991210 Turn Down the Volume!-Michael

December 6, 2010
Turn Down the Volume!
Congress passes a bill that quiets commercials
BY KELLI PLASKET

Commercials are too loud! It's one of Americans' top complaints when watching television. Now, the government is turning down the volume. On Thursday, Congress passed the CALM Act, which calls for regulations that will lower the volume on television commercials that sound louder than the shows they interrupt.


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The CALM Act will lower the volume on loud commercials.

The CALM Act is short for the Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation Act. Representative Anna G. Eshoo from California sponsored the bill. "Consumers have been asking for a solution to this problem for decades, and today they finally have it," Representative Eshoo said.
Viewers Complain
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC), an independent government agency that regulates radio and television broadcasting, has received complaints from viewers about commercial volume since the 1960s. In 21 of the FCC's last 25 quarterly reports, loud commercials were listed as a top consumer complaint.
Advertisers raise the volume on commercials to try to grab consumer attention. Instead, viewers reach for the mute button.
The act calls for the FCC to come up with regulations for commercials so that they cannot be louder than the average sound level of the accompanying television shows. Advertisers will have one year to meet the new regulations.
The Senate passed the CALM Act on September 29, 2010. On Thursday, the House gave final approval to the bill. After a bill passes through Congress, the President must sign the bill to make it a law. President Obama is expected to sign the CALM Act
http://www.timeforkids.com/TFK/kids/news/story/0,28277,2035492,00.html

991210 Turn Down the Volume!-Michael
TV commercials are usually very loud. In America people don’t like the commercials and the loud sounds while they are watching the TV. They complain about the loud sounds of the TV commercials. So, the Congress is going to make a law for the “loud” TV commercials which is called the CALM Act (Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation Act). The CALM Act will lower the volume on television commercials that sound louder than the shows they interrupt it will make the people who watches the TV feel better and comfortable. Sometimes, loud sounds will make our moods get worse so it is really important of the sounds of the TV. The new law that Congress made will make the advertisers follow the law. Commercials can’t be louder than the average sound level of the other TV programs or the government will give you a fine for breaking the law.