Ad loudness set to be matched to programme

Photo / Burke/Triolo Productions

If you find the ads that interrupt your television viewing too loud, relief may be in store before Christmas - if you're watching TVNZ at least.

TV3 and TVNZ say they have already begun the process of solving a gripe of couch potatoes worldwide, with a plan to standardise the volume differences between programmes and ads.

The news comes as New Zealand man Paul Feenstra, a media strategist who spent 25 years working in Hollywood, calls for a national broadcast audio standard.

Mr Feenstra has today released a paper on the topic which he hopes will generate support for New Zealand broadcasting to adopt international standards so viewers need not adjust the volume when changing channels.

Mr Feenstra believes this would increase the demand overseas for New Zealand-made programmes and improve the skills of production staff.

But broadcasters including TV3 and TVNZ say they are in the process of adopting a standard recommended by International Telecommunications Union which will limit the volume of television ads to the volumes of the programmes they interrupt.

TVNZ's general manager of technology, Peter Ennis, said this country was leading the way with its industry-wide strategy to streamline sound.

"We're already working on the points he makes."

Mr Ennis said he had worked for several organisations internationally, including the BBC, and he did not believe the country was losing out because of the technical aspects of its broadcasting.

"Programmes aren't bought on the basis of technical standards, they're bought on the quality of the content of the programme itself. They're going to buy it because it's beautifully shot, beautifully lit, the audio has been mixed superbly, the script is great, the acting is good - all of those things.

"I have always been really impressed with the standard of craft in this industry ... I've absolutely no doubt they've got the skills and expertise that are second to none."

Mr Ennis said the biggest problem was the "perceived" loudness because it was hard for viewers to compare the sound of a moody cliffhanger with the sound of an ad that was made to create an impact.

"Will we be able to completely eliminate that? Possibly. But there will always be a difference in volume - that's part of the creative process."

However, the technology, already being used by TVNZ, was able to scan programmes for the loudest noise and the quietest noise to find its dynamic range before adjusting the following commercial's volume to an acceptable level within that range.

The change in volume would standardise loudness levels on TVNZ by Christmas.

Roger Randle, director of technology for MediaWorks which owns TV3, said: "We are confident that, once implemented, our audience will enjoy a viewing experience with greatly improved perceived loudness levelling between programmes and channels."

But Mr Feenstra said the broadcasters weren't going far enough and there would still be volume differences and viewers will still need to adjust their sets.