Senate Votes To Turn Down Volume On TV Commercials

Hugh Pickens writes "Ever since television caught on in the 1950s, the FCC has been getting complaints about blaring commercials but concluded in 1984 there was no fair way to write regulations controlling the 'apparent loudness' of commercials. Now the AP reports that the Senate has unanimously passed a bill to require television stations and cable companies to keep commercials at the same volume as the programs they interrupt using industry guidelines on how to process, measure and transmit audio in a uniform way. Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY), a co-sponsor, says it's time to stop the use of loud commercials to startle viewers into paying attention. 'TV viewers should be able to watch their favorite programs without fear of losing their hearing when the show goes to a commercial.' The House has already passed similar legislation, so before the new measure becomes law, minor differences between the two versions have to be worked out when Congress returns to Washington after the November 2 election."

Comments

Re:It's almost as if

[wjousts]

You mean the Republicans will filibuster it unless it includes tax breaks and gold plated blow jobs for their rich buddies.

Re:This is impractical

[Anonymous Coward]

Cause it ties the playback loudness of the commercials to *what program material surrounds them*: the same spot could play louder during Footday Night Monball than during CSI, frex.

FCC wisely ducked this, last time.

What will the Senate do next, vote to reduce gravity, so overweight people can get around more easily?

First, bravo on having such a low UID, and an apparent intelligence level to match. How is having an advertisement playing at different decibels depending on measured maximums and averages in the program it accompanies a conceivably unsolvable problem in your world?

Second, I don't get a lot of UBERLOUD SEXBEER commercials during CSI like I do on "Footday" Night "Monball". I guess the point is, your "footday" game is going to be loud anyway, so who fucking cares if the commercials are amplified to match the game's levels. Conversely, your CSI program is going to bet quiet, so you probably fucking care if the commercials are amplified above and beyond the programs established maximums and averages.

Third, fuck you.

Re:It's almost as if

[DriedClexler]

Congress isn't working for "the people"; this measure only shows that they're working for "the mouthbreathers" whose lives still revolve around watching the drivel they put on TV and for whom it would actually make a difference if commercials were quieter.

I don't identify with those people -- I have an IQ to protect.