Finally, some legislation I can get behind!

Kaneman · 12-15-2009, 06:25 PM

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House votes to lower volume on noisy TV ads
Bill aims to stop commercials from playing noticeably louder than programs
The Associated Press
updated 2:25 p.m. CT, Tues., Dec . 15, 2009

WASHINGTON - The House on Tuesday voted to level off the abrupt spikes in volume felt by television viewers during commercial breaks.

The bill — approved by a voice vote — is aimed at stopping TV ads from playing noticeably louder than programs.

"It's very frustrating," said Rep. Rick Boucher, D-Va. "It's an annoying experience, and something really should be done about it."

Irritated by loud commercials, Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., drafted the measure after discovering it was a common complaint with the Federal Communications Commission.

Right now, the government doesn't have much say in the volume of TV ads. It's been getting grievances about commercial loudness for decades.

Correcting sound levels has its complications.

Managing the transition between programs and ads without spoiling the artistic intent of the producers poses technical challenges and may require TV broadcasters to purchase new equipment. To address the issue, an industry organization recently produced guidelines on how to process, measure and transmit audio in a uniform way.

The bill requires the FCC to adopt those recommendations from the Advanced Television Systems Committee as regulations within a year and begin enforcing them a year later.

Eshoo said the legislation would force the industry to comply with their own standards. "Volunteerism hasn't worked for 50 years," she said.

Rep. Cliff Stearns, R-Fla., addressed critics who have asked why Congress has to get involved in the matter.

"You can say, 'Well, that's fine. Just turn it off,'" Stearns said. "But it's constantly an irritant when you have to do it. And we've got all the new bowl games coming up."

An identical measure has been introduced in the Senate.

Some experts have said they are unsure whether viewers will notice much difference if the bills become law. Different volume levels can be part of storytelling. And some commercials may just seem noisy because they follow a quiet, intense scene.
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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12-15-2009, 06:25 PM	#1
Kaneman AMA Supersport Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Odessa, TX Moto: 2000 Honda CBR1100XX Blackbird Posts: 4,931	Finally, some legislation I can get behind! MSN Tracking Image MSNBC.com House votes to lower volume on noisy TV ads Bill aims to stop commercials from playing noticeably louder than programs The Associated Press updated 2:25 p.m. CT, Tues., Dec . 15, 2009 WASHINGTON - The House on Tuesday voted to level off the abrupt spikes in volume felt by television viewers during commercial breaks. The bill — approved by a voice vote — is aimed at stopping TV ads from playing noticeably louder than programs. "It's very frustrating," said Rep. Rick Boucher, D-Va. "It's an annoying experience, and something really should be done about it." Irritated by loud commercials, Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., drafted the measure after discovering it was a common complaint with the Federal Communications Commission. Right now, the government doesn't have much say in the volume of TV ads. It's been getting grievances about commercial loudness for decades. Correcting sound levels has its complications. Managing the transition between programs and ads without spoiling the artistic intent of the producers poses technical challenges and may require TV broadcasters to purchase new equipment. To address the issue, an industry organization recently produced guidelines on how to process, measure and transmit audio in a uniform way. The bill requires the FCC to adopt those recommendations from the Advanced Television Systems Committee as regulations within a year and begin enforcing them a year later. Eshoo said the legislation would force the industry to comply with their own standards. "Volunteerism hasn't worked for 50 years," she said. Rep. Cliff Stearns, R-Fla., addressed critics who have asked why Congress has to get involved in the matter. "You can say, 'Well, that's fine. Just turn it off,'" Stearns said. "But it's constantly an irritant when you have to do it. And we've got all the new bowl games coming up." An identical measure has been introduced in the Senate. Some experts have said they are unsure whether viewers will notice much difference if the bills become law. Different volume levels can be part of storytelling. And some commercials may just seem noisy because they follow a quiet, intense scene. Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34434875...-capitol_hill/ MSN Privacy . Legal © 2009 MSNBC.com __________________ 1982 Honda XR80 - blown motor, 1993 Kawasaki ZX6D - sold, 2001 Suzuki Bandit 1200S - sold, 1984 Honda Magna - sold, 2001 Kawasaki ZRX1200R - blown motor, 2007 Suzuki DL1000 V-Strom - totalled, 2003 Yamaha FZ1 - sold, 1994 Honda Magna - sold, 2001 Honda CBR600F4i - sold, 1998 Suzuki DR350 - stolen, 1989 Honda Super Magna - sold, 2007 Yamaha Stratoliner, 2000 Honda CBR 1100XX Blackbird