Spokane INB Performing Arts Center Gains Power from Meyer

NILES, IL — Shure has announced that it will again donate $50,000 this year to four organizations as part of the Shure Listen Safe program. The four organizations are Columbia College, an undergraduate and graduate college in downtown Chicago; Hearing Education and Awareness for Rockers (H.E.A.R.), a non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness of the real dangers of repeated exposure to excessive noise levels; The House Ear Institute (HEI), a private, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to advancing hearing science through research and education to improve the quality of life; and the National Hearing Conservation Association (NHCA) Scholarship Foundation, which was begun in 2003 to provide scholarship awards to graduate students focusing on applied/practical studies in hearing loss prevention/hearing conservation at regionally accredited institutions.

As I write this I am on a plane bound for Washington DC, where I am going at the invitation of the Microphone Interests Coalition. We will be speaking with the FCC and some members of Congress about the push to open the "white space" around TV station to unfettered, unlicensed and unregulated personal communication devices. The problem, if you have not been following it, is that those "white spaces" are where our wireless mics and monitors live. We will go and try to talk sense to a group of people more known for listening to campaign contributions than reason.

WOODINVILLE, WA — It was announced on March 6 that LOUD Technologies, Inc has entered into an agreement to purchase all of the outstanding capital stock of Martin Audio Limited of the UK. The purchase price for this acquisition will be estimated on the closing date and will take into account Martin's cash on hand, third party debt obligations and levels of net working capital, with a final purchase price calculation to be made after closing. Assuming a closing date of March 31, 2007 and fluctuations in levels of cash, third party debt and net working capital consistent with Martin's recent financial history, it is estimated that the purchase price will be between £17.25 million (US$33.2 million) and £18.25 million (US$35.1 million), depending on cash available to the company at closing and third party indebtedness outstanding as of the closing date. The purchase price may fall outside this range. Closing is expected to occur this month and is dependent upon customary conditions including the receipt of the required regulatory approvals.

LAS VEGAS — Time to pull together in support of one of our own, as Joe Walden of Sound Connections in Las Vegas had a truck containing a bunch of lighting gear stolen last night (Friday, March 2, 2007). Here are the details: