Broadway’s fight with the FCC.

There’s a battle being waged right above our heads on the ol’ Broadway.

And it’s invisible.

For years, the Broadway League has been mixing it up with the Federal Communications Commission and a bunch of major corporations out there (Hint – one of them rhymes with Schmoogle) over something called, “The Wireless Spectrum.”

I know, The Wireless Spectrum sounds like some new series on the SyFy channel starring Alyssa Milano and the non-Don Johnson dude from Miami Vice.

In actuality, it’s what wireless tech companies use to transmit your cell phone calls, internet, and . . . wait for it . . . voice from wireless microphones.  (Click here to read an article explaining exactly what it is.)

And now you see what it has to do with Broadway.

The spectrum is not unlimited, and as more and more wireless devices and technology hit the market, more and more big corps want more and more of the spectrum.

And who cares about Broadway!

Well, we do, obviously, which is why the League has been battling it out to keep our stake in the spectrum safe and secure.  And it’s been working.  To quote a recent communication from The League . . .

To date, we have seen the FCC formally recognize your use of the wireless spectrum, as well as develop a national database to prohibit interference to live productions from the next generation of Smartphones.

God knows this can’t be exciting or easy work, so a big thank you to everyone over there who is going to wireless war for us.

However, the battle may just be beginning.

See, the government makes billions from licensing use of the spectrum and the FCC is about to auction off more of the spectrum that TV networks used to use (before they want digital) . . . because they want to make a few more billions.

And this may just get in our way again.

If you want to learn more about the spectrum and how it may influence you, there is a live public workshop at the FCC happening right now (sorry for the late notice!).

Click here to watch.  It started at 9:30 this AM and runs until 12:30.

And if you run into a Congressman or Congresswoman anytime soon, tell ’em to keep their hands off our spectrum!  Because without wireless, we might have to go back to unamplified sound!  (Huh.  Wait a minute, that might not be so bad.)

 

(Got a comment? I love ‘em, so comment below! Email Subscribers, click here then scroll down to say what’s on your mind!)

_ _

FUN STUFF:

– Win 2 Tickets to see The Winslow Boy on Broadway. Click here.

– Have you invested in a Broadway show?  Take our Broadway Investor Survey by clicking here!

– Take the Get Your Show Off The Ground Seminar on Saturday, November 16th.  Click here!

Related Posts

Podcasting

Ken created one of the first Broadway podcasts, recording over 250 episodes over 7 years. It features interviews with A-listers in the theater about how they “made it”, including 2 Pulitzer Prize Winners, 7 Academy Award Winners and 76 Tony Award winners. Notable guests include Pasek & Paul, Kenny Leon, Lynn Ahrens and more.

LEARN MORE