PLEASE sign the petition...

If you get a few seconds, I'd love for you all to sign an online petition to the Prime Minister Tony Blair. I don't do this sort of thing as a rule, but thus change in the law could mark a difficult turning point in the way live theatre is produced - and hence my job!!

As part of the Digital Dividend Review, OFCOM has announced plans to sell off the Analogue UHF TV band. This band is also heavily used for so called Program Making and Special Events, covering usage of radio microphone, radio talkback/foldback, and wireless comms systems. This would mean the return to cabled mics on the WestEnd Stage, popular TV programs becoming unworkable, and the Vicar having to shout at the village fete.

Without the availability of Radio Mics in the West End, it is likely that much of Musical Theatre will cease, Sir Lloyd-Webber has already hinted that he'd consider premiering his next musical on Broadway. Overall the impact on UK PLC of the loss of this spectrum would be immense, impacting on everything from church services through to the Olympic Games.

If any of you have ever been to see a live event you know that a large percentage of them would be unworkable without radio mcs (in fact I am wearing one now, as we are between shows in Manchester) and bang goes my livlihood, and that of lots of other people.

The web address for the petition is:

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

It will only take you seconds to sign, and could mean a great deal!! Thanks for your help. :-)