You’re at home, enjoying an episode of your favorite series on Hulu.
The plot is about to reach a critical point. You’re at the edge of your seat.
Then, bam! Out comes an ear-shattering commercial.
Isn’t that irritating?.
Good thing we’re here to help you stop this madness of loud commercials on Hulu.
Read on to find out:
- 3 reasons why Hulu commercials are so loud.
- How to put an end to Hulu’s loud commercials.
- What laws regulate these types of advertisements.
- And so much more…
Why are commercials so loud on Hulu?
Commercials are so loud on Hulu because advertisers want to grab viewers’ attention. They believe loud contents are easier to remember. It’s a marketing strategy that gets more people to subscribe to the ad-free version of Hulu streaming.
3 reasons commercials are so loud on Hulu
#1: It’s a marketing scheme
“It’s all about the money, money…”
As this popular song goes, it’s all about making the big bucks.
Hulu commercials are loud because people are more likely to remember loud messages.
And it doesn’t matter if people remember them out of annoyance. After all, a negative reaction is still a reaction.
Plus, they want you to subscribe to the ad-free version of Hulu.
This, of course, costs more than the regular streaming plan.
For instance, a monthly subscription with advertisements is $6.99 ($69.99/year).
But it costs $12.99 per month to watch Hulu without the pesky commercials.
You can check Hulu’s pricing plans. It’s up to you to decide whether convenience is worth your money.
#2: The FCC’s law isn’t perfect and ads are smart
“What is FCC?”
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is a government agency.
FCC handles the following:
- Distributing wireless and cellular access.
- Protecting intellectual property and copyright laws.
- Overseeing mergers and acquisitions of media companies.
- Regulating content and distribution of media companies in the US.
Now, you might wonder what it has to do with Hulu and its loud commercials.
And at some point, you’d probably thought…
“Why are these commercials so freaking loud?? This should be illegal.”
Yes, it’s illegal. And the FCC made that possible.
Behold, the Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation or the CALM Act. It’s a law that aims to regulate advertisement volumes.
This rule prohibits commercials from being louder than any channel’s shows.
Yet despite this, loud ads perpetuate on streaming sites like Hulu.
This goes to say that the CALM Act isn’t perfect. And advertisers have found a way to work around this.
How?
By being smart…
Advertisers are quick to figure out how to get past the CALM Act.
Turns out, there are some loopholes. Which also made our Hulu-watching days miserable.
The CALM Act states that commercials shouldn’t be louder than the show. But advertisers are smarter.
Instead of making commercials louder, they actually lower the volume of the show.
So if FCC asks why the commercials are loud, advertisers can easily say:
“The commercials aren’t loud. The shows are just too quiet.”
Oh, if this isn’t the work of an evil genius…
Another technicality that they take advantage of is the “linear-increase method.”
This method is the gradual increase of an ad’s volume. The sound starts soft (like that in a show.)
And while you’re unsuspecting, they blast you with that amplified volume level.
Excuse the pun, but there’s nothing “CALM”-ing about this.
#3: Hulu isn’t regulated by the FCC
You heard that right.
This is a sad reality. Another reason why advertisers get away with making loud advertisements until now is that…
The FCC has regulatory limitations.
Hulu and other online streaming sites can operate as freely as they want.
This freedom gives Hulu (and other sites) control over advertisement volume.
True that this makes streaming for edgier content possible. But it also means dealing with crazy loud ads.
How do I fix loud commercials on Hulu?
Fix loud commercials on Hulu by subscribing to their ad-free plan. Another way is to use an ad-blocker or auto-volume on your device.
Subscribe to Hulu premium
One definite way to stop loud commercials is to use Hulu’s ad-free plan.
There’s a 30-day trial available for new users. After that, the fee is $12.99 monthly.
For regular Hulu users, this is the most favorable option.
Note: Some commercials still come at the beginning or end of shows on Hulu premium.
Use ad-blockers
It’s possible to use an ad-blocker too. But only if you’re streaming Hulu on a Windows computer.
For example, a Google extension called Hulu Ad Skipper is available.
It’s a plug-in extension that works well to block commercials on Hulu.
Watch this video on how to use ad-blockers for Hulu:
Use auto volume leveling on your streaming device
Watching Hulu on Roku or Fire TV?
Then you can use your streaming device’s auto volume leveling feature.
As mentioned, this feature will lower loud volumes automatically. And increases dialogue sounds.
For Roku sticks and TV:
- While playing a video, click the asterisk sign (*).
- Go to ‘Volume’.
- Select ‘Leveling’.
For Fire TVs:
- Open ‘Settings’.
- Go to ‘Display and Sounds’.
- Choose ‘Audio’.
- Click ‘Advanced Audio’.
- Select ‘Volume Leveler’.
For Apple TV:
- First, go to ‘Settings’.
- Find ‘Video and Audio’.
- Turn on ‘Reduce Loud Sounds’.
Read next: Is Apple TV Worth it? 7 Pros and Cons
Enable your TV’s auto volume feature
Warning: Auto-volume can sometimes cause a problem with a soundbar.
Some TV models have an auto volume feature.
What’s that?
It’s the ability to auto-adjust overly loud audio variations.
With that, it’s possible to lower commercials by as much as 12 decibels (unit for measuring sound intensity.)
For LG WebOS TVs:
- Open ‘Settings’.
- Go to ‘Sound’.
- Find ‘Expert Settings’.
- Select ‘Auto Volume’.
For Samsung Smart TVs:
- Open ‘Settings’.
- Navigate to ‘Sound’.
- Open ‘Volume Mode’.
- Choose ‘Auto Volume’.
For Vizio SmartCast TV models:
- Go to ‘Menu’.
- Find ‘Audio’.
- Then turn on ‘Volume Leveling’.
Buy an audio compressor device
It’s definitely not a practical solution.
But if loud Hulu commercials bother you so much, spend extra to buy an audio compressor.
It’s also called an audio limiter. This device regulates a TV’s volume despite the model or brand.
All in all, audio compressors reduce loud noises and boost low sounds.