CALM Act Works as Intended: ACA, NCTA
The Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation Act has “worked as intended,” and potential increases in complaints and lack of enforcement action are likely due to increased streaming during the pandemic and that 2019 had the fewest complaints since the act’s implementation,…
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ACA Connects said in comments posted Friday in docket 21-181. The deadline was Thursday (see 2105210043). Comments from ACA and NCTA were the only recent filings from major industry trade groups posted in the docket Friday. It’s likely that many of the complaints the agency has received are either not specific enough to meet the act’s requirements or concern commercials on streaming services, and thus aren't actionable under the rules, ACA said. “It is important that the Commission understand the nature of the complaints before reaching any conclusions about the nature of the problem.” Enforce existing rules, ACA said, “rather than saddling a whole industry with increased regulation to solve a problem that may not exist in any meaningful measure for most.” A "number of companies have chosen to go above and beyond” FCC Calm Act rules in monitoring commercials, NCTA said. “Given the successful track record of the Commission’s rules implementing the CALM Act, there is no need for any changes.”