The Federal Communications Commission has reported that it has received 15,850 complaints about loud TV commercials since new regulations went into effect in December. The reports, which run through June 5, were heavily weighted towards the beginning of the year: in the first month that the regulations were in effect, the agency received 4,777 complaints about possible violations. The number of complaints declined steadily thereafter, as awareness of the new rules grew, the agency said.
The FCC made the disclosure in response to a request from Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA) and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), the sponsors of the CALM Act, which authorized the new regulations.
The rules require broadcast-, cable-, and satellite-television providers to keep the average volume of commercials at the same level as the programming containing them. A single infraction could lead to a station's being fined as much as $10,000. The FCC has yet to issue any fines for violations, but the commission said it is continuing to review the complaints, looking for patterns or trends.
The nature of the information behind the complaints will become an issue, say manufacturers of the metering, monitoring, and management systems aimed at the loudness issue.
Tim Carroll, founder of Linear Acoustic, which makes products for all three categories, says, More analysis of the complaints is necessary. Some of the complaints are going to happen just because people can [complain], but, of the legitimate ones, we have to know what the circumstances were that prompted the complaints. In some cases, consumers may not realize that the CALM Act is intended to address loudness levels in commercials, not programming. They may be confusing the two. That's why we need to analyze the complaints carefully.
Chris Fichera, VP of audio at Group One Ltd., which distributes Junger Audio's Level Magic meters and processors, agrees, asking, What kinds of audio systems were they listening through? A basic flat screen's speakers are going to hype the midrange, where the announcer audio tends to be, as opposed to a full 5.1 surround system, where the midrange is better positioned with the rest of the sound. Was it a national commercial or a regional spot? We need to know that kind of detail.
The FCC report seemed to acknowledge that those filing complaints might lack a full understanding of the law: The data provided by consumers is often not sufficiently specific or consistent to facilitate reliable analysis.
Improvements Postponed
Acting FCC Chairwoman Mignon Clyburn informed the legislators that the agency's plans to improve the complaint form to produce more useful data have been postponed due to budget cuts put in place earlier this year as part of sequestration.
Eshoo and Whitehouse issued statements last week calling on the FCC to release quarterly reports on enforcement of the CALM Act. While the initial data from the FCC does not conclusively indicate the effectiveness of the CALM Act yet, said Eshoo, it does demonstrate that consumers remain highly committed to keeping the volume of TV commercials at a reasonable level.
Said Whitehouse, The CALM Act is already cracking down on needlessly loud TV commercials, and quarterly progress reports would provide interested viewers with timely updates on compliance with the law.
Carroll points out, Metering alone won't fix the problem. We need to know more about he nature of the complaints so that we can focus on the legitimate ones.
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
07/10/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
19/08/2026
As the cost of IP nears price parity with traditional SDI, Reynolds argues that ...
19/08/2026
A private 5G bubble was chosen instead of traditional broadcast RF for the race ...
19/08/2026
(L-R) Rafael Manuel and Isabel Sicat attend the Filipi ana premiere during the 2026 Sundance Film Festival at The Ray Theatre on January 23, 2026, in Park Cit...
19/08/2026
Studio owners invited to have their say on rates cuts
The Music Producers Guild (MPG) are inviting UK-based studios to take part in an in-depth survey that ...
19/08/2026
Vintage-inspired desktop interface revealed
Harrison's latest hardware offering sees them head into the world of audio interfaces, delivering a 10-in/12...
19/08/2026
Granular effect remains locked to scale and tempo
Described as your dream granular effect , Minimal Audio's latest creation is capable of turning any s...
19/08/2026
First polyphonic SWAM instrument incoming
Audio Modeling's latest physical-modelling orchestral instrument is just around the corner, and is now availab...
19/08/2026
World Cup Games Generate 84 Billion Minutes Across FOX, Fox Sports 1 and NBCU...
19/08/2026
July brought typical peak-holiday drops in viewership, driven primarily by viewers stepping away from screens and a visible decline in reach across both traditi...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Henry joins BCE as the company accelerates its commercial strategy and expands its international presence across the media, broadcast and technology markets. He...
19/08/2026
iWedia, a leading provider of software solutions for connected TV devices, today announced a major milestone in Android platform optimization with the successfu...
19/08/2026
NTP Technology announces that ST 2110-30 audio-over-IP connectivity with AES67 and RAVENNA capabilities is now available for the brand's world-class audio i...
19/08/2026
Net Insight has been selected to provide its Nimbra platform by the service provider Big Blue Marble, formerly ORS Group, as the core media transport solution f...
19/08/2026
LiveU has supported Coventry City FC and several other top-flight UK football clubs through one of their most demanding live production challenges of the year, ...
19/08/2026
Nature Seekers Documentary Shot with Blackmagic URSA Cine 12K LF
Brie Clayton August 18, 2026
0 Comments
Filming endangered turtles required camera...
19/08/2026
Neyrinck Brings D-Control Consoles Back to Life on Apple Silicon with D-Control ...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Riedel Communications today announced that Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Perth, Australia, implemented a comprehensive communications infrastructure that brin...
19/08/2026
QuickLink, a leading provider of award-winning video production and remote guest contribution solutions, will spotlight a major leap forward in remote guest con...
19/08/2026
Integrated platform melds media asset management, playout automation and newsroom workflows
EMAM, PlayBox Neo and SNEWS have officially launched Nuvex, a conne...
19/08/2026
Screen Australia releases the Private Investment Toolkit to strengthen screen in...
19/08/2026
Do Aussies truly value local content? Unpacking Screen Currency 2026 with Deirdr...
19/08/2026
There's an early Christmas gift for Bookish fans, as UKTV confirms the re-commission of the hit U&alibi drama, created by and starring Mark Gatiss. Viewers ...
19/08/2026
Wednesday 19 August 2026
Sky gives sports fans the chance to watch multiple liv...
19/08/2026
On Saturday September 5 Katie Taylor will step into the ring for the fight of her life against Flora Pili in front of 80,000 fans in Croke Park. A legendary fig...
18/08/2026
SportStream 2026, a free three-day virtual event, will take place September 15-17. One registration provides access to all three days of live programming and on...
18/08/2026
BeckTV will introduce BeckFlow to the European market at IBC2026, demonstrated on the Providius stand (10.F53).
BeckFlow is a web-based schematic documentation...
18/08/2026
Boland Communications will introduce a SMPTE ST 2110 input option for its 4K monitors at IBC2026, along with a new 55-inch super-narrow bezel display for video ...
18/08/2026
Dolby Laboratories and the Seattle Seahawks have announced a partnership integrating Dolby OptiView into the Seahawks' live streaming coverage, making the S...
18/08/2026
For BMG Executive Producer of Sports Production, Graham Taylor, producing live s...
18/08/2026
TMRW Sports has appointed Rufus Hack as President of Golf, a newly created role in which he will lead the company's golf businesses including TGL presented ...
18/08/2026
SMT will provide race technology for FOX Sports' coverage of the Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C. on August 23, when the NTT INDYCAR SERIES races ...
18/08/2026
The live, YouTube-native roundtables combine fan voices, credentialed reporters,...
18/08/2026
Behind The Mic provides a roundup of recent news regarding on-air talent, includ...
18/08/2026
The industry legend sounds off on replacing the Heat's iconic Medusa score...
18/08/2026
William F. Rasmussen, the sports fan-turned broadcaster and entrepreneur whose out-of-the-box idea of a 24-hour cable sports network, ESPN, changed forever the ...
18/08/2026
DAZN Group has completed its acquisition of ViewLift, a provider of streaming and digital solutions for sports content owners. The acquisition was first announc...
18/08/2026
The American Association of Professional Baseball (AAPB) has added SI TV, Sports Illustrated's 24/7 streaming channel, as a broadcast partner for the remain...
18/08/2026
The Esports Foundation has announced that the inaugural Esports Nations Cup (ENC), originally scheduled for November 2026 in Riyadh, will be postponed to Novemb...
18/08/2026
Diversified has announced a new Global Managed Services Practice, consolidating the company's managed services capabilities into one organization. Rob Mello...
18/08/2026
Appear has completed a proof of concept with Thoroughbred Racing Productions (TRP), demonstrating multi-camera remote live production over bonded 5G cellular an...
The Federal Communications Commission has reported that it has received 15,850 complaints about loud TV commercials since new regulations went into effect in December. The reports, which run through June 5, were heavily weighted towards the beginning of the year: in the first month that the regulations were in effect, the agency received 4,777 complaints about possible violations. The number of complaints declined steadily thereafter, as awareness of the new rules grew, the agency said.
