RadioActive wrote:

Broadcast Leaders Call Out Tesla’s ‘Misguided’ FM Radio Cut

Yet another reason not to buy a Tesla. Though, I could care less about those broadcasters who continue to use their airwaves to air 24/7 news-talk MAGA adoration formats.

Dicky Doo wrote:

RadioActive wrote:

       I could care less about those broadcasters   

You could?     Please clarify, i.e. how much less, please
D.D.

That was me, not RA, you're quoting. Are you looking for a percentage?

You know if you have even a basic antenna on your TV in Toronto, you'll pick up all the networks including from Buffalo for FREE OTA.   

A similar cultural shift occured back in the 80's with the advent and popularity of Cable tv.  I mean it was free OTA but people willingly added a monthly bill to their household expenses.

Internet/Wifi in the car is 'overdue' and Tesla was one of the first if not the first to provide it reliably.  People will pay $15/mo which is the cost of a burger combo at a fast food window these days.

I'm not saying it's right or that technology is great but I 'get why Tesla omiitted FM' from the new low end cars.

 

Saul wrote:

Dicky Doo wrote:

RadioActive wrote:

       I could care less about those broadcasters   

You could?     Please clarify, i.e. how much less, please
D.D.

That was me, not RA, you're quoting. Are you looking for a percentage?

Apologies all around

D.D.
 

The fist time I tired a Tesla, I very easily found a “radio” screen that had all the local stations listed with logos. It wasn’t until later that I realized I was streaming via Tunein and not “tuned in”’at all.

Last edited by RadioAaron (October 22, 2025 5:31 pm)

I should add, that the neat thing about Tune In is that while in Canada and while many big branded USA stations are geo-blocked digitally there, some aren't.  

94.7 KUMU is on my presets after my family's visit to Hawaii.  KVEG 97.5 also works fine in Canada and any News/Talk (no music copyrights).

Furthermore, audio is playable via the web browser in Tesla's so former WBLK fans for example can hear it in digital stereo crystal clear via that method while anywhere (as it's not geo blocked).
 

I have owned a Tesla Model 3 for 4-1/2 years.  It has an excellent FM HD radio - and the local radio stations populate the “Radio” screen with their logos.  (Much better than the HD radio in the VW CC that I previously owned) Finding/tuning and saving HD subcarriers is not difficult and I have the various Rogers, and Bell HD2’s and HD3’s programmed as favourites. When travelling outside of the GTA, FM station logo’s (from other markets) “pop up” on the screen, allowing easy access - so if you go to KW, the KW stations are easily accessible.. The $15.99 monthly data plan isn’t only for streaming access.  It provides a number of enhanced data services, particularly for navigation. The Tesla’s wireless data plan provides GPs “on steroids”.  The accuracy is way beyond Garmin or other GPS systems and is essential for the self-driving programs, and (free) driver assisted automation.  So if you’re spending $50,000 plus on a car, $16 a month is a fraction of my monthly loan payment and good value.   And, as I have found with home charging, a fraction of the cost of gas.  My 12 month charging costs were $149 - primarily at Toronto Hydro’s 7 pm to 7 am lowest rate. So the enhanced data cost is a drop in the gas bucket.  My only gripe with the lack of AM was in 2021, Rogers hadn’t acquired Internet streaming rights from major league baseball, so once you hit Holland Landing, where the weak KISS 92.5 HD3 signal fades out, you lost access to CJCL. It was frustrating driving from Kingston to Toronto, trying to find Blue Jays broadcasts on FM.  But that problem worked itself out once the rights were cleared, and the Tune In service (free) is quite reliable, except in areas where cell service is spotty.
Overall, I can’t cite a radio service that I’m not able to receive in S. Ontario via a combination of Tune In, or the FM tuner.  Would I buy an EV again even if it lacked AM/FM? In a heartbeat.  Finally, the mainainance costs have been remarkable.  Not requiring (costly) oil changes, muffler replacement etc, has saved time and a lot of $$$.  Thus far, in 2025 my only maintenance expense has been changing over from winter to summer tires and vice versa.  Finally, I was somewhat pissed that I lost access to Sirius/XM when I bought the car, because they did not included satellite radio access in the Model 3’s in 2021.  I really didn’t miss it much given the audio options built into the car.  About a year ago, Sirius/XM became availalble via LTE delivery - and I understand the number of channels far exceeds the conventional satellite radio receiver capability, because of streaming and the ability to stream content on demand. I believe the monthly cost for SiriusXM isn’t as high in the Tesla as a normal consumer subscription but I haven’t been motivated to spend the money on satellite radio.  I’m satisfied with all of the music streaming, podcast and other choices.

Last edited by tvguy (October 23, 2025 7:24 am)

dmcjeff wrote:

You know if you have even a basic antenna on your TV in Toronto, you'll pick up all the networks including from Buffalo for FREE OTA.   

A similar cultural shift occured back in the 80's with the advent and popularity of Cable tv.  I mean it was free OTA but people willingly added a monthly bill to their household expenses.

Internet/Wifi in the car is 'overdue' and Tesla was one of the first if not the first to provide it reliably.  People will pay $15/mo which is the cost of a burger combo at a fast food window these days.

I'm not saying it's right or that technology is great but I 'get why Tesla omiitted FM' from the new low end cars.

 

Torontonians went to cable in the 1970's because Rogers guaranteed crystal clear reception of 2,4 and 7 every day. If you lived under a Pearson flight path, that annoying picture flickering was constant. Plus Rogers threw in two channels that your antenna could not receive. CHEX and CKCO.