Today’s post is from the Parade magazine article on loud commercials. Let’s hope this will get passed! I don’t know about you but I hate getting blasted off my couch from loudness of commercials.

Are TV Ads Too Loud?

September 27, 2009

Loud television commercials for everything from used cars to pet supplies have been invading America’s living rooms since the 1960s. Now, some lawmakers want the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to do something about it.

“It’s enough to blast you off the sofa when some of these ads come on,” says Rep. Anna Eshoo (D., Calif.). “It’s a source of irritation to people when they’re relaxing in their own home. For decades, there have been complaints and investigations by the FCC, but nothing has ever been done about it.” Eshoo recently introduced the Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation (CALM) Act. If passed, it would require the FCC to set new limits on the volume of commercials.

The FCC has no official position on the bill but suggests that consumers simply use their remote controls to keep volume levels consistent. David Perry, head of television production at advertising giant Saatchi & Saatchi, says legislation isn’t necessary since new televisions are equipped with technology that can easily mitigate the problem. He notes that commercials are only as loud as the noisiest part of a program but admits that they can be jarring when they follow quieter moments in a show.

Still, consumer advocates say viewers should not need the latest technology to avoid the annoyance of shouting pitchmen. “Advertisers simply do not have a right to scream at consumers in their living rooms,” says Joel Kelsey, a policy analyst at Consumers Union. He calls the CALM Act “ a commonsense solution to a 45-year consumer complaint.”

— J. Scott Orr