PITTSBURGH, December 13, 2011 – ACA President and CEO Matthew M. Polka issued the statement below following the Federal Communications Commission’s vote today to implement provisions of the Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation Act or CALM Act.
“The American Cable Association commends the FCC for implementing a law designed to respond to consumers who are offended by sudden, jarring audio spikes as commercials break into regular TV programming. As the FCC’s rules take effect, families viewing TV in their living rooms won’t need to lurch for the mute button anymore to deal with annoyingly loud commercials, many of which have been the responsibility of programmers, not cable operators.
“ACA sincerely appreciates the FCC’s time and attention throughout the rulemaking process in seeking to understand and mitigate the potential burdens that this legislation could impose on smaller operators. After the FCC releases its order, ACA hopes to see this reflected in the adopted rules.
“Independent cable operators agree that the TV industry needs to be respectful of the fact that the CALM Act is a reflection of consumer sentiment on an issue that doesn’t get more personal than TV. ACA applauds U.S. Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.) for her efforts.”
About the American Cable Association: Based in Pittsburgh, the American Cable Association is a trade organization representing nearly 900 smaller and medium-sized, independent cable companies who provide broadband services for more than 7.6 million cable subscribers primarily located in rural and smaller suburban markets across America. Through active participation in the regulatory and legislative process in Washington, D.C., ACA’s members work together to advance the interests of their customers and ensure the future competitiveness and viability of their business. For more information, visit https://acaconnects.org/