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Loud TV commercials will get quieter starting next June
Binging on Mad Men via Netflix or Blu-ray has a few advantages over watching the show when it broadcasts. Namely, not having to sit through commercials that jump higher in volume than anything heard in the halls of Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce. As spotted by The Hill, the FCC is hoping to change that last bit with an update to 2011's Commercial Advertisement Litigation Mitigation (CALM) Act; the outfit recently ruled for further volume-fluctuation restrictions for certain TV ads. Starting June 4th next year, an improved loudness measurement algorithm will be implemented that should make watching TV a bit more pleasant. How? It won't count the silent parts of an ad that can offset the commercial's average volume measurement, thus bringing the overall audio level down -- something that apparently hasn't been done before. We can't imagine that Harry Crane would be pleased by any of this. [Image credit: Associated Press]
CALM act goes into effect today, should keep TV commercial breaks quieter
After waiting a year so broadcasters could get ready, the Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation Act is officially in effect. That means ads and promos are required to remain on par with the average audio levels of scheduled programming, hopefully bringing an end to jolting transitions in the middle of the reality TV drama you were enjoying. At the time it enacted the measure, the FCC said complaints about loud ads had "diminished" since 2009 (R.I.P. Billy Mays) when it was originally proposed, hopefully this will eliminate them entirely. The only problem now? Finding a new wake-up reminder for those times you happen to doze off in front of the TV.
FCC tells advertisers to CALM down, lowers the volume on commercial breaks
Pretty soon, you won't have to scramble to lower the volume during noisy commercial breaks -- that's if you even watch live TV. After making its way through Capitol Hill, the Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation Act (or CALM) -- which aims to keep the sounds coming out of your flat panel even-keeled -- has just been adopted in a ruling by the FCC. Starting next December, ads and promos will have to remain in-step with the audio levels of scheduled programming. While the affected parties have a full year to get their acts together, the main burden of enforcement lies with broadcasters and MVPDs like Comcast and Verizon FiOS. So, come next holiday season, you'll be able to tune in and tune out without being blown away.
CALM Act approved by Congress, should make TV commercials slightly less obnoxious
We did say it'd take an Act of Congress to lower the volume on televisual commercials and, shockingly enough, that's exactly what we've got now. The House of Representatives has given its nod of approval to the Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation (CALM) Act, which, having already cleared the Senate, is now on its way to President Obama's desk for final validation. Once signed into effect, the new legislation will require that all advertisers modulate their volume down so it's no higher than that of the program you're watching, and it'll be the FCC's duty to ensure that they all adhere to the new rule. A year's leniency will be allowed for all those who struggle with figuring out how to turn it down from 11, but after that we should all be able to watch the dying medium that is live television without dreading the commercial breaks.
