why are adverts so loud?

[kazza12345]

when you are watching the tv (for example, about a boy)  why are the ads so much louder than the programmes, so much so that you have to turn it down when they come on?  i would have thought all tv is broadcast at a certain level?

[hugoboss]

I don't know if it's true, but i heard once that they have the ads on loud so that you have to make an effort to turn the volume down, thus making you pay attention to what you're watching. Or if you don't turn it down, you really can't miss what's being advertised. How strange, I was just watching About a Boy. Gave up cos i hate the way itv 1 puts news on half way through.

[stoogmeister]

I find it very annoying that the ads are louder than the programmes and films and so does my mum. I think it's to get your attention. It would help if the ads weren't so crap in the first place. Even the entertaining ads don't make the product / service / company / whatever any more appealing to me than a straight forward, no frills ad would. Is it just me or do most ads insult people's intelligence? I should really ask this in a separate thread, but I hope kazza doesn't mind.

[Ouisch]

As mentioned, the louder volume is to annoy you, get you to pay attention, even if it's only to hit the "mute" button.  Here in the US the FCC finally enacted some regulations making it illegal for commercials to be louder than the regular programming.  But now they seem to be louder than ever; when I called the satellite company about it, they gave me some kind of runaround about it's the signal strength inadvertantly causing fluctuations in the volume.  (Yeah, how *convenient* that it only fluctuates during the ads!)

[Glossopswift]

hugoboss - I'm with you on ITV's ridiculous 'news' break, but it wouldn't be so bad if it was halfway through. As it is they put it about 20 minutes before the end. The result? You and I and I'm sure countless others don't bother. Still it could be worse, I could be an F1 fan...ask them how they feel about ITV spoiling programmes.

[LeMarchand]

Apparently they aren't allowed to be louder than the programme they are interrupting, but the sound structure is designed so that they actually sound louder (something to do with peak levels). The idea being that you pay attention to the ads.

Has anyone tried the device that purportedly stops this seeming increase in volume?

[UmBongo]

The advert with Stephen Fry in, i think its a butter ad or somthing, is very very quiet!

[UmBongo]

sorry, random fact, lol!

[mishey20]

an advertising ploy so when you get up during the ad break to make a cuppa you can still hear the ads.