Pimp your cause

[Tom]

Could anyone with a spare moment or two please have a look at this petition, and consider signing it?

http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/PMSEspectrum/

Basically in the entertainment industry we get to pay a licence to use certain radio channels. They're just for us, and tend to be on ch68 or ch69 (for instance, BBC2 might be on ch65, ITV might be ch62 etc).

These channels are used by freelancers, broadcasters, theatres, musicians, PA companies, basically everybody who uses wireless microphones will use these channels at some point.

OFCOM wants to auction them off to the highest bidder.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6378925.stm

If this happens, its going to cost me about £6000 in 3 new radio mics - and thats just me, there are many thousands of individuals who will be affected, and many more companies, including all the broadcasters and the people in the list above. One radio microphone costs up to £2000. Some companies will have hundreds of them. Just above every single television programme you watch, every performance in a theatre, listening to the radio, watching a concert - everybody will be massively out of pocket because of this.

So if you've got 2 minutes, would you mind having a look at consider putting your name to it, and sending it to anybody else you might think is interested?

Thanks. Feel free to add your cause to this thread.

 

[Calaen]

I hate paying the licence fee as it is I wlill gladly sign.

 

[Tom]

Thanks man. If anyone has mates in theatre, broadcast, PA, please feel free to spread that petition around. For all the good it'll do, it will at least raise the exposure of this issue.

 

[psyco]

i dont understand why it costs you though... i assume you bid for the channel, and then pay a monthly standard fee if you win... i cant understand why thats a big deal

correct me if im wrong

 

[dysfunction]

I dont think I understand the issue...

 

[tris-]

OFCOM are going to sell the rights of the channel to a company who then own that channel. they can then charge others for the service of using it, if they want to.

i think thats it anyway.

 

[Tom]

Its basically that we've all spent many thousands of pounds on radio equipment that cannot easily be retuned - some of them will be very expensive to do so, if indeed its possible - not all are.

We've had these frequencies for years, and everybody uses them. TV, Radio, Theatre, PA, even the local Vicar or school.

Now OFCOM want to sell them off to the highest bidder. This could be mobile phones, computers, wifi, whatever and whoever wants them. Whoever has the money basically. Thats what motivates them - money.

They'll make a shed load of money from selling these frequencies off, and we'll all have to reinvest in equipment that uses.......which frequencies exactly? There aren't any others. So I've got 6 grand of radio equipment that may very well become completely useless, and my job will become about a thousand times more difficult.

Imagine performers walking around a stage with wires trailing everywhere. Imagine feature films sounding like shit (for instance, the scene in Titanic where Rose was shouting down that flooded corridor for Jack, that was done on radio mics).

Imagine the government sold off the nearest motorway to your house for use as a runway for Richard Branson. Thats what its about.

 

[psyco]

Its basically that we've all spent many thousands of pounds on radio equipment that cannot easily be retuned - some of them will be very expensive to do so, if indeed its possible - not all are.

We've had these frequencies for years, and everybody uses them. TV, Radio, Theatre, PA, even the local Vicar or school.

Now OFCOM want to sell them off to the highest bidder. This could be mobile phones, computers, wifi, whatever and whoever wants them. Whoever has the money basically. Thats what motivates them - money.

They'll make a shed load of money from selling these frequencies off, and we'll all have to reinvest in equipment that uses.......which frequencies exactly? There aren't any others. So I've got 6 grand of radio equipment that may very well become completely useless, and my job will become about a thousand times more difficult.

Imagine performers walking around a stage with wires trailing everywhere. Imagine feature films sounding like shit (for instance, the scene in Titanic where Rose was shouting down that flooded corridor for Jack, that was done on radio mics).

Imagine the government sold off the nearest motorway to your house for use as a runway for Richard Branson. Thats what its about.

i can see your point, however i get to vote this year(yay!) so i take this kind of stuff very seriously atm

and i feel that mainstream tv and radio will benefit more, resulting in possibly better programming, sure some have to bite the bullet down the line... but then again... there's no-way to keep everyone happy

but like you said you don't *own* the frequency's so, or pay for them... so i still feel its entirely justifiable

 

[Calaen]

i can see your point, however i get to vote this year(yay!) so i take this kind of stuff very seriously atm

The real point comes when you have to pay for things yourself instead of being spoon fed by your folks

 

[Damini]

It's all so futile. The petitons are just a spin exercise, designed to give the serfs a way to throw themselves at HRH feet, touch the hem of his cloak, and implore him to listen, when in reality all it is is a way of getting everyone's e-mail address so Tony can personally bombard your inbox with his pompous speeches on why you are wrong.

It's all pretty unpalatable if you ask me.

I'll sign up, like I have done with other petitions, but I do it more for the fact it reflects badly on Tony when he proudly announces how he is ignoring millions of people, rather than any belief the petitions have teeth.

 

[throdgrain]

The real point comes when you have to pay for things yourself instead of being spoon fed by your folks

lol how true mate

 

[Tom]

i can see your point, however i get to vote this year(yay!) so i take this kind of stuff very seriously atm

and i feel that mainstream tv and radio will benefit more, resulting in possibly better programming, sure some have to bite the bullet down the line... but then again... there's no-way to keep everyone happy

but like you said you don't *own* the frequency's so, or pay for them... so i still feel its entirely justifiable

No. It will not benefit, because people will not be able to make programmes as they do now.

Last week's Buzzcocks for instance. All the people on those desks are on radio mics. The sound of Bill Bailey going into the audience, you wouldn't have heard a word he said. Because he would have no radio mic.

You might have more mobile things and more wifi type stuff, but there'll be less on them.

Its like building lots more roads, and then banning tyres.

 

[Draylor]

Its like building lots more roads, and then banning tyres.

No, it isnt.

 

[psyco]

The real point comes when you have to pay for things yourself instead of being spoon fed by your folks

yes, i know that... and im kinda looking forward to it

No. It will not benefit, because people will not be able to make programmes as they do now.

Last week's Buzzcocks for instance. All the people on those desks are on radio mics. The sound of Bill Bailey going into the audience, you wouldn't have heard a word he said. Because he would have no radio mic.

You might have more mobile things and more wifi type stuff, but there'll be less on them.

Its like building lots more roads, and then banning tyres.

so. the bbc use radio mics to record things? seems like they need upgrading... radio's are so old

 

[Skyler]

It's all so futile. The petitons are just a spin exercise, designed to give the serfs a way to throw themselves at HRH feet, touch the hem of his cloak, and implore him to listen, when in reality all it is is a way of getting everyone's e-mail address so Tony can personally bombard your inbox with his pompous speeches on why you are wrong.

It's all pretty unpalatable if you ask me.

I'll sign up, like I have done with other petitions, but I do it more for the fact it reflects badly on Tony when he proudly announces how he is ignoring millions of people, rather than any belief the petitions have teeth.

I blame the Labour voters, of which Tom is/was one!

 

[psyco]

I blame the Labour voters, of which Tom is/was one!

i blame Canada

 

[Tom]

I blame the Labour voters, of which Tom is/was one!

I have never, ever, voted for Labour. Ever. I have twice voted Liberal (when I was young and naive), and every other time voted Conservative - even in 1997.

 

[Mofo8]

I have never, ever, voted for Labour. Ever. I have twice voted Liberal (when I was young and naive), and every other time voted Conservative - even in 1997.

Jesus.... that sums up the sad state English politics is in. You really only have a choice between voting Labour (*****) and Tory (*****). At least up here in Scotland we have a third credible option (the SNP).

Anyway.... good luck with your petition

 

[Raven]

so. the bbc use radio mics to record things? seems like they need upgrading... radio's are so old

do some research...

 

[Paradroid]

I've know for eons that certain frequencies have always been ring-fenced and bands or ranges are allocated and controlled...but I'd always assumed this was for "real" broadcasts. What I mean is, even the guy flying the model aeroplane broadcasts that signal over the ether (and in my old home town they used to do this only 4 miles from Glasgow airport) so you can see that would need to be controlled. But I would have thought that a mic used inside a building would be limited to within that building (and the immediate surroundings)? I wouldn't have thought these signals were powerful enough. I do know that roving home phones can be picked up by your neighbours radio down the road, and that our MoD listening stations have to filter out Turkish cab drivers so they can listen to long range signals. Are kiddies walkie-talkies going to be effected?

What can they do if you continue to use your equipment? Label you a pirate broadcaster or something?

: /

 

[Paradroid]

Jesus.... that sums up the sad state English politics is in. You really only have a choice between voting Labour (*****) and Tory (*****). At least up here in Scotland we have a third credible option (the SNP).

Anyway.... good luck with your petition

Even sadder is the fact that today there's no discernible difference between "New" Labour & Conservative. Back in the 70's & 80's there was, but not now.

Your choice is merely whether you can be bothered voting and taking part, or not. Pretty much the same as the US.

I believe that there are a whole series of services that are vital to the running of any society/civilisation which shouldn't be privatised, they should be run by the state. The Tory's believed differently and wanted to sell off all our national assets, Labour used to disagree. Now, Labour have sold-off more than the Tory's ever imagined (roads, rail, schools, Uni's, healthcare, etc). Before you know it you won't be able to leave the house in the morning because you don't have enough oxygen "credits" with Oxy-Gen ("New corporate air sponsors").

But don't worry everyone the burgeoning middle-classes can well afford all these privitisation price-hikes and stealth taxes.

Back to the main topic; does this mean films/movies/theatre will all cost us more, for the sake of a few grand on mic equipment? Or will a section of that entertainment community slip away into the night (just like the humble corner shop has under the looming shadow of Tesco-Mart)? Or, does it mean a few fat cats sipping martini's pool-side will have one less holiday home abroad?

 

[Tom]

Well the frequencies used for analogue TV broadcasts are very close to the frequencies we use for radio mics - but our frequencies are only for radio mics, nothing else is allowed to use them. Power outputs are in the order of milliwatts.

We can't use radio mics on TV frequencies because they just wouldn't work - the inteference is too great. So whatever replaces analogue TV, and if it also uses our channels, will cause the same problems - meaning that basically, our equipment is rendered useless.

The range of radio mics isn't great, perhaps 1/2 a mile with line-of-sight, but they can get through brick walls quite easily.

The motive for this is profit. Remember the 3G selloff? Look at the funds that raised for the government, but who ends up paying for it......

 

[Tom]

Back to the main topic; does this mean films/movies/theatre will all cost us more, for the sake of a few grand on mic equipment? Or will a section of that entertainment community slip away into the night (just like the humble corner shop has under the looming shadow of Tesco-Mart)? Or, does it mean a few fat cats sipping martini's pool-side will have one less holiday home abroad?

Yes, production costs will increase, but radio technology is as essential to television and film production as colour technology. Modern programming and entertainment cannot be made without radio technology, unless you want to step back 30 years in time that is.

Theatres and concert venues will be even more adversely affected, their margins are much lower than television production.

 

[Paradroid]

Well the frequencies used for analogue TV broadcasts are very close to the frequencies we use for radio mics - but our frequencies are only for radio mics, nothing else is allowed to use them. Power outputs are in the order of milliwatts.

We can't use radio mics on TV frequencies because they just wouldn't work - the inteference is too great. So whatever replaces analogue TV, and if it also uses our channels, will cause the same problems - meaning that basically, our equipment is rendered useless.

The range of radio mics isn't great, perhaps 1/2 a mile with line-of-sight, but they can get through brick walls quite easily.

The motive for this is profit. Remember the 3G selloff? Look at the funds that raised for the government, but who ends up paying for it......

Us!

I mean, us?

 

[Tom]

Imagine what your phone bill would be like if the mobile companies didn't spend billions on radio licences...

 

[Skyler]

I have never, ever, voted for Labour. Ever. I have twice voted Liberal (when I was young and naive), and every other time voted Conservative - even in 1997.

My bad, must have been someone similar on here then

 

[mank!]

Signed it. I rely on local radio for footy stuff and without it I'd be fucked. The idea of having to pay to do your job is rather daft as well.

 

[psyco]

do some research...

he's the one who wants me to sign it...

 

[Trem]

He asked nicely if any of us minded signing it. If you do then don't.

Jesus you are a right raving pedant sometimes.

 

[Calaen]

He asked nicely if any of us minded signing it. If you do then don't.

Jesus you are a right raving pedant sometimes.

Dont forget he is just a young one*.

P.S. I am not Ageist I would fuck an older woman.