TV viewers shun loud commercials: survey

A vast majority of television viewers are so annoyed by loud TV commercials that they reduce or mute the volume, or change the channel altogether, reveals a just-released national survey in the US.

The telephone survey of 1,000 TV viewers, conducted for Florida-based  communications and information technology firm Harris Corporation, showed that 89 per cent are bothered by the often dramatic variation between regular TV programming and advertising volumes. Eighty per cent of those bothered take matters into their own hands by:

• Turning the volume down - 41 per cent 
• Completely muting the volume - 22 per cent 
• Changing the channel altogether - 17 per cent 

The survey respondents also cautioned advertisers that the louder commercials approach may be backfiring - causing them to tune out the advertisements rather than attracting viewers to them.

• 61 per cent said the loudness difference negatively impacted their perception of the product or their ad-viewing habits
• 38 per cent reported they are less likely to pay attention or consider the product
• 23 per cent of those surveyed are changing the channel to another program
• Only 5 per cent reported the louder volume makes them more likely to pay attention to an ad and consider the product.

Although viewers were vocal about their reactions to loud ads, they were split on the prospects of the government resolving the perceived problem. Thirty-three per cent believed that legislation should be passed to solve the problem, while 29 per cent said legislation is not needed.

The Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC), the standards agency for the 1,800-plus US broadcasters, recently developed a recommended practice for television broadcasters to address the loudness issue. The recommended practice outlines the target dialogue level at -24 on a -1 to -31 decibel scale - with -1 being the loudest and -31 being the softest.

If properly followed by broadcasters, the recommended practice will keep the loudness of commercials at or near the loudness of the programming they accompany, thus preventing startling variations of audio when commercials come on. Several TV networks already have begun implementing this practice.