The Senate this week unanimously passed a measure that would require tv stations and cable counterparts to air commercials at the same volume rate as programming.
Last year, the House passed H.B.6209, the so-called CALM (Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation Act) measure [See "TUOL" post 6/12/09]. Now, the House and Senate versions must be reconciled when lawmakers convene post-election in November before the bill can become law. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) sponsored the Senate bill and Rep. Anna Eschoo (D.-Calif.) was the prime mover of the House bill.
The FCC, which has not been regulating sound levels of advertisements, would be required to adopt the legislators' recommendations as regulations within a year and begin enforcing them a year after that. Nice to see bi-partisan support to tackle a problem that jarred couch potato solons awake from their late-night tv viewing. Maybe they can see about the deficit, tax breaks, and alternative energy sources now that they've found common ground.
Love this bill and your suggestions for the sleeping solons. Let's hope for both, though I'm skeptical on the latter.
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