Our balance sheet
200 press
reports
Lectures in 10 countries
40 ‘public consultations’
Trilingual website with 300 articles
The Timeline
2015
Foundation of the initiative in Germany. Cabaret artist Thomas Pigor writes a rage song as part of the “Chanson of the Month” for Germany’s radio. In it he demands: “Save the wireless microphone!”
Musician Kai Wingenfelder is one of the growing group of supporters. He says: “Germany is the country in Europe that suffers the most from the sell-off of radio frequencies.”
2016
2017
More and more radio interference due to a lack of frequencies is becoming known. Matthias Klingner from the band UNDUZO reports problems at ‘Neues Theater Höchst’ in Frankfurt am Main: “Unfortunately, it turned out that there were not enough interference-free frequencies […].” He also reports an interference signal.
From now on, our logo will appear with a slight cosmetic correction. The reason for this is a letter from the US Red Cross. It criticizes the use of the red cross in the old logo. This is reserved exclusively for the aid organization. We are adapting our logo.
The management of the initiative changes from Helmut G. Bauer (Germany) to Jochen Zenthöfer (Luxembourg).
The German-Australian actress Julia Holmes now supports SOS. In the following years, many other artists joined the team, including Konstantin Graudus, known from the Ohnsorg Theater in Hamburg.
2018
2019
Old school: we design the brochure “Frequencies for people – anytime, anywhere and without interference” on paper and send over 1,000 copies to politicians, authorities, artists, associations, the press and other interested parties.
Frequency manager Michael Weber says: “The Kelly Family sometimes needs over 100 frequencies”.
Political party SPD in the Bundestag organizes a report-first discussion on the frequency situation. Invited as an expert: SOS. In a question, the party FDP is concerned about “SMEs and the 2019 World Radio Conference” – will there be enough cultural frequencies left?
We shoot a video clip with the Luxembourg rock-pop band CHEAK! for the 2019 World Radiocommunication Conference.
Pandemic! Germany’ CDU party Secretary General Paul Ziemiak talks to SOS: “We must preserve theater, music and festivals”. Green politician Michael Kellner tells us: “Culture is systemically relevant in the best sense of the word”.
Four members of the Bundestag campaign for cultural frequencies in a joint contribution to “Netzpolitik”: Margit Stumpp (The Greens), Anke Domscheit-Berg (The Left), Thomas Hacker (Liberals) and Dr. Christian Jung (Liberals).
Luxembourg “Bad Banks” actor Marc Limpach publicly states: “The tone must work”. Crime star Sebastian Fitzek supports our cause: “I need to be able to move freely. I need wireless technology for that”.
2020
2021
Still a pandemic! We are expanding: SOS is now represented by Patrice Chazerand in Brussels.
SOS is a founding member of the German “Alliance for Broadcasting and Cultural Frequencies”, with ARD, Deutschlandradio, Media Broadcast, Medienanstalten, Sennheiser, VAUNET e.V., ZDF and the German Electrical and Digital Manufacturers’ Association ZVEI e.V.
The artist TOKUNBO campaigns for frequencies: “We need radio microphones for cross-over projects”.
Three “Call to Europe” campaigns, most recently in 20 European countries with over 80 participating organizations. Events in several countries: Belgium Luxembourg France Austria Germany Italy …
Talks and contacts with authorities and MPs in France. We have been in Paris several times since then.
2022 / 23
2023
Germany’s daily Tagesspiegel Background asks: Is IMT a culture killer? … on the occasion of SOS’s presentation at Prolight + Sound 2023: “Are the remaining frequencies for the event industry now being lost?”
Stage and TV actress Olivia Klemke is the German face of “Call to Europe 2023”. In Austria, Burgtheater actor Nicholas Ofczarek is shooting a campaign video.
Berlin state coalition agreement between the CDU and SPD: “… the permanent preservation of the necessary frequencies in the 470 to 694 MHz range for broadcasting and culture.”
World radio conference! SOS sets up a 24-hour information service for journalists and artists. Press conferences are offered in Berlin, Brussels and Luxembourg.
Robert Hamilton now heads SOS in the USA. Welcome, Robert!
Foundation of SOS Africa thanks to Joe Frans. He tirelessly travels the continent. Welcome, Joe!
SOS speaks at the event organized by the German Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport after the World Radio Conference.
SOS is in Singapore and Australia; prepares for further expansion in Melbourne.
CDU, BSW and SPD in the Thuringia coalition agreement: “We also recognize the increasing frequency requirements for the cultural and event industry and are committed to providing the necessary equipment.”
Success after SOS campaign: The frequency range 1452 – 1525 MHz, which was deleted with the new Germany rule VVnöml, is coming back! The deletion for microphones was an “office oversight” by the Federal Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur).
2024
2025
Germany’s Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media, Claudia Roth, writes: UHF band is “artery of the creative industries”.
SOS in Brussels, EU Vice-President Henna Virkkunen recognizes the crucial role that the sub-700 MHz band plays for Europe’s cultural ecosystem.
Hotel association and launches frequency usage survey among members. Markus Luthe, Managing Director, campaigns for the preservation of cultural frequencies.
SOS is invited to the Bundestag for the presentation of the coalition agreement. The agreement mentions the UHF frequencies in three places.
