Turn Down the Commercials!

by: Care2.com
recipient: U.S. House and Senate

Have you ever been watching a television program that switched to commercials - and perceived a sudden blast of sound?

The Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation Act (CALM Act) could stop this sudden sound explosion. The bill would require advertisers to smooth the transition to commercials and create ads that are not "excessively noisy or strident" and would set informed, practical volume standards.

Please tell your representative to enact a simple fix to a simple problem by supporting the CALM Act.

read petition letter ▾

Dear [Decision maker],

As a consumer who does not enjoy being blasted by noise, I urge you to vote for Rep. Anna Eshoo's Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation Act (CALM Act).

When scheduled television programming switches to commercials, viewers can experience a "perceived loudness" that makes them dive for the volume control on their remotes. Also, advertisers often use the loudest settings in their audio file to get viewers' attention, making the average volume in some commercials higher than that in regular programming.

In fact, the FCC has received a significant number of complaints about the blast of sound resulting from some transitions to commercials. This jarring transition and generally loud commercials are totally unnecessary and could be easily fixed. The FCC should take action to make sure viewers are never subjected to such harshness.

The CALM Act would direct the FCC to regulate advertisers to smooth loud or loud-seeming transitions and refrain from making their commercials "excessively noisy or strident." Specifically, it would require advertisements to be no louder than the television material that precedes it. The bill would also give technical experts at the FCC room to make wise, science-based decisions on volume standards for television advertisements.

[Your comments here]

Even Adonis Hoffman, senior vice president and general counsel of the American Association of Advertising Agencies, can see the potential in this legislation. Hoffman has said, "Perhaps the most practical solution is to rely on the judgment of the technical and engineering experts at the FCC to determine an acceptable sound range or standard for commercials and content alike."

You will do viewers a small but significant service if you vote for the CALM Act. As television programming is going digital, the resulting wider range of volume will lead to commercials with even higher peak volumes. Don't let the problem get worse: please vote "yes" on this timely legislation to reduce jarring volumes in television commercials.

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Corporate Accountability

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The CALM Act would direct the FCC to regulate advertisers to smooth loud or loud-seeming transitions and refrain from making their commercials "excessively noisy or strident." Specifically, it would require advertisements to be no louder than the television material that precedes it. The bill would also give technical experts at the FCC room to make wise, science-based decisions on volume standards for television advertisements. [Your comments here] Even Adonis Hoffman, senior vice president and general counsel of the American Association of Advertising Agencies, can see the potential in this legislation. Hoffman has said, "Perhaps the most practical solution is to rely on the judgment of the technical and engineering experts at the FCC to determine an acceptable sound range or standard for commercials and content alike." You will do viewers a small but significant service if you vote for the CALM Act. As television programming is going digital, the resulting wider range of volume will lead to commercials with even higher peak volumes. Don't let the problem get worse: please vote "yes" on this timely legislation to reduce jarring volumes in television commercials.

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Turn Down the Commercials!