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Sometimes they sound louder, but U.S. rules do not allow covered TV providers’ commercials to have a higher average loudness than the surrounding program. The rule is about average loudness, not every sudden sound or peak. That distinction helps explain why an ad can still seem startlingly loud even when its average meets the standard.
What the U.S. rule requires
The Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation (CALM) Act rules apply to U.S. television broadcast stations and multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs), including cable and satellite providers. For covered programming, a commercial’s average loudness must not exceed the average loudness of the surrounding program material. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) says the rules took effect in 2012. In 2014, it updated them to incorporate the Advanced Television Systems Committee’s March 12, 2013 A/85:2013 Recommended Practice.
This is a relative average-loudness requirement, not a promise that the commercial and show will sound identical at every moment.
Why an ad can still sound startling
The rule measures an average, not every peak
The FCC’s 2025 notice of proposed rulemaking explicitly distinguishes average loudness from maximum loudness. A brief, very loud sound can stand out even if quieter material elsewhere in the ad brings its overall average down. The rule does not cap every instant or require every sound in an ad to stay below every sound in the program.
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The FCC raised concern about this averaging effect, including the possibility of an exceptionally loud sound at the start of an ad followed by quieter material. It asked whether a method other than simple averaging should be considered. That was a question for public comment, not an adopted change to the rule or proof that a particular ad violated it.
Silent and quiet passages are treated differently
Under the FCC’s description of the calculation, completely silent passages are excluded from an advertisement’s average-loudness measurement. Very quiet passages are not excluded in the same way. The distinction matters because silence cannot simply be assumed to lower the measured average.
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Abrupt transitions have long drawn complaints
In its 2011 CALM Act proceeding, the FCC described a common viewer complaint: a commercial that is “abruptly louder than the adjacent programming.” That perceived contrast is the problem the rules address, but an average-based standard does not eliminate every jarring transition.
What FCC complaint numbers do—and do not—show
In its 2025 notice, the FCC reported approximately 750 loud-commercial complaints in 2022, approximately 825 in 2023, and at least 1,700 in 2024. The 2024 count appears to concern broadcast television, cable, and satellite. These figures count complaints the FCC received; they are not sound-level measurements and do not establish that every complaint described a confirmed violation.
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How to complain about a loud TV commercial
- Use the FCC’s TV complaint form. Select “Loud Commercials,” the issue category listed in the FCC’s descriptions of TV complaint issues.
- Describe what happened. Identify the channel or service and give the approximate time and date, along with any other details the form requests. A clear description helps distinguish the issue being reported.
- Understand what filing does. The FCC says it does not resolve an individual loud-commercial complaint as a dispute between a viewer and a provider. Complaints are shared among FCC offices and can help inform enforcement and policy work; filing does not guarantee an individual investigation or resolution.
The FCC’s 2025 notice says that if it notifies a station or MVPD that it has a pattern or trend of complaints, that 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 specify a fixed complaint count that automatically constitutes a pattern or trend; the FCC says that determination depends on the facts.
Do the same rules cover streaming ads?
Do not assume the existing CALM Act rules apply to every streaming service or online video ad. The FCC’s 2025 notice acknowledged complaints involving streaming and other online services, then asked what authority, if any, it has to address those services—or whether Congress would need to provide additional authority. The notice leaves that jurisdictional question open; it is not a final determination that streaming platforms are covered by the existing rules.
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The practical answer
For U.S. broadcast stations and cable or satellite providers covered by the CALM Act rules, commercials must meet an average-loudness limit relative to the surrounding program. They may still contain brief peaks that sound louder, so a jarring ad is not by itself proof of a violation. Viewers can report the issue through the FCC’s “Loud Commercials” category, while recognizing that the complaint process does not promise an individual resolution.
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