
The FCC regulated the volume of commercials in 2011, but it didn’t really work. Loud TV commercials still rule the tube. Now FCC is trying again. They’ve updated the algorithm which measures volume with the Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation (Calm) Act. Broadcast stations and cable system operators are subject to the rule.
The rule said a commercial cannot be louder than the average volume of the program. This allowed a loophole when the program included loud noise before the commercial or the commercial included a moment of silence. Either of these can increase the average so commercials could be louder than you would expect. This loophole ends June 2015 when the Federal Communications Commission will begin excluding very quiet or silent passages of a commercial when calculating the average loudness.
If you find a commercial that is louder than the program, you can file a complaint at http://www.fcc.gov/complaints. Click on TV/Broadcast/Loud Commercials. This takes you Form 2000G – Loud Commercial Complaint. The form will ask you where you saw the commercial, cable or satellite, the advertiser or product, the date and time, the program the commercial was on, TV station and channel number.
I just filed one on Hallmark Movie! Watching Jesse Stone and the commercials are loud enough to set off car alarms! Yikes! Was watching on WOW Cable network – channel 71. Don’t know if they are to blame or the network themselves but I’d venture to say it’s Hallmark’s fault. Shame on them AND their advertisers.
The lobbyists exerted their power to modify any legislation or rules that would actually prevent commercials from being intrusive or overbearing. The FCC had to make it look like they were attempting to respond to the massive number of complaints. If the FCC had actually wanted put reasonable controls there would also have been limits in peak variance from the average volume of the program and a ban on use of anything but a smooth carrier wave. Without violating the current rules, a commercial can put out spikes of sound far greater those previously complained about. They have also shifted technique to modifying the base carrier signal during the commercial from a smooth sinusoidal to a signal with an embedded high frequency saw-tooth sinusoidal. When this is being used, even if the voices are fairly low and calm, the audience cannot ignore the content. The audience will experience an unexplained sense of irritation, similar to fingernails on chalkboard, even though what they are hearing seems unobtrusive. Evidence of the effect can be seen by using a high definition sound recorder. Viewing the signal as a waveform will show a jagged line, vice the smooth line during the regular programming.
Great info! What all this noise assault must be doing to our poor brains…
Please lower commercials volume, it’s totally out of hand.
Imagine if AM or FM radio had loud commercials. It would be hard to
listen while driving. Loud TV commercials make the audio engineers look like failures compared to the radio market.
The loud commercials are so obnoxious that we routinely mute the TV when our programs go to commercial. Therefore, since I am sure that we are not the only family that mutes commercials I have to wonder if loud commercials are really even effective.
Why cannot the levels be the same for adverts and programmes
I’m sorry but when I’m in bed watching a show and almost jump up because the commercials are so loud something is very wrong . No one is following the guidelines.
I’m a senior citizen and have hearing loss. When commercials com on the TV it is so garbled that I can’t understand anything and it hurts my ears so much that I have to hold a remote control and mute the TV commercials when they come on and turn the sound on when they go off. All of our friend have the same problem. We end u watching Netflix most of the time now. I don’t think the TV producers understand the amount of watchers that they are loosing. We are very upset about this. We have contacted our senators etc. with no amount of satisfaction. This is suppose to be America. I am working on a device to turn the sound off or down when the volume gets too high. I have already lost to much of my hearing now.
Most TV’s have a setting to make the sound more even. I have mine on that setting and some how the commercials still come blaring out and still have to use the remote mute button.
The whole thing is a joke. The FCC only publishes a recommedation, but does absolutely nothing to enforce this. Sure, you can file a complaint. But, his is happening on every commercial during every program. You couldn’t possibly fill out enough complaints. Your government tax dollars at work on behalf of advertisers. Just another government agency that does not give a sh** about the general public. Only big business. Like I said. It’s all a big joke.
Im tired of having to turn down the volume every time a commercial comes on if i dont i can get kicked out of my apartment new noise rules.
Mike your are right, just wish there was something that could be done.
I don’t buy products advertised in louder volume than regular programing. So who’s the loser here?. The advertisers are.
Do they not know most people record the programs they watch to fast forward the commercials. Or mute them when they are on.. No one watches commercials any more. So the loser is the company paying for the commercials.
i use the mute button liberally and will not buy any product that has an offensive volumn……lots of alternatives…..
I just turn to another station, and often I do not come back.
It always seems to be the repugnant LOUD CAR commercials!!! Ben Mynantt Chevrolet in my city!!