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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 farm broadcasters gathered in Kansas City there are people who want the AM radio frequencies reallocated for a different purpose, but he does not support it.  Simington says AM radio remains a source of reliable information in rural areas. “AM radio was for us then, and it is for the more than three million farmers across the United States now, today, an indispensable resource. AM radio broadcasts are what keep us informed about the weather, a topic of perhaps unique concern to farmers.”

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

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

Simington spoke to Brownfield during the recent National Association of Farm Broadcasting convention in Kansas City.

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