Streaming Industry Pushes Back on Extending CALM Act to Online Video

WASHINGTON, April 16, 2025 — The Streaming Innovation Alliance (SIA) is urging the Federal Communications Commission to steer clear of regulating audio levels on streaming platforms, arguing that the agency lacks both the legal authority and technical justification to extend the Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation Act beyond broadcasters and Multichannel Video Programming Distributors like cable TV and satellite TV operators.

In formal comments responding to the FCC’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, SIA said Congress deliberately excluded streaming providers from the original scope of the CALM Act and has not passed legislation to change that. The group cited the Supreme Court’s Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo decision, which curtailed agency discretion to interpret statutes, as further evidence that any expansion of CALM Act rules to online services would be unlawful.

The streaming association also warned that enforcing a uniform audio standard across streaming platforms would be unworkable. Streaming services often rely on third-party ad networks for dynamically inserted ads, with limited control over audio levels. Further complicating regulation are differences in devices, playback environments, and sound systems—factors that make a “one-size-fits-all” rule both ineffective and potentially harmful to smaller streaming services.

The alliance pointed to existing industry practices aimed at mitigating volume disparities. Many SIA members already use international loudness standards and offer ad-free tiers, captioning tools, and accessibility features. AI-based technologies are also being used to enhance audio consistency and real-time captioning.

SIA members include Disney, Netflix, Paramount+, and Peacock.

SIA applauded the FCC for not proposing direct regulations on streaming in this proceeding and urged the agency to recognize that innovation, not regulation, remains the best solution. The group warned that overreach could stifle growth and investment in the competitive and rapidly evolving streaming marketplace.