• 2 min read
Streaming ads now face US loudness rules
ATSC has updated its TV loudness guidance to cover streaming ads, as California’s SB 576 takes effect in July 2026.
Image: TechRadar
For years, US rules on overly loud TV ads applied to broadcast, cable, and satellite — but not to streaming. That has now changed. ATSC, the broadcast standards body, has revised its A/85 Recommended Practice so its digital TV loudness guidance now covers streamers as well.
The updated document, formally titled A/85 Recommended Practice: Techniques for Establishing and Maintaining Audio Loudness for Digital Television, is a technical standard, but the practical takeaway is straightforward: ads should not sound louder than the programs around them.
What changed in the ad loudness rules
US lawmakers first moved on the issue after years of what was effectively an ad loudness arms race. Tools such as compressors and maximizers let advertisers increase perceived loudness, making commercials far more aggressive than the shows they interrupted. When the FCC began publishing call-center complaint categories in 2002, loud commercials were among the most common grievances.
The main federal rule is the Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation Act, or CALM Act, which took effect in 2012. It requires commercials to match the average loudness of the programming they accompany, and it applies to TV stations, cable operators, and satellite TV providers. Non-profits are excluded, but political ads are covered.
Streaming services were not included under that law, even as major platforms rolled out ad-supported tiers and device makers expanded FAST channels.
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California SB 576 and nationwide impact
That gap narrowed in 2015, when California passed SB 576 to extend loudness reduction rules to streaming services. The law took effect this month, July 2026, and applies to any service reaching consumers in the state.
ATSC’s revised A/85 guidance now effectively extends that standard across the US. The update also goes beyond a simple ban on loud ads, laying out recommended practices for:
- audio measurement
- monitoring
- production
- metadata
- dynamic range control
- loudness management
The goal is consistent audio across platforms, so viewers do not get a different experience depending on whether they are watching through broadcast TV, cable, or a streaming app. If you’re in California, those changes should already be audible.
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via TechRadar
