Why are TV Advertisements so loud?

Most of you must have witnessed a sudden burst in sound once the ad's come on. I have often been at the receiving end, mostly from my wife admonishing me, for supposedly listening to the TV with a loud volume. I try to explain that the ads are the culprits, but to little effect.

If it has happened to you as well, listen up... here is why it happens. Those television spots really do sound much louder than the programs they interrupt. Here's why:

Spots are noisy because they can be
"The peak levels of commercials don't exceed the peak levels of programming," says Spencer Critchley, a communications consultant in California. "But the experience is similar to having a flash-bulb go off every now and then versus a spotlight shining in your eyes all the time." In other words, an entire commercial can be broadcast at the same level as an extra-loud (but fleeting) explosion on AXN.

Advertisers like it noisy
Commercials crank every sound level to maximum volume in a bid to get your attention. In commercials, everything is equally loud - the voices, the music, the sound effects.

Contrast counts
If you're watching a tender moment unfold on Desperate Housewives just before a raucous ad for Thums Up, the ad will be startling - making an already loud commercial seem even louder. Fortunately, high-tech relief is on the way. In Japan, some televisions now come with built-in technology that automatically balances sound levels.

Not sure if the noise levels of ad's will be actually be managed. But one thing is for sure, if that technology comes to India, you can be rest assured that the ad for the new technology will definitely vie for your attention with a huge burst in decibel and i will have to race to the mute on my remote before the noise reaches my wife's ears.