(CNN) - Congress is on the verge of turning down the volume on television commercials, which at times are louder than the programming on the nation's airwaves.
The Senate unanimously approved the Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation Act Thursday before leaving town for the midterm elections. The House passed a similar bill last year, but because it was slightly different than the Senate legislation the House must still approve the Senate version.
A spokesman for Rep. Anna Eshoo, the California Democrat who authored the House bill, said the issue would be addressed when Congress returns after the election.
"Every American has likely experienced the frustration of abrasively loud television commercials," Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-Rhode Island, said in a statement. "While this may be an effective way for ads to grab attention, it also adds unnecessary stress to the daily lives of many Americans. Last night's action in the Senate will help end this annoying practice."
From CNN Politics
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Only decent thing they have done in four years. I betcha some Democrat liberal tried to silence Fox News completely. They can't handle real news and honest news, that is why the corrupt, incompetent, inept union toady president feels the necessity to "blast" and "slam" them. Don't worry for Fox though, the more people see through this miserable excuse for a president that the unions stole the election for, the better the do in ratings and revenue. The more he knocks them, the more people flock to them, kinda like what is happening with the voters everytime he openis his lying mouth to repeat something the unions wrote for him on his binkyprompter.
Promises, promises. This was supposed to have been done decades ago. While they are at it......ban drug advertising for prescription drugs, and cut the amount of air time that may be devoted to advertising from 53%, to something under 50%. having more advertising air time than program content time, is unacceptable! No wonder everyone has stopped watching TV!
Who cares about tv ads. Why don't they do some real work. I want a Congress that is proactive not reactive. All they do is hold hearings.
Democrats can turn down the volume on TV commercials, but they can't silence the conservative movement. Under Obama and the Democrats, our federal government has become an overreaching, overspending, overtaxing, oligarchy. But that's about to "change" - on November 2nd, We The People are voting them all out!
This may be the landmark legislation passed by this Democratic Congress and Administration. If they are going to be remembered for something it should be Obamamercial! Finally something to address concerns of Main Street Americans. The common man. Everybody knows that those making over $250,000 ( Axelrod's billionaires ) TiVo right through the commercials.
I agree the commercials are annoying, but really doesn't Congress have more important things to do? The country is going down the toilet and all the two parties can agree on is something as trivial as this!
North Korea has nuclear weapons and the ballistic missile capabilities to launch those weapons. Iran is enriching uranium in order to develop nuclear weapons. Venezuela recently announced that they will begin a nuclear program soon. China already has nuclear weapons and the ability to launch them; their military spending has grown at an alarming rate; and they have recently developed an aircraft carrier destroying missile. Al Qaeda and other terrorist networks continue to plot destructive attacks against the west.
While these foes of the United States create weapons of mass destruction to neutralize America's influence around the world and plan attacks against us, the United States Congress focuses on laws to reduce the volume of television commercials. The priorities and focus of our representative government are severly misguided. Surely we are doomed with this lackadaisical approach to governing.
so when will the congress and senate adress the issue of banning islam, for being a terrorist cult?
This happens on the internet as well, and whenever it happens, I make a mental note not to buy that product.
This happens on the internet as well, and when I hear it, I make a mental note not to buy that product.
I hope they agree to turn down the volume on TV ads. There is nothing more annoying then watching your favorite show then being startled by the increase of volume during the commercial break.
it's about damn time.
It has been an invasion of privacy.
Frankly, I have avoided the products
in these loud ads when I could.
Now, if we can just get them to eliminate political
ads until four weeks before an election.
"While this may be an effective way for ads to grab attention, it also adds unnecessary stress to the daily lives of many Americans. Last night's action in the Senate will help end this annoying practice." Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-Rhode Island, said in a statement.
Yes, Senator, the American people NEED you to turn down the volume for us. Good grief! and they wonder why we want them out no later than November? Perhaps the American people should get off their rumps and turn the volume down! Oh wait... we do have remotes for that...whoops, forgot...that would require lifting remote and moving a finger. Come ON! DON"T you dare waste time addressing this issue!!!!!
If congress could get back to the real troubles of this country and actually do some WORK we might get out of this recession!
I guess this was more important than passing a budget or extending the tax cuts...
finally something dems and repubs can safely agree on: screwing advertisers
Sixty years of complaints and the cable and television industry have done nothing! Now Congress has to intervene exposing us to even more government regulation. I fully endorse cutting the sound of loud, obnoxious commercials, or any "message from our sponsors," and have often wondered why somebody, somewhere did not do something. I applaud this action but wish it could take place today.
What they need is a law preventing the out-right lies we see in some of these political ads. Maybe like if they are investigated and found to be intentionally deceiving, the candidate is disqualified from running for House or Senate for a period of years?
Wow I can't wait........this is way better then tax cuts.