Pump DOWN the volume

[Shawndx]

CRTC tells broadcasting industry to turn down the volume on loud television commercials

OTTAWA-GATINEAU, September 13, 2011 — Today, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) announced that broadcasters must control the loudness of TV commercials by September 1, 2012.

“Over the years, we have seen a steady increase in consumer complaints about loud ads,” said Konrad von Finckenstein, Q.C., Chairman of the CRTC. “Broadcasters have allowed ear-splitting ads to disturb viewers and have left us little choice but to set out clear rules that will put an end to excessively loud ads. The technology exists, let’s use it.”

During its public proceeding, the CRTC received over 7,000 comments. Canadians were overwhelmingly of the view that commercial advertisements were too loud and urged the CRTC to take action.

In 2009, the Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC), the internationally recognized technical standards body for digital television, set a standard for measuring and controlling television signals in order to minimize fluctuations in loudness between programming and commercials. This is the standard that will apply as a result of the CRTC’s action. Equipment to measure and control the loudness of commercials is widely available in the marketplace.

This decision means that viewers will no longer have to reach for their remotes to manually control the volume when regular programming cuts to commercial advertisement. Broadcasters will have to ensure that both programs and ads are transmitted at the same volume.
Draft regulations requiring Canadian broadcasters to adhere to the ATSC’s international standard will be published for comment before end of 2011.
Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2011-584

 

[Yeziknoradio]

It's about time! The ads on HD are too loud these days. We're not deaf!

 

[Bongwater]

AMEN!!

Even though the FCC mandated something like this a few years ago, it's not like they ENFORCE it. I still get jolted off the couch during a nap by some blasty TV ad.

 

[spunker88]

AMEN!!

Even though the FCC mandated something like this a few years ago, it's not like they ENFORCE it. I still get jolted off the couch during a nap by some blasty TV ad.

I'm not sure exactly how you enforce this. I guess they would have to go on viewer complaints and then investigate it.

 

[Yeziknoradio]

I'm not sure exactly how you enforce this. I guess they would have to go on viewer complaints and then investigate it.

Yes. If the complaints vanish, the problem is solved. If they continue, something WILL be investigated into.

Keep on mind though, that nothing will be enforced until September 2012, a year from now.

 

[MarioMania]

When I watch TV like Raw or Ghost Hunters

Some commercials are louder then others...seems like they want too get there point across

 

[kenglish]

“Over the years, we have seen a steady increase in consumer complaints about loud ads,” said Konrad von Finckenstein, Q.C., Chairman of the CRTC. “Broadcasters have allowed ear-splitting ads to disturb viewers and have left us little choice but to set out clear rules that will put an end to excessively loud ads. The technology exists, let’s use it.”

Unfortunately, the technology that exists just makes everything all one level, removing all the dynamic range from the program.
Sort of like listening to classical music on a CB radio.

And, remember,....consumers will complain about almost anything.

 

[Yeziknoradio]

And, remember,....consumers will complain about almost anything.

The volume of complaints is what they'll most likely go by. There's the die hard complaint just because something isn't "perfect" and there's the complaints because something was indeed too loud.

I'm sure the complaint count will go down if all is done right in September of 2012 when this all becomes official.