White Space

Your advocacy is needed to ensure that the use of wireless microphones and wireless audio equipment remains unencumbered and interference-free. Over the past 35 years, users of wireless microphones , including thousands of performing arts organizations nationwide, have operated on radio frequencies between the television broadcast channels, on the so-called "white spaces" in the TV band (from 54 MHz to 698 MHz). In an effort to more efficiently manage the remaining "white spaces," the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has initiated proceedings to consider how, and under what circumstances, to authorize millions of new electronic gadgets (referred to as "unlicensed devices") to operate simultaneously on these very same frequencies.

As you can imagine, this authorization by the FCC would have a grave impact on the performing arts community. Wireless microphones and equipment are utilized to facilitate communication between theatre staff members and performers. Directors, managers, crew members and many others rely upon such equipment to communicate performance and lighting cues, staging movement and other vital directions. Additionally, wireless microphones are utilized in conjunction with infra red technology to provide listening systems for hearing impaired performing arts patrons. Without these microphones, the infra-red system would pick up music only, not dialogue or lyrics.

Please take a moment to write to the FCC and explain the potential negative impact that the introduction of these new devices in radio frequencies will have on the performing arts community!

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