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The United States-based National Association of Broadcasters has joined Radio Ready, the international coalition working to protect radio’s visibility and accessibility in connected vehicles. NAB becomes the campaign’s first U.S.-based industry organization, extending an initiative that already includes broadcasters and industry bodies across Europe, Africa and Australia. The National Association of Broadcasters of South Africa, a separate organization, became Radio Ready’s first African member in May.
Radio Ready launched in June 2025 as a joint response to changes in vehicle infotainment systems, which now offer drivers a growing range of broadcast, streaming and app-based audio services. The campaign argues that audience demand for radio remains strong, but increasingly complex interfaces can make AM/FM and digital radio harder to find. It brings public service and commercial broadcasters together to advocate for prominent radio access, discoverable radio apps and reliable voice-assistant control in discussions with automakers, technology platforms and policymakers.
NAB President and CEO Curtis LeGeyt pointed to radio’s public service role 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,” he said. “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.”
Tobias Nielsen, SVP digital at Bauer Media Audio, a Radio Ready cofounder, described the campaign as a unified industry response to changing patterns of audio access. “As connected cars become more complex, the challenge is keeping radio visible and discoverable,” he said. “Welcoming NAB brings the voice of the U.S. broadcast industry into the coalition and significantly strengthens our momentum across the United States.”
Wouter Quartier, head of radio at the European Broadcasting Union, another Radio Ready cofounder, emphasized the need for broadcasters to present a common position. “Radio Ready is about bringing the industry together around a simple and practical goal: Radio should remain easy to find and easy to use in the car,” he said. “To achieve this, we need a strong, clear and common voice that can be used in the dialogue with car manufacturers, platforms and policymakers.”
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