The bangs, slams and, most of all, the announcers in TV commercials could be headed for some toning down.

The House Energy & Commerce Committee has scheduled a vote for Thursday on Rep. Anna Eshoo’s legislation that would require the Federal Communications Commission to set volume limits on TV commercials within a year.

The California Democrat’s Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation Act, or CALM, would require that commercials air at the same volume level of accompanying programs.

With as much of 30 percent of advertising for CBS’ coverage of Super Bowl XLIV next Feb. 7 still unsold, the government may be stepping in.

No, it’s not a bailout.

Instead the Census Bureau is in final negotiations to buy a 30-second spot on the traditionally highest rated TV show of the year -- a spot that could cost $2 million or more.

It's not the first time the bureau has run an ad for the Super Bowl -- the last one ran for the 2000 census.

President Obama's Organizing for America group is tapping some Hollywood talent for an ad contest intended to rouse supporters to work for the administration's health care agenda.

The group announced Wednesday that "Family Guy" creator Seth MacFarlane, Rosario Dawson, Kate Walsh, Dule Hill, John Cho, Brandon Routh and will.i.am will judge the competition to make the best 30-second ad showing why health reform is critical.

Most of the stars tapped were active in the Obama campaign or in the health reform effort or in both.

A panel of the House Energy & Commerce Committee on Thursday unanimously voted in favor of legislation that would require the FCC to implement a new loudness standard within a year.

Under the California Democrat Anna Eshoo’s Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation Act (CALM),  the new  standard would be created by an industry panel, and TV stations, satellite broadcasters and cable would have another year to implement it.

At the same time the Federal Communication Commission was voting to launch a formal process to create a new FCC rule on net neutrality, Hollywood writers went on an offensive in Washington to urge the FCC to act – and to warn Congress about the dangers of inaction.

Violence against women is increasing on TV, according to a new study from the Parents Television Council -- and its leaders are urging network exec to step in suggesting the violence could desensitize youths and cause incidents like the “horrendous gang rape” of a woman last weekend in Richmond, Calif.