DANVILLE, Ky. (LEX 18) — For decades, AM radio has been a morning and afternoon routine for millions of Kentuckians.
There's a sign of times changing though because car makers are reportedly looking at removing AM radio from future models. Local broadcasters say AM radio still serves an important purpose.
"I've always felt like there's this romanticism with AM radio because it is the original format you listen to the radio on," said Joe Mathis on 1230 AM WHIR in Danville.
Mathis keeps his community connected. It's a community where AM radio is still routine, despite word of car makers looking to remove the essential programming in future models.
"We try to inform people exactly what's going on and we'll cut in if need be," said Rich Schoebel on WHBN The Rooster.
That is exactly what happened around 2:30 on Tuesday afternoon. LEX 18 had finished shooting the story in Danville when a tornado warning was issued for Boyle County. Our crew returned back inside for safety purposes, and saw just how quickly broadcasters reacted to bring the latest safety information to listeners.
"It's a lifeline for local listeners, people in this community, who want to hear news about this specific community where they live," said Mathis.
So what happens if AM radio is removed from later models? It can hurt, especially in rural communities where access to essential information might be limited. A recent survey from Nielsen in the fall reveals about 82 million Americans still listen to AM radio monthly.
"I know we're 35-40 minutes away from Lexington," Mathis said. "I get it. We're an hour and a half from Louisville, but a lot of the news that happens there doesn't affect us. We want to know what goes on here locally and that's what makes radio so accessible that's the beautiful thing about local radio."
Hometown Radio Network says it continues to provide the essential programming to the communities it serves.
