BUFFALO, N.Y. Wireless microphone advocates are banding together to push for protections in next year's broadcast spectrum incentive auctions. Late last month, Louis Libin, CEO of Broad Comm Inc., an Oakland Park, Fla.-based telecom consultancy, warned a Capitol Hill audience of congressional staffers about a possible serious threat to broadcasters, production companies, theaters, churches and other major users of wireless microphones posed by the FCC's 2014 incentive auction of 600 MHz broadcast spectrum. What they fear is the loss of white space spectrum unoccupied TV channels used by wireless mics, along with the 12 MHz of bandwidth now reserved for wireless mics in each media market in the United States.
No one knows how we'll cope if we lose our safe harbor channels, Libin said. We're already scrambling for bandwidth during NFL games let alone the Super Bowl, where you need several hundred wireless channels. Depending on how the auction goes, we may simply not have enough prime bandwidth for all wireless mics at Super Bowls or US Opens. As global technology leaders, it could be a national embarrassment for the U.S.
ANTICIPATED SHORTFALL
Louis Libin (L), president of Broad Comm Inc., spoke on Capitol Hill last month.
The 2014 auction was triggered by the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012. A portion of the bill contains the Spectrum Act which calls for an incentive auction of broadcast licenses in the 600 MHz band, in part, to underwrite a long-awaited public safety network to prevent the communications chaos of 9/11. The rest of the anticipated $20-plus billion would go toward relocating displace broadcasters and debt reduction.
According to Julius Knapp, head of the FCC's Office of Engineering and Technology, who also spoke at the briefing, the commission won't know in advance exactly how much bandwidth will be up for grabs in 2014, as each broadcaster must first voluntarily decide whether to sell their 6 MHz license in a reverse auction whereby bidders must first meet a reserve price set by each broadcaster.
This complicates the commission's plan to repack the spectrum to maximize efficiency and minimize interference. Since we won't know in advance how much bandwidth we'll have to offer, we're developing several band plans that anticipate the most plausible outcomes, Knapp said. There is also debate over how broad the buffer zones between broadcast channels and cell and data spectrum should be. Some of the new white spaces could be used by wireless mics and other devices too, Knapp added.
Nevertheless, the 2014 incentive auction has triggered anxiety among broadcasters who recently wrote a joint letter to FCC Acting Chairwoman Mignon Clyburn.
In the letter, co-signed by ABC, CBS, Fox TV Stations, Fox News, Univision, the NAB, and most major TV station groups, the broadcasters told Clyburn that given that the band plan discussions do not appear to contemplate a future with clean spectrum for microphones, we fear that the commission inadvertently may be heading down a path that puts newsgathering at risk We urge you to preserve the two channels set aside for wireless microphone use in each market.
CUTTING A WIDE SWATH
A cameraman covers a recent Carolina Panthers preseason game using the Sony DWX wireless microphone system with a professional XDCAM camcorder.
The second major spectrum auction in less than a decade has sparked anxiety across the spectrum of pro wireless mic users, including churches, theme parks, museums and especially New York City theaters.
We may be using up to 2,500 channels of wireless mics simultaneously on Broadway on a busy night, and many theaters share walls, said Tom Ferrugia, chief counsel for the Broadway League, a trade association for the New York theater industry. Avoiding channel interference is a big challenge and will only get tougher after the 2014 auction. He added that Broadway generates more than $12 billion worth of economic activity in New York annually.
Recently the Broadway League joined broadcasters, the NFL and other wireless users to defend their common interests. One result is The Wireless Microphone Users Interference Protection Act of 2013 sponsored by Illinois Democratic Representative Bobby Rush. HR 2911 features two safe-haven channels for wireless microphones and access to a geolocation database whereby licensed users can exclude unlicensed devices from specific frequencies on particular days and times. It also expands eligibility for Part 74 FCC licensing to include 10 new user groups.
U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush (D-Ill.)
The NAB has endorsed the legislation. Licensed wireless microphones are a vital component of the local service that TV broadcasters provide, said Association President Gordon Smith. Without safe haven protections, broadcasters may not be able to provide live coverage of breaking news etc.
If enacted, HR 2911 will enable wireless microphones to continue operating at fairly high densities comparable to current levels. But new technology will be key to accommodating the competing needs of wireless mic users and consumer demand for ever more bandwidth.
However, progressive audio companies aren't waiting for the fallout from the incentive auction before responding to this challenge.
Manufacturers are exploring all options to address reductions in available UHF spectrum, including new intercom products in the VHF band, said Mark Brunner, senior director, Global Brand Management at Shure Inc. At Shure, lower intensity music and presentation applications are being served by wireless microphones in the 900 MHz and 2.4 GHz bands. For high channel count productions, however, UHF is still the primary operating band, and we are working to improve spectral efficiency in both analog and digital designs, like Axient and ULX-D
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
07/10/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
20/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/08/2026
IPC Expands Brazilian Presence with New Channel Partner CCATech
Industry veterans Carlos Abrah o and Bruno Lopes strengthen local support and expand IPCs prese...
20/08/2026
Zixi Enters Mauritius Market Through Strategic Deployment with MTC Jockey Club
Worlds Oldest Horse Racing Club in the Southern Hemisphere Selects Zixis Softwar...
20/08/2026
LA JOLLA, CA-Scripps Research assistant professor Tiantian Liu has received a five-year NIAID DP2 award from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Di...
20/08/2026
Audiences reveal appetite for multicultural Australia on-screen 20 August 2026
Dr Georgie McClean, Dr Rebecca Huntley (L-R)
By Dr Georgie McClean and Dr Rebec...
20/08/2026
How Mavis Studio Is Expanding Live Production Teaching at Sussex
Brie Clayton August 19, 2026
0 Comments
Hero image displays a student about to mix be...
20/08/2026
Vertical Unscripted Series Legal Queens Captured with Blackmagic Design
Brie Clayton August 19, 2026
0 Comments
Reality TV veteran Eric Gardner create...
19/08/2026
As the cost of IP nears price parity with traditional SDI, Reynolds argues that ...
19/08/2026
A private 5G bubble was chosen instead of traditional broadcast RF for the race ...
19/08/2026
(L-R) Rafael Manuel and Isabel Sicat attend the Filipi ana premiere during the 2026 Sundance Film Festival at The Ray Theatre on January 23, 2026, in Park Cit...
19/08/2026
Studio owners invited to have their say on rates cuts
The Music Producers Guild (MPG) are inviting UK-based studios to take part in an in-depth survey that ...
19/08/2026
Vintage-inspired desktop interface revealed
Harrison's latest hardware offering sees them head into the world of audio interfaces, delivering a 10-in/12...
19/08/2026
Granular effect remains locked to scale and tempo
Described as your dream granular effect , Minimal Audio's latest creation is capable of turning any s...
19/08/2026
First polyphonic SWAM instrument incoming
Audio Modeling's latest physical-modelling orchestral instrument is just around the corner, and is now availab...
19/08/2026
World Cup Games Generate 84 Billion Minutes Across FOX, Fox Sports 1 and NBCU...
19/08/2026
July brought typical peak-holiday drops in viewership, driven primarily by viewers stepping away from screens and a visible decline in reach across both traditi...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Henry joins BCE as the company accelerates its commercial strategy and expands its international presence across the media, broadcast and technology markets. He...
19/08/2026
iWedia, a leading provider of software solutions for connected TV devices, today announced a major milestone in Android platform optimization with the successfu...
19/08/2026
NTP Technology announces that ST 2110-30 audio-over-IP connectivity with AES67 and RAVENNA capabilities is now available for the brand's world-class audio i...
19/08/2026
Net Insight has been selected to provide its Nimbra platform by the service provider Big Blue Marble, formerly ORS Group, as the core media transport solution f...
19/08/2026
LiveU has supported Coventry City FC and several other top-flight UK football clubs through one of their most demanding live production challenges of the year, ...
19/08/2026
Nature Seekers Documentary Shot with Blackmagic URSA Cine 12K LF
Brie Clayton August 18, 2026
0 Comments
Filming endangered turtles required camera...
19/08/2026
Neyrinck Brings D-Control Consoles Back to Life on Apple Silicon with D-Control ...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Riedel Communications today announced that Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Perth, Australia, implemented a comprehensive communications infrastructure that brin...
19/08/2026
QuickLink, a leading provider of award-winning video production and remote guest contribution solutions, will spotlight a major leap forward in remote guest con...
19/08/2026
Integrated platform melds media asset management, playout automation and newsroom workflows
EMAM, PlayBox Neo and SNEWS have officially launched Nuvex, a conne...
19/08/2026
Screen Australia releases the Private Investment Toolkit to strengthen screen in...
19/08/2026
Do Aussies truly value local content? Unpacking Screen Currency 2026 with Deirdr...
19/08/2026
There's an early Christmas gift for Bookish fans, as UKTV confirms the re-commission of the hit U&alibi drama, created by and starring Mark Gatiss. Viewers ...
19/08/2026
Wednesday 19 August 2026
Sky gives sports fans the chance to watch multiple liv...
19/08/2026
On Saturday September 5 Katie Taylor will step into the ring for the fight of her life against Flora Pili in front of 80,000 fans in Croke Park. A legendary fig...
18/08/2026
SportStream 2026, a free three-day virtual event, will take place September 15-17. One registration provides access to all three days of live programming and on...
18/08/2026
BeckTV will introduce BeckFlow to the European market at IBC2026, demonstrated on the Providius stand (10.F53).
BeckFlow is a web-based schematic documentation...
18/08/2026
Boland Communications will introduce a SMPTE ST 2110 input option for its 4K monitors at IBC2026, along with a new 55-inch super-narrow bezel display for video ...
18/08/2026
Dolby Laboratories and the Seattle Seahawks have announced a partnership integrating Dolby OptiView into the Seahawks' live streaming coverage, making the S...
18/08/2026
For BMG Executive Producer of Sports Production, Graham Taylor, producing live s...
18/08/2026
TMRW Sports has appointed Rufus Hack as President of Golf, a newly created role in which he will lead the company's golf businesses including TGL presented ...
BUFFALO, N.Y. Wireless microphone advocates are banding together to push for protections in next year's broadcast spectrum incentive auctions. Late last month, Louis Libin, CEO of Broad Comm Inc., an Oakland Park, Fla.-based telecom consultancy, warned a Capitol Hill audience of congressional staffers about a possible serious threat to broadcasters, production companies, theaters, churches and other major users of wireless microphones posed by the FCC's 2014 incentive auction of 600 MHz broadcast spectrum. What they fear is the loss of white space spectrum unoccupied TV channels used by wireless mics, along with the 12 MHz of bandwidth now reserved for wireless mics in each media market in the United States.
