Public Tells CRTC to Turn Down that Racket

The broadcast regulator was overwhelmed with complaints from viewers who said the volume of television ads is too loud.

The CRTC received nearly 8,000 complaints from across the country in two months decrying how loud televised commercials are compared to programming. The regulatory body has been considering whether to force broadcasters to keep ads at the same volume as, or lower than, shows, and the call for submissions on the matter, which wrapped up this week, clearly shows where the public stands. Broadcasters, on the other hand, are opposed to the CRTC enforcing volume limits. Just why advertisers crank the volume on ads is unsure, as the complaints to the CRTC routinely showed that viewers would mute their sets if a commercial was jarringly loud.