KRRiT monitors advertisement loudness
01.04.2015
From October to November 2014, the National Broadcasting Council (KRRiT) monitored the loudness level of the broadcasts, advertisements and teleshopping of 50 television broadcasters.
The results of the monitoring indicated that broadcasters had taken appropriate measures to fulfil the requirements of the KRRiT regulation of 30 June 2011 on the method of conducting advertising and teleshopping activity in radio and television programmes. According to the regulation, the loudness level of advertisements and teleshopping transmitted during or directly following a broadcast may not exceed the loudness level of said broadcast.
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) recommends loudness normalisation at a level of -23 LUFS. LUFS (Loudness Unit Full Scale) is a unit of loudness expressed in LU, in which 0 LU = -23 LUFS. On 18 December 2012, KRRiT made amendments to the regulation of 30 June 2011. The changes consisted in the adaptation of Polish regulations to the corresponding recommendations of the European Broadcasting Union and the International Telecommunication Union.
KRRiT monitored 24 terrestrial broadcasters and 26 satellite broadcasters. The loudness measurements of the terrestrial broadcasters' advertising blocks indicated that 40 percent of the blocks did not exceed the loudness level of the preceding broadcasts, and in 48 percent of advertisements the loudness level exceeded broadcast levels by less than 2 LU. However, loudness levels exceeding those of broadcasts by over 2 LU occurred in 12 percent of advertising blocks. In the advertising blocks of satellite broadcasters, 32 percent fulfilled the requirements of the regulation, while 62 percent exceeded the required loudness level by less than 2 LU, and only 6 percent exceeded appropriate levels by over 2 LU.
A comparative analysis of the monitoring in 2014 with that of earlier years suggests a significant improvement in the situation. This is reflected in the falling number of complaints in 2014, among other things.
However, it is essential that all broadcasters implement the EBU's recommendation, which normalises the loudness of all elements of a programme, that is, both the broadcast as well as retail communications, at a level of -23 LUFS.
The KRRiT Regulation of 30 June 2011 on the method of conducting advertising and teleshopping activity in radio and television programmes