The FCC Won't Let Me Be - Loud - The UpStream

The FCC Won't Let Me Be - Loud

posted Sunday Oct 3, 2010 by Scott Ertz

The FCC Won't Let Me Be - Loud

It is about time something happened in Congress that everyone can get behind. With the likes of healthcare reform and the flailing economy, Congress has finally come together and unanimously passed legislation to limit the volume of television commercials.

We know what a blight on society commercials are, especially when they are so much louder than the television programs that they interrupt. Thank goodness Congress has taken the first step in eliminating this national disaster.

Hit the break for the real story on what's going on.

Obviously this is a semi-good thing. While I may not like the idea of the federal government regulating the volume of our televisions, I dislike the loud commercials even more. Anything that regulates the transition from producer's vision to advertisement is welcome.

The problem with this legislation is that is is going to cost cable providers and broadcast networks a lot of money in new equipment. Controlling volume will not be an easy task as commercials come from many different sources. Take, for example, watching NBC on your local cable system. Commercials could be injected from the NBC National feed, your local NBC affiliate or through your cable provider, depending on the commercial.

Now, who regulates this volume? If you are watching the national feed in, say, New York City, the national would have to regulate everything they produce. If you're watching it on broadcast off of a local affiliate, the local NBC will have to regulate theirs and the national feed. If you are watching it on cable, the cable provider will have to regulate the national feed, the local affiliate feed and their own commercials.

With everyone having to get involved in this process, it is going to be expensive for everyone involved. Guess how they are going to pay for it - more commercials. Seems like a crazy catch 22 that has been created here. Almost like someone in the government has a stake in a company that manufactures a volume regulation device.

What do you guys think? Good idea or good idea poorly implemented? Tell us in the comments section.

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