
"For all the farmers and some of these smaller communities, that's the only way they can get any radio," Shaman said. "The FM signals don't reach them, it's through AM radio."
Manufacturers argue their electric vehicles have a hard time picking up AM's frequency, which can lead to poor sound quality. Shaman still isn't buying it and questions if automakers have the community's best interests at heart.
"I could understand manufacturers wanting to do what they want to do, but they need to look at the general wellbeing," Shaman said. "Why do we put seatbelts in cars? For public safety. Why do we have airbags in cars? Public safety. Why do we have analog brakes? Public safety. We should have AM radio for public safety. It's really vital."
There are more than 4,000 AM radio stations currently broadcasting in the United States. They're all waiting for Congress to announce when the House will vote on the act.