Rose Law Group Reporter Gripe of the Week
Noise is near the top of my hate list, and that’s why I was elated several months ago when the Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation (CALM) Act became law. Here’s what the Federal Communications Commiss says about the law:
“The FCC’s new rules require TV stations, cable operators, satellite TV operators and other pay TV providers to limit a commercial’s average volume to that of the programming that it accompanies. A commercial may have louder and quieter moments, but, overall, it should be no louder than the surrounding programming. This may mean, however, that some commercials will comply with the new rules, but still sound “too loud” to some viewers.”
Well, FCC, so far, CALM isn’t working. Still too loud.
What can be done? Become a detective and a bureaucrat, instructs the federal agency:
In order for the FCC to evaluate your complaint, we need the following information:
◦ State if you watched the commercial on pay TV (such as on cable or satellite) or if you watched it on a broadcast television station using an antenna;
◦ The name of the advertiser or product promoted in the commercial;
◦ The date you saw the commercial;
◦ The time you saw the commercial;
◦ The name of the TV program during which you saw the commercial;
◦ Which TV station (by call sign and/or channel number and the station’s community) or pay TV provider (with its system location) transmitted the commercial; and
◦ If you watched the commercial on pay TV, the channel number on which you saw it and the cable programmer or network, such as CNN or HBO.
You may also file your complaint by fax to 1-866-418-0232 or by letter mailed to the Federal Communications Commission, Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau, Consumer Inquiries and Complaints Division, 445 12th Street, SW, Washington, DC 20554. If you need assistance in filing your complaint, you may contact the Commission’s Consumer Call Center by calling 1-888-CALL-FCC (1-888-225-5322) (voice) or 1-888-TELL-FCC (1-888-835-5322) (TTY). There is no fee for filing a consumer complaint.
Do these advertisers and stations think if the commercial is louder it will stop people in their tracks to watch it? Aren’t they sharp enough to realize the opposite will happen?
(The room goes dark, and the radio is turned on.)
