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What the U.S. rule requires
The Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation (CALM) Act led the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to incorporate the Advanced Television Systems Committee’s A/85 Recommended Practice into rules for covered broadcasters and multichannel video programming distributors, including cable and satellite providers. The FCC describes the requirement as a limit on a commercial’s average loudness relative to the average loudness of the surrounding programming. The rules took effect in 2012; in 2014, the FCC updated them to incorporate the March 12, 2013 version of A/85.
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The standard is not a promise that every ad will sound as loud as the show to every viewer. It sets a technical limit on average loudness, not a cap on each instant or peak.
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A short, forceful sound can make an abrupt transition feel much louder than the program, even if quieter material elsewhere in the ad brings its average down. In its 2025 notice, the FCC highlighted this possibility and asked whether a measurement approach other than simple averaging should be considered. That is a policy question under discussion, not proof that any particular ad violates the current rule.
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The FCC also noted that completely silent passages are excluded when calculating an ad’s average loudness, while very quiet passages are not treated the same way. The distinction matters because the standard evaluates an average; it does not guarantee that every transition will feel equally loud.
What complaint numbers do—and do not—show
The FCC’s 2025 notice reported at least 1,700 loud-commercial complaints received in 2024 that appeared to concern broadcast television, cable, and satellite. It also cited approximately 750 complaints in 2022 and approximately 825 in 2023. These are complaint counts, not sound-level measurements or findings that every report was substantiated. The FCC described abrupt loudness contrast as a longstanding consumer complaint in its 2011 CALM Act proceeding.
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How to report a loud TV commercial
- Open the FCC’s consumer complaint form and select the issue labeled “Loud Commercials.” The FCC’s TV complaint issue descriptions explain the category.
- Provide the details requested in the form, such as the channel or service and when the commercial aired. A clear report helps the FCC understand what happened.
- Set expectations: the FCC says it does not resolve individual loud-commercial reports as provider disputes. Complaints are shared among FCC offices and can inform enforcement and policy work; filing one does not guarantee an individual investigation or resolution.
Under the FCC’s 2025 description of the rules, if the Commission notifies a station or multichannel video programming distributor that it has received a pattern or trend of complaints, the entity must conduct a 24-hour spot check of the programming then being transmitted on the channel or stream at issue to verify ongoing compliance. The rules do not prescribe a fixed complaint count for establishing a pattern or trend; the FCC assesses sufficiency based on the facts.
Do the same rules cover streaming ads?
Do not assume that the broadcast and cable or satellite rules automatically apply to ads on streaming services. The FCC’s 2025 notice acknowledges complaints about streaming and other online services, but asks what authority, if any, it has to address them and whether additional authority from Congress would be needed. The notice leaves that question open; it is not a final determination that streaming platforms fall under the existing CALM Act rules.
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Sources
- FCC 25-16 (2025), Notice of Proposed Rulemaking — average versus maximum loudness, complaint figures, and streaming jurisdiction questions.
- FCC-CIRC2502-05 (2025) — existing rule mechanics and complaint-response requirements.
- FCC 11-84 (2011) — background on the CALM Act proceeding and consumer complaints.
- FCC 14-71 (2014) — adoption of the March 2013 ATSC A/85:2013 practice.
- How the FCC Handles Your Complaint.
- TV Form – Descriptions of Complaint Issues.
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