Stop! My ears are bleeding

Ad Age reported on March 16th that a California state rep introduced has H.R. 6209. It is also pleasantly known as the “Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation Act”. What do they want? Softer commercials. When do they want it? During their favorite television shows.

While I get the concept that louder commercials will cut through the clutter and viewers will pay attention, I don’t know that I believe it. If people need to keep their remotes at the ready in order to lower commercial volumes, that can’t be good for anybody. Once that remote is itching in the hand it is so much easier to start clicking around. We all lose then. The advertiser, the station and the viewer who might not make it back.

What do you think? Is being loud a necessary evil to get people’s attention or is it more important to potentially keep that remote on the couch?

— Susan Cregan