Report Loud TV Commercials To The FCC

If it's too loud, turn it down. Then call the FCC. 

A federal act that helps regulate the volume of television commercials goes into effect Thursday, Dec. 13, after it was signed into law Dec. 13, 2011.

It's called the Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation (CALM) Act and there's a lot of technical jargon involved and the way the Federal Communications Commission measures and verifies how loud commercials are and can be. 

But here's what you really want to know: Call 1-888-TELL-FCC (1-888-225-5322) to report TV commercials that are too loud.

Still use a fax machine? Fax complaints to 1-866-418-0232, or snail mail it to:

Federal Communications Commission
Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau
Consumer Inquiries & Complaints Division
445 12th Street, SW
Washington, DC 20554

Television stations and cable operators can actually apply for a one-year waiver if they demonstrate a financial hardship for obtaining the equipment that helps regulate the volume of these commercials, according to the FCC. This is similar to laws where bars could get a waiver to allow smoking in smoke-free bar/restaurant states.

For more information, check out the FCC's Quick Facts page on the new law.