Should the decibel level of television commercials be regulated?

approved

I say go for it!

Are we all happy with this? Happy enough to approve?

One day we'll all be speaking (and writing) Zippese. Or Zippish.

Thank you, Marinaz... I didn't feel like responding to the l'commentary du peanut gallery... and yes, I'm in the process of developing my own language... but that's neither here nor there until I start advertising it through television commercials.

i like marinaz' first.  more clear.

I didn't use "volume" because is also means quantity.

"Should the decibel level of television commercials be regulated?" or "Should there be regulations limiting the decibel level (or "loudness") of television commercials?"

all that because you hate the passive voice?

Should there be regulations in place regarding the decibel level of television commercials?

From the SF chronicle article:

In Britain, the Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice, which sets guidelines for the industry, decided to act to limit ads that are "excessively noisy or strident." The new rules go into effect July 7.

We couldn't post this evidence the way it's currently worded. How can we open it up?

Should the volume of television commercials be regulated?

It's a proposed congressional bill??? Looks approvable to me!!!

There are those who think it shouldn't be a federal regulation, but "self-regulated" by the industry itself. The FCC itself doesn't seem interested in getting involved, judging from its website:

Whether or not something is “too loud” is a judgment that varies with each listener. The decision is influenced by many factors like content and style, the speaker’s voice and tone, background sounds, and music.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) does not regulate the volume of programs or commercials. FCC rules limit the amount of power that a station can transmit and the peak level of the program material. Within these limitations, however, broadcasters and program producers have considerable latitude to vary the “loudness” of the program material.

Under most circumstances, it is in the interest of broadcasters to use equipment and procedures to avoid “loud” commercials and background noise. If you have a complaint about “loud” commercials and background noise, contact the station(s) involved.

A similar bill was just introduced in the Senate:

"Ever get sick of those commercials that seem to be a lot louder than the show you're watching?

Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss) sympathizes with you.

The senator yesterday introduced legislation that would require the Federal Communications Commission to bar commercials from being broadcast at louder volumes than the program material they accompany. It's called the Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation Act, or CALM Act.

Current

What's the argument agains the FCC regulating this? I'm sure corporate America is aginst this, right?

Oh they DEFINITELY have to do something about this... sometimes a commercial comes on at a ridiculously loud volume... I've never understood why that happens so frequently... but I guess now I do.

Oh, that's interesting.

Love the bill-based issues.

Not exactly ground-breaking, but a bill has been proposed:

SFGate

Fed up with TV ads so loud that they send viewers scrambling to hit mute on their remotes, a Bay Area lawmaker is pushing a new bill that would force federal regulators to ratchet down the volume of commercials.

The proposal was introduced this week by Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Palo Alto, and it isn't winning her any friends in the broadcasting or advertising industries. But Eshoo's House colleagues are warming to the idea, which could address a daily annoyance for millions of TV viewers.

...Eshoo is not alone in pressing the issue. British regulators approved similar rules last month that require broadcasters to limit the "maximum subjective loudness" of TV ads after receiving complaints.