/ 12.16.2009 12:00AM
Harris Calls Up 1,000 People About Loud TV Commercials
MELBOURNE, FLA.: Harris Corp.
reminds that it stands ready to sell volume-mitigation gear in the wake of
federal legislation aimed at quelling loud TV commercials. The broadcast
equipment vendor published the results of a telephone survey of 1,000 people,
asking them how they dealt with loud commercials.
Not too shockingly, 41 percent turned the volume down. Another 22 percent hit
“mute,” and 17 percent changed the channel. Harris further asked how they
responded to those ads that blow them out of the room. Sixty-one percent overly
loud commercials left them with a negative perception of the product being
advertised. Thirty-eight percent said they’d be less likely to pay attention or
consider buying the product. Another 23 percent said they switch channels (as
opposed to the 17 percent considering volume only, not content). Only 5 percent
said louder volume is more likely to make them pay attention.
Congress just passed a bill to compel the FCC to regulate commercial audio
volumes. A companion bill is pending in the Senate. Harris’s pollsters said 29
percent of the folks in its sample considered legislation unnecessary, though
33 percent favored it.
The survey was conducted between Nov. 15 and Nov. 22.