I think the U.S. should have followed in Brazil’s footsteps and expanded FM down to 76 MHz, and let the AM’s have an adequate-class signal on FM. This could have been done in areas where there is no TV channel 5 (76.1 - 81.9 MHz) and/or channel 6 (82.1 - 87.9 MHz) allocation. In Chicago, WRME-LD could convert to a “real” FM station at 87.7 and the rest of TV channel 6 would become available for radio — which is really what the FrankenFM operators want. Weigel only runs JTV-HD because they have to.

The expansion proposal was reviewed by the FCC, but there was unfortunately opposition voiced to the FCC, and they ruled against it.

As for receivers, some can already tune 76 - 108, and the dozen of cheap Chinese radio makers already selling decent FM radios would love to churn out more of them to fill the void. They would only have to expand their Japan and Brazil offerings to the U.S.