Wireless microphone technology owners will only get compensation for 6% of the programme making and special events (PMSE) frequencies that are being cleared as part of Ofcom’s Digital Dividend Review, the government has revealed.

As widely anticipated, Ed Vaizey, the minister for the digital economy, said last week that any compensation package will cover kit that currently uses channel 69 but not channels 31-37 and 61-68.

In a statement he said the measures will “make a significant contribution to the costs of PMSE community in upgrading equipment”.

However, a spokesperson for campaign group Save Our Sound UK argued that the decision will “devastate” the small and medium-sized businesses that support UK programme making and live events.

He said: “Where are they going to find the extra money to continue to do their job? Without them, the large-scale events sector could collapse like a house of cards.”

Wireless equipment is used on shows like The X Factor and Big Brother and large events like Live Aid and Glastonbury.

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