"Ofcom will soon be selling off the radio frequencies that the live events, film sound recording, broadcasting industries and charitable sectors rely on, with auction proceeds going to the Government.  As a consequence of this ‘migration’, the vast majority of the UK’s stocks of wireless microphones, which are essential tools for content production in the creative industries and beyond, will soon be rendered unusable."  This is the story behind a campaign to get the Government to change its view.
A campaign has recently been launched, to counter Ofcom's plans, by those in the UK who will be most affected by the planned sell-off of current radio microphone frequencies.  Under the title Save our Sound there is a campaign website launched at http://saveoursound.wordpress.com/ which offers a summary and which you can subscribe to for e-mail updates.

The Save our Sound campaign site says:
"If productions that depend on these technologies are to continue, then all affected equipment (worth tens of millions of pounds) will need to be replaced with gear that can operate on different frequencies, which remain for the most part unspecified. But those who own the equipment either cannot afford or will seriously struggle to cover the enforced costs of replacing entire inventories of valuable equipment. It is like a compulsory purchase order with little or no compensation.

The Consequences
If current proposals are implemented, ALL PRODUCTIONS AND BUSINESSES THAT DEPEND ON THE USE OF THESE TECHNOLOGIES WILL BE UNDER THREAT, from the freelance sound engineer to the Olympics, because of the way that the UK’s pool of equipment is held and supplied. The effects will be particularly severe in the short to medium term:
• Live music, newsgathering, musical theatre and other events are likely to become impossible to stage
• Companies will go bust, individuals will go bankrupt and employees will be made redundant
• The UK’s balance of payments will be severely affected
• Charitable and community organisations will have to divert funds from core services"

Industry supporters for the campaign include:

ABTT – Association of British Theatre Technicians http://www.abtt.org.uk/
AMPS – Association of Motion Picture Sound http://www.amps.net/
APRS – Association of Professional Recording Services http://www2.aprs.co.uk/
BECTU – Broadcasting Entertainment Cinematograph and Theatre Union http://www.bectu.org.uk/home
BEIRG – British Entertainment Industry Radio Group http://www.beirg.co.uk/
CPA – Concert Promoters Association http://www.concertpromotersassociation.co.uk/
Equity – Trade Union representing artists in arts and entertainment http://www.equity.org.uk/
FEU – Federation of Entertainment Unions http://www.feutraining.org.uk/index.html
IBS – Institute of Broadcast Sound http://www.ibs.org.uk/
ITC – Independent Theatre Council http://www.itc-arts.org/page69.aspx
MIA – Music Industries Association <http://www.mia.org.uk/>
MU – Musicians Union http://www.musiciansunion.org.uk/
NCA – National Campaign for the Arts http://www.artscampaign.org.uk/
NODA – National Operatic and Dramatic Association http://www.noda.org.uk
NUJ – National Union of Journalists http://www.nuj.org.uk/
PFA – Professional Footballers Association http://www.givemefootball.com/
PLASA – Professional Lighting & Sound Association http://www.plasa.org/
PSA – Production Services Association http://www.psa.org.uk/
RSC – Royal Shakespeare Company http://www.rsc.org.uk/home/default.aspx
SOLT – Society Of London Theatres http://www.solt.co.uk/
TMA – Theatrical Management Association http://www.tmauk.org/
The Writers’ Guild of Great Britain http://www.writersguild.org.uk/public/index.html
UNITE – Britain’s Biggest Union http://www.unitetheunion.com/