Rules Could Make TV Commercials Quieter

Transcript

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

And our last word in business today is: CALM - C-A-L-M.

It's an acronym for a new law that takes effect today. It stands for the Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation Act, and it means you won't have to jump for your TV remote the second commercials come on.

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

The law says that the volume of commercials needs to be the same as the programs that they are coming out of. So something like this will no longer make you jump.

(SOUNDBITE OF TV COMMERCIAL)

UNIDENTIFIED MAN: Quick Chop even has the muscle to crush ice. Amazing. Makes a delicious, mouthwatering salsa in seconds. It even works on tough vegetables like potatoes.

MONTAGNE: Oh.

GREENE: I didn't jump, but I did want to turn it off.

(LAUGHTER)

GREENE: Well, the Federal Communications Commission adopted this new rule a year ago but gave the TV industry a year to comply with it. So if you get blasted by commercial that sends you diving for that remote, you can now report it to the FCC on its website and let them know.

That is the business news on MORNING EDITION from NPR News. I'm David Greene.

MONTAGNE: And I'm Renee Montagne.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC) Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.