It’s about bloody time. The CRTC finally proclaims television commercials are “too loud” and will need to adjusted.

On September 13, 2011, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) announced that broadcasters must now control the loudness of television commercials.

“Over the years, we have seen a steady increase in consumer complaints about loud ads,” said Konrad von Finckenstein, Q.C., Chairman of the CRTC. “Broadcasters have allowed ear-splitting ads to disturb viewers and have left us little choice but to set out clear rules that will put an end to excessively loud ads. The technology exists, let’s use it.”

According to the CRTC’s press release on the ruling, during the public proceeding they received 7,000+ comments which have prompted them to take action.

“I am relieved to see that this problem is finally being addressed by the CRTC,” writes Nathan Cox of Edmonton, AB. “Advertisers have been cranking up the volume for years to purposely hammer their messages into people. If you set the volume on your TV, it should be universal. So set the standard for advertising at the same level as programs are broadcasted.”

“Sudden increases in TV advertising volume, frequently involving inane subject matter,” notes James Marsh of Delta, BC, “I consider to be an objectionable intrusion both upon my general comfort level in my own home, and my intelligence.”

Gail Benjafield of St. Catherines, ON, submitted this comment: “Families choose the pitch level they prefer while watching television and do not need to have commercials scream out at them.”

The internationally recognized technical standards body for digital television, the Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC), set a standard in 2009 that Canadian broadcasters have yet to follow. This standard was established to minimize fluctuations in loudness between programming and commercials, and it is the standard that the CRTC’s ruling will ensure applies.

This means that viewers will no longer be inconvenienced by their own television sets, or have to ride the remote in order to mute nearly sixteen minutes of every commercial hour. (We know you do it because we do it, too!) This is the good news.

The bad news is that the CRTC has given broadcasters until September 1, 2012, to normalize their volume outputs. Why so long if, as the CRTC states, the technology to make this happen is readily available? The answer is due, in part, to bureaucracy.

Draft regulations requiring Canadian broadcasters to adhere to the ATSC’s international standard will be published for comment before the end of 2011. The public will need to comment on the regulation. The broadcasters, advertisers and any other organization impacted will be able to submit their own responses. All the comments will be reviewed and revisions will be made to the ruling before it is finalized.

The CRTC is often criticized for being ineffective. They often pass decisions that seem to be in the best interest of the corporations given license to use our public airwaves. Given the bad taste left in the mouths of many by this organization, when a decision finally favours the tax paying viewer, you would think they would act swiftly and decisively.  Alas, keep your remote in hand.  You’re still going to need it right up to the deadline next September.

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Review the CRTC policy announced on September 13, 2011.

Read about why some television commercials are louder than the shows around them.