That big boost in sound you have noticed when commercials come on should now be a thing of the past. New rules governing volume levels from the Federal Communications Commission are now in effect.
The new rules from the FCC require commercials to keep the same average volume as the television show you are watching. It's called the CALM Act, which stands for Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation.
The commission adopted the rules one year ago today and broadcast television stations and pay TV providers are required to comply with the rules. The CALM Act came about after the FCC received many complaints from viewers saying commercials were just too loud.
"We have equipment in place that automatically monitors it and if [the sound] is too loud it reduces it to the acceptable level," says WSAW-TV Chief Engineer Bill Deloney.
The standard rate for audio levels across all major stations is a -24 dBf decibel level, which includes NBC, ABC, CBS, and FOX.
Even though the new rules are in effect, the FCC encourages you to contact them if you think your commercials are still louder than they should be.
You can contact them at 1-888-CALL-FCC or 1-888-TELL-FCC.
