The federal official is a strong supporter of AM radio for farmers

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The federal official is a strong supporter of AM radio for farmers

A government official says farmers still rely heavily on AM radio for vital information.

Nathan Simington is a commissioner for the Federal Communications Commission. He told staunch broadcasters gathered in Kansas City that there are people who want the AM radio frequencies to be repurposed, but he doesn’t support it. Simington says AM radio remains a reliable source of information in rural areas. “AM radio was for us then, and for the more than three million farmers in the United States, it is an indispensable resource today. AM radio broadcasts are what keep us informed about the weather, a topic of concern perhaps unique to farmers.”

And, he says, “AM radio is not only free, but we’ve built a lot of important emergency signaling infrastructure into it, operating at high power levels and covering the country.”

Simington says car and machine manufacturers should be encouraged to continue providing quality AM radio receivers for their products.

Simington spoke with Brownfield during the recent National Agricultural Broadcasting Association convention in Kansas City.