Link: Advertising Standards Authority website
Since assuming responsibility for TV advertising regulation, the ASA has received hundreds of complaints from viewers objecting to what they have found to be “noisy ads”. In many of those instances, the ASA has found that the ads have been broadcast at levels that are acceptable according to the current stipulations of the BCAP TV Advertising Standards Code. Concerned at the apparent incongruity between viewer perception and the realities of TV ad broadcasting, BCAP has been monitoring the ad sound levels issue and now proposes that the current rule on sound levels be changed. But what does it all mean for the viewer?
Sound level standards – the technicalities (you may wish to skip to the next section!) Sound levels in TV broadcasting have traditionally been measured using Peak Programme Meters (PPMs), which indicate the peak sound levels (the loudest part or parts) of ads’ soundtracks. Currently, the BCAP TV Advertising Standards Code states that: “ads must not be excessively noisy or strident. Studio transmission power must not be increased from normal levels during advertising.”
