As the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act gains traction on Capitol Hill, automakers doubled down on efforts to block it.
Indeed, automaker lobbying spending on the AM radio issue was twice the spending seen the second quarter of 2025.
Toyota Motor North America saw its lobbying dollars rise to more than $2 million, up from $1.39 million in the first quarter. Similarly, American Honda Motor Co. more than doubled its spending, rising to $1.67 million from $660,000 in Q1. Tesla also ramped up its efforts, increasing to $320,000 from $240,000.
The standout was General Motors, which reported $30,000 in Q1, but did not file a lobbying report mentioning the AM Act before the July 21 quarterly deadline, suggesting a pause or redirection in their advocacy to have the band removed from their vehicles.
Broadcasters are answering in kind with intensified lobbying to defend AM’s place in the dashboard and involvement in numerous efforts across D.C. The NAB led the charge, spending nearly $2.9 million on lobbying against the automotive industry in the second quarter. NAB President/CEO Curtis LeGeyt and the association’s policy team worked across both chambers of Congress, the Department of Transportation, and the FCC to advocate for broadcast interests pertaining to the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act, the Local Radio Freedom Act, and the Sunshine Protection Act of 2025.
Beyond the AM mandate, NAB’s Q2 disclosure shows significant engagement on regulatory issues tied to emergency communication protocols, ownership rules, spectrum use, and the agency’s transaction review process. The association also lobbied on emerging concerns related to artificial intelligence, including how AI intersects with music licensing and streaming.
Joining NAB in the pro-AM lobbying effort is iHeartMedia, which reported over $1.4 million in lobbying expenditures across multiple filings. Salem Media Group also filed a report totaling $40,000.
