On Thu, 13 Dec 2012 06:44:43 -0600, "HeyBub"
wrote:

"Listen up, TV advertisers: Big Brother is muting you! Well, not entirely.
But beginning at midnight tonight, new Federal Communications Commission
rules will bar television networks from blasting viewers with those
excessively loud, screamy commercial breaks. At last you can retrieve your
sanity from Empire Carpet and the KIA Hamsters. (The rules will not,
however, get those damn kids off your lawn.) Adopted a year ago Thursday,
the rules "will require commercials to have the same average volume as the
programs they accompany," the FCC says. "

http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2012...awed-fcc-rules

Well meaning laws often end up causing other issues. I've noticed
quite a few commercials lately that have a period of silence. When
that is unexpected, it actually makes people look at the TV to see
what's wrong. Even after getting used to it, will that let the
advertisers play the rest of the commercial at a louder volume,
becasue the average will still be below the limit?