FCC steps closer to pulling the plug on loud commercials

Dec. 15, 2011—Federal Communications Commission enacted rules that will turn down the volume level on loud TV commercials.

On Dec. 13, 2011, FCC adopted a Report and Order that would require TV commercials to maintain the same level of sound as TV shows have.

The order would implement the 2010 Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation Act, which Consumers Digest reported about in its January/February 2011 issue.

TV stations and multichannel video-programming distributors will have until Dec. 13, 2012, to comply with the rules.