Sunday, March 27, 2016
Television Q&A
By Rich Heldenfels
Q. Commercials, particularly the local ones, are just obnoxiously loud as compared to the show broadcast. I thought that there was a rule of “acceptable level” that was to be enforced by the FCC. So who is dropping the ball and whom should I contact?
A. I have an answer, although I don’t think you will like it much.
Federal law includes the CALM (Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation) Act from 2010. FCC rules then apply the law’s standards to “TV stations, cable operators, satellite TV operators and other pay TV providers to ensure television commercial advertisements have the same average volume as the programs that they accompany.”
So why doesn’t everything sound the same? Look at the word “average.” As I understand the rules, the average loudness of the commercial is measured by averaging the loudness of all components of the sound (dialogue, background music and so on) over the length of the commercial. Then, the average loudness of the program is measured by averaging the loudness over the length of the program. So if you come out of a quiet scene into a commercial, it may be loud compared with what you’ve just been listening to, but not loud on average.
The FCC adds that “you may be able to activate certain settings in your television or home theater system to help stabilize overall loudness. Many televisions and home theater systems have features to control loudness, such as automatic gain control, audio compression or audio limiters, that can be turned on to provide a more-constant volume level across programs and commercials. These functions usually need to be activated through the equipment’s ‘Set Up/Audio’ menu.”
If you still think something is wrong, you can complain one of three ways. By telephone: 888-CALL-FCC (888-225-5322); TTY to 888-TELL-FCC (888-835-5322), or ASL to 844-432-2275. Online: https://consumercomplaints.fcc.gov/hc/en-us. And snail mail: Federal Communications Commission, Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau, Consumer Inquiries and Complaints Division, 445 12th St., SW, Washington, DC 20554. Be sure to include your contact information and the details of your complaint.
Q. Can you tell me if there are plans for a third season of “Fargo”?
A. There are. According to published reports, the third season of the FX series will take place in 2010, about four years after the end of the first season. There also will be at least one character returning from earlier episodes, although it is not clear who. Entertainment Weekly said in January that a best bet is Lou Solverson, played by Keith Carradine in the first season and Patrick Wilson in the second. But it also noted that series showrunner Noah Hawley “could just totally surprise us, as he tends to do.”
Q. Michelle Dockery has a role on the upcoming TNT series “Good Behavior.” Does it have an air date yet?
A. Not beyond “coming this fall,” as TNT says on its website. Dockery, best known as Lady Mary on the now-done “Downton Abbey,” plays a thief and con artist in what the network calls a “seductive thriller based on the Letty Dobesh books by Blake Crouch.” A TNT executive has said that “we believe audiences will love watching Michelle Dockery trade in her manners for the life of a sexy, complex ex-con.” I believe we should wait and see.
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