TV Commercials Are Finally Quieter (Supposedly)

It's been a big debate for years: are TV commercials really louder than the regular programming?  It sure seemed like it to me, but others weren't convinced.

Well now the argument is over.  Starting today, you shouldn't hear TV commercials blaring louder than the show you're watching, as the CALM Act goes into effect, limiting the volume of commercials. CALM stands for Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation, and the legislation is designed to prevent the commercials from being any louder than the show they're running in.

The Federal Communications Commission adopted the rules a year ago, which apply to cable and satellite operators as well, but gave the industry a one-year grace period to adopt them. Suspected violations can be reported to the FCC on its website.

Let's hope the folks in Washington can now move on to bigger and better things!