Whoa, whoa. Wait a minute. Is this report
really saying that those obnoxiously loud used car commercials
aren't any louder than the programs they accompany? In fact, yes. Tom Feran has taken the time to actually explain how loudness works in television here in the US, and the resulting report is pretty fascinating. In essence, a typical drama will have moments of loudness and moments of quiet, and commercials that follow the show have to respect the same maximum as the show. However, unlike the program, commercials can simply max out the volume from start to finish, causing a "perceived" or "inconsistent" loudness that's just barely lawful. As you well know, British regulators are
stepping in to make sure no ad is "excessively noisy or strident," but the situation in America could get worse
post-2009. You see, digital broadcasts have a
wider dynamic range (or loudness spectrum), leaving more room for annoying salespeople to totally invade your eardrum. Nevertheless, the article linked below is a must-read for anyone who has ever been
enraged by a "ridiculously loud commercial."
[Image courtesy of
Derrick Logan]
posted Jul 1st 2008 at 9:35PM 
