Broadcasters can buy better wireless microphones, cameras and production links, but none of that equipment works reliably without usable radio spectrum.

The North American Broadcasters Association and Europe’s Association of Professional Wireless Production Technologies are partnering to support spectrum access for wireless microphones and other production equipment across North America and Europe.

The partnership connects APWPT with NABA’s North American Spectrum Alliance, an initiative bringing together broadcasters, rightsholders, venues and entertainment companies. Its mission is to protect the frequencies used for broadcasting, wireless microphones, cameras and other production tools.

Why spectrum pressure reaches the local station

Wireless production systems often share bands with television operations, unlicensed devices and other users. Mobile-service expansion and previous spectrum reallocations have reduced the available space in which crews can coordinate multiple microphones and links without interference.

NABA says 33% of UHF broadcast spectrum and 60% of C-band spectrum have been cleared for mobile services and 5G in recent years. Those are alliance figures, but the operational concern is easy to recognize: fewer clear channels can mean more interference, additional frequency coordination and equipment that cannot be used in every market.

The practical risks

  • Breaking news: A field crew may arrive without knowing which channels are safe in that market.
  • Sports and concerts: Dozens of microphones, intercoms, cameras and production links must coexist in the same venue.
  • Equipment replacement: A regulatory change can make an otherwise functional wireless system illegal or impractical to operate.
  • Small operators: Independent stations and event producers may lack a dedicated frequency coordinator or access to enterprise-grade planning tools.
  • Cross-border production: Equipment that is permitted in one country may require different tuning, licensing or operating procedures in another.

What broadcasters should document now

Stations should maintain a complete inventory of wireless equipment, its tunable range, licensing status and replacement date. Remote-production plans should include a current frequency scan, backup wired microphones, assigned coordination responsibility and a procedure for reporting persistent interference.

The NABA–APWPT partnership is an advocacy development, not a new spectrum rule. Its significance is that production-spectrum pressure is now being addressed across continents. RNN will be asking which specific bands face the greatest near-term risk and what small broadcasters should avoid purchasing as 2027 budgets are prepared.

Sources: September 2 partnership report; NABA North American Spectrum Alliance; APWPT spectrum updates.