The National Association of Broadcasters has joined Radio Ready, a global coalition working to safeguard radio’s prominence and accessibility in connected vehicle dashboards.
NAB becomes the first U.S.-based industry organization to join the initiative, which brings together broadcasters and industry groups from Europe, Africa and Australia. The coalition is focused on ensuring AM/FM and digital radio remain prominent, accessible and easy for drivers to use as vehicle dashboards evolve.
“Radio has long been an essential part of the driving experience, delivering trusted local news, lifesaving emergency information and the entertainment Americans rely on every day,” said NAB President and CEO Curtis LeGeyt. “As dashboards evolve, ensuring broadcast radio remains accessible is more important than ever. By joining Radio Ready, NAB looks forward to partnering with broadcasters from across the world to ensure that free, trusted radio remains easy for drivers to find and use in the vehicles of today and tomorrow.”
Radio Ready is co-chaired by Bauer Media Group and Swedish Radio/European Broadcasting Union. The coalition seeks to give broadcasters a unified voice in discussions with automakers, technology platforms and policymakers over how radio is presented in connected cars.
Bauer Media Audio Senior Vice President of Digital Tobias Nielson said NAB’s participation brings the U.S. broadcast industry into the coalition and strengthens its efforts in North America.
European Broadcasting Union Head of Radio Wouter Quartier said NAB’s addition will help strengthen the industry’s collective voice in advocating for radio to remain easy to find and use in vehicles.
Radio Ready says its goal is to protect broadcast radio’s role as a free, trusted and universal in-car audio service as connected car technology continues to develop.