The Broadway League, the national trade association for the Broadway industry, opposes the certification of white space devices. The saddest part of the current position of the Broadway League is not that it asks us to sacrifice low-income New Yorkers so they can continue producing plays and musicals. The saddest part is that we can keep the Broadway shows we love and end the digital divide. The Council resolution should be phrased in this positive, hopeful light.

Why does Broadway care about white space devices?

Broadway shows, along with off-Broadway venues, music venues, houses of worship, and film and television productions, use wireless microphone systems that operate in the television band. The manufacturers of these microphone systems, including Shure, claim that white space devices will disrupt these systems

Don't you want to help Broadway?

We love New York City's arts and culture! As a non-profit cultural organization ourselves, People's Production House would never advocate for anything that would harm cultural and religious institutions. Based on the results of engineering tests and the proposed rules the Federal Communications Commission will use to certify white space devices, we are confident that we can have cultural performances continue using wireless microphones and end the digital divide with this new technology.

So is there no danger to Broadway?

The wireless microphone industry, through its deceptive advertising, has put our cultural and religious institutions at risk. They have deceived Broadway producers, houses of worship, and other customers about the legality of their wireless microphone systems. Only film and television productions are licensed to use those systems. The biggest danger to Broadway would be to keep using these devices illegally.

They've been using these wireless microphones for so long, can't we leave them be?

Wireless microphone use is going to be disrupted, but not by proponents of white space devices. They will have to vacate the 700 Mghz band, which has been auctioned off, and channels 52-69 are reserved for public safety. As it now stands, the wireless microphone operators run the risk of interfering with critical public safety communications.

What's the solution?

We believe there should be an amnesty for all past unauthorized users of wireless microphones and that the wireless microphone companies that caused this mess should have to pay to clean it up. As recommended by The Public Interest Spectrum Coalition, the FCC should create a General Wireless Microphone Service that would enable the continued use of wireless microphone systems by currently-unauthorized users.