Frequency Modulation ( usually shortened to FM ) is a way of broadcasting radio signals . Frequency modulation is also more robust against simple signal amplitude fading phenomena . As a result , FM was chosen as the modulation standard for high frequency , high fidelity radio transmission : hence the term `` FM radio '' ( although for many years the BBC called it `` VHF radio '' , because commercial FM broadcasting uses a well-known part of the VHF bandâ '' the FM broadcast band ) .