House Panel OKs TV Loudness Standard

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.

The proposal will be sent on to the full committee; if it passes, it will go to the House floor.

Eshoo said she is regularly contacted by constituents about loud commercials in meetings in grocery stores and other places.

“I think they are all tired of getting blasted off their easy chair or exercise equipment,” she told the Energy and Commerce Committee panel.