The Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) has approved the ATSC Recommended Practice: Techniques for Establishing and Maintaining Audio Loudness for Digital Television. The ballot was approved by the ATSC membership on November 4, 2009; the same day the ATSC hosted a seminar on the topic of Audio Loudness at the Wiley Rein Conference Center in Washington, DC.
The Recommended Practice (RP) provides guidance to broadcasters and creators of audio for highdefinition (HD) or standard-definition (SD) television content, and also recommends production, distribution, and transmission practices needed to provide the highest quality audio soundtracks to the digital television audience. The document focuses on audio measurement, production and postproduction monitoring techniques, and methods to effectively control loudness for content delivery or exchange. Additionally, the RP recommends methods to effectively control program-to-interstitial loudness, discusses metadata systems and use, and describes modern dynamic range control. It also includes specific information on loudness management at the boundaries of programs and interstitial content.
“High quality multichannel sound is an important element of the digital television experience” said ATSC President Mark Richer. “The new Recommended Practice provides the industry with uniform operating strategies that will optimize the audience listening experience by eliminating large changes in sound levels.”
“The adoption of a Recommended Practice for implementing audio loudness culminates years of work by the ATSC. These efforts will benefit American consumers by resolving problems associated with ‘loud commercials.’ We look forward to working with ATSC to help television stations across the country implement this important decision,” said David Donovan, President of Maximum Service Television (MSTV).
The November 4th seminar included presentations focused on ATSC’s work on audio loudness. The program discussed related legislative activities and key topics such as industry outreach, real-world applications in audio, loudness measurement, monitoring, program interchange, interstitial loudness, and metadata. The event was attended by members of the broadcasting, cable, and satellite industries; as well as equipment manufacturers and consulting engineers.
“The ATSC seminar was a great opportunity for the broadcast and cable industries to be briefed on recommended procedures to control audio loudness,” noted Dr. William Check, Senior Vice President, Science and Technology of the National Cable & Telecommunications Association (NCTA). “The cable industry has been involved with the ATSC development effort and congratulates the ATSC on an excellent seminar.”
The event was sponsored by the IEEE Broadcast Technology Society, DaySequerra, Dolby, Jünger Audio, Linear Acoustic, National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), National Cable & Telecommunications Association (NCTA), RTW, and Wiley Rein.
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