It's a decision that may end up affecting everyone from Broadway actors, to pastors of large churches, to karaoke DJs. The Federal Communications Commission is proposing a ban on certain types of wireless microphones.

At the center of the controversy are wireless mikes that operate on radio frequencies that are also used by broadcast TV stations. Most of the owners of the microphones are unaware that FCC rules require them to have a license to operate the devices.

The FCC is also investigating how the wireless mike industry markets its products. A coalition of consumer groups complained last year that when parts of the broadcast spectrum are opened up after TV stations switch to digital broadcast early next year, the mikes can interfere with the new license holders of those frequencies.