All they every put in are FM and the only stations I listen to are AM anyway.

Maybe in the states but here in europe I assure you that FM don't only have FM music. And for me it's important to have live news (you know radios don't only provides musics).

I wouldn't say the tuner is necessary the all mighty ipod has no tuner and no one will say anything bad about it. (other than it costs too much)

Well, that's the main reason I don't have an iPod yet, thought I'm an Apple addict.