Rein in extra loud ads

I would like to bring a matter to the attention of our law-makers that can make a significant difference to the health and livelihood of our citizens in the future.

Obviously, there are those who are unaware and those who may know but ignore what is happening and the possible consequences.

There is a piece of legislation called the Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation (CALM) Act passed by the Congress of America that mandated the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to enforce rules controlling the loudness of commercials on television.

Allow me to state a few facts for any enlightenment they may bring:

The FCC was directed by Congress to establish rules mandating that commercials have the same average volume as the programmes they accompany.

The rules were adopted by the FCC on December 13, 2011 and all television stations, cable operators, satellite TV providers and other multi-channel video programming distributors had to be in compliance by December 13, 2012.

A set of methods that measure and control audio loudness of digital programming and commercials called the Advanced Television Systems Committee’s A/85 Recommended Practice is the standard to be used.

Any member of the viewing public can report specific information to the FCC and the relevant broadcasting entity about louder than normal commercials.

There is no set cap on loudness, but commercials should have the same loudness as normal programming.

So far, the CALM Act relates only to television broadcasting and not radio.
I had previously mentioned the loudness of television commercials in relation to normal programming; however, there is an increase in loudness since the change to High Definition (HD) on TV Channel 8.

We have been copiers of various rules, styles and fashions that incur negative effects and results. We should also copy regulations similar to those in the American CALM Act that can save us from having a population with a mass of hearing-impaired citizens.

– MICHAEL RAY