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Sick of Booming Ads? Help's on the Way From DC

Calif. rep introduces law for balanced volume

By Matt Cantor,  Newser Staff

Posted Mar 16, 2009 7:07 AM CDT
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(Newser) – If you’re tired of being blasted by a loud commercial right after a quiet scene in your favorite TV show, a California representative hears you loud and clear—and wants to do something about it, Advertising Age reports. US Rep. Anna Eshoo introduced legislation in June to bar commercials from booming louder than the TV shows they interrupt. Annoyed viewers cheered her efforts, but marketers are less than thrilled.

Marketers don’t want the government telling them how loud they can be, and may have no “control over where the ad shows up,” says an industry advocate. For many advertisers, the key goal is to be heard. That strategy may not make sense, says an analyst: Too much volume can lead to “ad irritation” and hurt sales. But these arguments may be moot: With the move to digital TV, the industry will implement a software algorithm that will allow TVs to adjust volume based on a show's average dialogue level.

A US representative is pushing legislation on commercial volume.
A US representative is pushing legislation on commercial volume.   (Shutterstock)
Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick, left, greets Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., right. Eshoo is seeking to legislate commercial audio volume.
Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick, left, greets Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., right. Eshoo is seeking to legislate commercial audio volume.   (AP Photos/Susan Walsh)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 8 comments
Guest
Mar 19, 2009 1:01 AM CDT
Too loud = mute. Not hard.
Guest
Mar 16, 2009 4:58 AM CDT
Alas, the volume of TV ads isn't the only thing that makes them seem "loud" and irritating... it's also the kind of sounds and the "density" of sounds in the ads... So, unfortunately, requiring advertisers to limit the volume will just encourage them to make commercials jarring in those other ways; there are plenty of other ways to make commercials *seem* louder without technically being louder... And it's in advertisers' interests to be irritating, to get the viewer's attention. (I recommend DVR or Tivo... one should never watch commercials!)
dolcevita
Mar 16, 2009 1:09 AM CDT
"Mute" is my favorite button on the remote. I mute during all commercials BECAUSE the ads are so irritating and loud. If advertisers want me to pay attention to their ads, then make the ads entertaining not bombastic.

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television • Congress • advertising • legislation • commercials • television advertising

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