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Uploaded: Wednesday, December 16, 2009, 5:59 AM
Eshoo bill targeting loud ads passes House
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For decades, loud TV commercials have been among the leading complaints to the Federal Communications Commission, says Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Menlo Park.
A bill she drafted and that passed the House of Representatives Tuesday (Dec. 15) aims to do something about it.
The Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation (CALM) Act, would bar TV ads from playing noticeably louder than programs running at the same time. A companion bill has been introduced in the Senate.
"This problem has existed for more than 50 years, but no one has properly addressed it," Rep. Eshoo said in a statement. "Under the CALM Act, consumers will no longer have to dive for the mute button."
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Posted by fed up, a resident of the Atherton: West of Alameda neighborhood, on Dec 16, 2009 at 2:04 pm I agree that these commercials can be very annoying, but I am disgusted that Congresswomen Eshoo is devoting time to this issue with all of the major issues at hand. I think we can all manage our remote controls on our own.
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Posted by shivering, a resident of the Atherton: West Atherton neighborhood, on Dec 16, 2009 at 2:52 pm Congresswoman Eshoo introduced the bill a year or two ago and it was so absured that there were no co-sponsors of the bill. All this shows is that Congress is getting more silly all the time. No wonder the approval rating of Congress is so low. She is part of the problem.
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Posted by WhoRUpeoeple, a resident of another community, on Dec 16, 2009 at 3:45 pm Eshoo won't support the President's decision regarding our troops in Afganistan, but she'll waste time and money on an issue like this. Unbelievable priorities!
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Posted by Bob, a resident of the Menlo Park: Downtown neighborhood, on Dec 16, 2009 at 4:12 pm Who’s more ridiculous the elected officials in Congress or the people who keep re-elected them? If Congress has such a low approval rating, maybe it’s time for us to do something about it rather than criticize them. 2010 is an election year.
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Posted by Ima Bitdef, a resident of the Menlo Park: Sharon Heights neighborhood, on Dec 16, 2009 at 4:44 pm I think this bill will be good for the economy because it will force advertisers to reform their repellent tactics. Who on earth is motivated to buy something just because some jackal on the TV is yelling at them?
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Posted by Interested guy, a resident of the Menlo Park: Suburban Park/Lorelei Manor/Flood Park Triangle neighborhood, on Dec 16, 2009 at 7:15 pm I can't believe that after all her time in congress this is her greatest accomplishment. She seems to only do what Pelosi tells her to do. This ranks up there with the congress trying to set up a council to select the number one college football team...what are they thinking??? Aren't there other more important issues?
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Posted by We sent her there, a resident of the Portola Valley: other neighborhood, on Dec 16, 2009 at 7:50 pm You all are kidding right? Of course these are the issues that we send folks to Congress for, and since frankly they aren't helping us get real affordable health care (spoken from someone who has health care coverage and luckily earns enough money from my particular work to pay for it) for every citizen rich or poor, then good for her to do SOMETHING!
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Posted by Richard, a resident of another community, on Dec 16, 2009 at 8:36 pm This is actually the most popular legislation Eshoo has ever sponsored. There is widespread support and no real opposition to it. Who says that 100% of someone's time must be spent on the top priorities? I think it is great that she can find time to do things that help people in their everyday lives instead of having all of her energy sucked into hardcore partisan political battles. We all need some balance, and less-than-top-priority doesn't mean zero priority. If I didn't attend to low priority tasks at work I would eventually lose the means to accomplish the high-priority tasks!
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Posted by Richard, a resident of another community, on Dec 16, 2009 at 8:40 pm From an article in the Oakland Tribune, found at:
Web Link
Showing bipartisan opposition to blaring TV commercials, the House on Tuesday decisively approved legislation to turn down the volume.
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Eshoo said she's gotten more feedback on the bill, HR 1084, than on anything she's worked on in two decades in Congress, with the possible exception of a measure to crack down on telemarketing.
"I have never suggested that this solves the great challenges that face our country," Eshoo said on the House floor. But it does address a legitimate and widespread gripe, she added.
"It is something that's been left unattended to for a half-century," she said.
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Posted by Al, a resident of the Menlo Park: Central Menlo Park neighborhood, on Dec 17, 2009 at 1:13 pm Where in the Constitution is there anything that gives our local pol authority to "regulate" sound levels of idiotic commercials?
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Posted by Market watcher, a resident of the Menlo Park: other neighborhood, on Dec 17, 2009 at 1:28 pm Hey, why not ban all advertising? It's mostly annoying, too... Oh wait, then who would subsidize the TV broadcasts? Maybe we should just have the government run it ....
Broadcasters and advertisers turn up the volume because it works. If you don't like it, turn it down or turn it off.
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Posted by Willy, a resident of the Atherton: Lindenwood neighborhood, on Dec 18, 2009 at 11:50 am Yes, there are more important issues, most of them being blocked by the party of No.
Glad to see Anna and her staff can handle multiple items at a time, something the posters above seem unable to grasp.
Granted, it probably won't go anywhere, but if you ever watch TV with someone who doesn't have Tivo (like my 80 yr old mom,) then you hear this complaint nightly.
Fix it, Ms. Eshoo.
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