Advertisements popping up during your favourite shows can be especially annoying when the sound is higher than the program you were watching - and this happens with nearly all ads. You find yourself reaching for the remote, or turning down the volume just so that the sudden blare in volume won't disturb sleeping children, spouse/partners or even neighbours.
Thankfully, this may be a thing of the past soon. Due to a 'steady stream' of complaints,
The Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice (BCAP), the body responsible for writing the TV Advertising Code, has published a new rule on sound levels.
From 7 July, "advertisements must not be excessively noisy or strident.
"The maximum subjective loudness of advertisements must be consistent and in line with the maximum loudness of programmes and junction material."
So how does this help?
The Advertising Standards Authority, which will have to administer the rules, says any broadcaster which breaks them would first get a warning but persistent infringements would be passed to Ofcom, which has the power to levy fines or even revoke licences.
A far cry from Trinidad and Tobago, where toothless QUANDO's are set up at the whim and fancy of the government to give an impression that something is being done - yet they cannot enforce discipline and turn out to be just jobs for the boys.
