TV Commercial Volumes

[caryc]

Isn't their some kind of law governing the sound level of TV commercials? There are two commercials currently running that come on so loud that I have to grab the remote to deal with them. The sound level I usually have my TV set is 26. When these two commercials come on, I have to grab the remote to turn them down. I have to turn them down to level 16 for them to be normal. Of course it's easier to just "mute" them but I'm just telling you how loud they are.

Is there anyplace where one can actually complain about this?

 

[contender]

Yes, I think there is a law. But who enforces it? And if it does get enforced, is the punishment effective?

Miss Penny HATES the commercials like that.

 

[caryc]

Yes, I think there is a law. But who enforces it? And if it does get enforced, is the punishment effective?

Miss Penny HATES the commercials like that.

One of the commercials I'm talking about is for Ozempic. I usually see it on "Newsmax" news channel. But, I've see it on another channel and it comes on at normal volume.

 

[KIR]

You get Newsmax? Every time I channel surf, Newsmax is in a commercial. I think they have more commercial time than news time.

 

[Taterman]

I remember several years ago that the high volume was dealt with somehow (FCC maybe?) and they went down to the level of the show that was on. It didn't take long for them to creep up and now...

 

[caryc]

You get Newsmax? Every time I channel surf, Newsmax is in a commercial. I think they have more commercial time than news time.

Then, I guess you should stick with CNN. They'll tell you everything you need to know.

 

[The Preacher]

I'm a bit hard of hearing and thus tend to have the volume up more than my better half needs it, but she complies. However, when a commercial comes on loud she'll holler at me "Turn that down!" thinking I snuck up the sound. It is irritating when they do that; plus I catch the flack. lol

 

[WAYNO]

I remember so many times, the FCC claiming to regulate commercial ad volume. But I still often am blasted by a commercial.

Who's gonna prove and/or enforce this?

 

[Pál_K]

The advertisers used to say their ads were not louder, that they had the peak volume the same as the show, as per FCC rules. Problem is, the show hit that peak 1% of the time and the ads hit it 99% of the time.

Ads in the US are obnoxious and excessive. Almost 50% of the show slot is ads. Not so in other countries, not that that info helps.

Back when I had cable TV, I noticed about a year ago that FOX changed the way they handled ads on their nightime shows. With Tucker Carlson's old show on FOX last year, when they came back from the ad, they boosted the volume with intro music (this is typical - to let you know the show is back). But, then they started boosting the volume when going to an ad. That was crazy.

There is really only one solution: get a DVR, record the show, fast-forward through all the ads.

You can tell who the intended audience is for a show of even a network. For FOX, it's mostly all "old man problems and diseases". Maybe the same for CNN. Never could watch it nor MSNBC for more than 20 seconds.

Gave up cable a month ago. Not worth $167/month for just a few channels worth watching. Now I use a converter box and an antenna for my old 1998 Sony TV. Costs nothing, better ads.

 

[KIR]

Then, I guess you should stick with CNN. They'll tell you everything you need to know.

I watch many news stations. I don't stick with 1-2 stations that tell me what I want to hear, like most of the limited brains around here.

 

[Pál_K]

I watch many news stations. I don't stick with 1-2 stations that tell me what I want to hear, like most of the limited brains around here.

You're making a very broad assumption about a lot of people you don't know.

I used to watch/read BBC, Sydney Morning Herald, and watch a lot of geographical, historical channels. I lost them when my cable bill got so high.

I'm a reader. I didn't watch TV until I graduated college in 1975 (Math/Comp Sci, UCLA). My house is filled with maybe a thousand books - language, math, science, photography, history, arts, crafts.

But you're right: a person does need news from multiple sources, because they're all biased.

 

[KIR]

You're making a very broad assumption about a lot of people you don't know.

Actually, a "lot of people" is an ambiguous phrase, not actually putting a number on them. So, no broad assumption!

 

[Pál_K]

Actually, a "lot of people" is an ambiguous phrase, not actually putting a number on them. So, no broad assumption!

To say "most" people here have limited brains is a broad assumption.

 

[caryc]

I watch many news stations. I don't stick with 1-2 stations that tell me what I want to hear, like most of the limited brains around here.

You sound like you've never stuck with Newsmax long enough to actually hear what they are all about. Or maybe you just trust democrats too much. I don't bother to listen to people who I know are lying to me.

 

[XP100]

I think the law passed was the Ads could be no louder then the loudest noise in the commercial. If there was a gun shot that was louder than the rest of th eshow they could play the ad at the same decible as the gun shot or whatever the loudest decible in the show.

 

[caryc]

I think the law passed was the Ads could be no louder then the loudest noise in the commercial. If there was a gun shot that was louder than the rest of th eshow they could play the ad at the same decible as the gun shot or whatever the loudest decible in the show.

So, which way are they gaining more? Are they gaining more by waking up some poor shmuck asleep in his recliner? Or, are they losing more by pissing off the people having to grab their remote and turn down or mute the sound?

 

[MHtractorguy]

Since someone mentioned the name of as prescription drug, why do they advertise a product that is only available by prescription?
Who are they selling this to? I do not tell my doctor what to prescribe. I certainly hope my doctor doesn't prescribe my drugs based on a blurb on CNN.
On a similar note, why do some political geniuses keep touting the fact that they are trying to reduce the price of insulin? Is that an issue that is up there with abortion and bathroom choices?
The volume of your commercials is controlled by your broadcaster, not the advertiser.

 

[caryc]

Since someone mentioned the name of as prescription drug, why do they advertise a product that is only available by prescription?
Who are they selling this to? I do not tell my doctor what to prescribe. I certainly hope my doctor doesn't prescribe my drugs based on a blurb on CNN.
On a similar note, why do some political geniuses keep touting the fact that they are trying to reduce the price of insulin? Is that an issue that is up there with abortion and bathroom choices?
The volume of your commercials is controlled by your broadcaster, not the advertiser.

On those drug commercials, they always add "Ask your doctor if glixagort is right for you" at the end. In other words they're hoping you will get your doctor to prescribe the crap for you.

By the way, don't go looking for Glixagort, you won't find it. They haven't gotten around to using that one yet.

 

[Pál_K]

Some of these medications seem worse than the disease. There's a medication they advertise for depression, but the side effects include suicidal thoughts, possible lymphoma, kidney disease,... etc I suppose it cures your depression by realizing how healthier you are without it.

 

[caryc]

Some of these medications seem worse than the disease. There's a medication they advertise for depression, but the side effects include suicidal thoughts, possible lymphoma, kidney disease,... etc I suppose it cures your depression by realizing how healthier you are without it.

I had a bout with gout come on suddenly and I needed relief right away. Couldn't get an app. with my doc at Kaiser, so they put me on a phone app. with a strange doctor. I wanted to get some Prednisone which works for me. After arguing with her for a while she prescribed the prednisone and a rub on medication along with a prescription for Cymbalta. I always heard that Cymbalta was more for a mental thing so I never took it. I have a full bottle of it in my medicine cabinet. By the way the prednisone did the trick for me. I never heard of prescribing cymbalta for gout.