Howard Davidson Arlington MA - Connecticut Entertains Volume Limit in Theaters

1. Connecticut Entertains
Volume Limit in Theaters
by
Howard Davidson, Arlington, MA
Slide By :- Howard Davidson Arlington
MA

2. Connecticut Entertains
Volume Limit in Theaters
Going to the movies in Connecticut could soon
become a quieter affair. In a supposed effort to
protect the health of both workers and
moviegoers, state lawmakers are considering
a bill that would limit movie theaters from
showing films at a level that would exceed 85
decibels.
Slide By :- Howard Davidson Arlington
MA

3. An active dishwasher comes in at about the 80-decibel
level, and Stamford Connecticut resident William
Young, the main proponent of the bill, claims that his
own tests measure extended intervals of 110 decibels
during movie previews. Decrying this sonic assault,
Young asks: “Who wants to sit there in pain?”
Slide By :- Howard Davidson Arlington
MA

4. Unfortunately for Young, however, the opposition to
these restrictions has been deafening. Some hearing
loss experts like Dr. Robert Dobie have challenged
Young’s characterization of the movie volume issue
as a public safety concern. Dr. Dobie points out that
the current 85-decibel workplace limit is designed for
jobs like construction where employees experience
prolonged exposure, and that in a movie theater: “The
exposure is so brief and intermittent that no one with
any expertise would ever say that they have any real
risk of hazard or harm”
Also, to the surprise of nobody, the MPAA has voiced
its vehement objections to these decibel limits by
citing everything from First Amendment violations to
discrimination, as no other public entertainment
industry has volume constraints.
Slide By :- Howard Davidson Arlington
MA

5. There is some precedent for regulating
the loudness of what Americans hear
through their TV, with an entire system
for reporting commercials that are
louder than the shows they inhabit. But
with juggernauts like the MPAA crying
foul so resoundingly and no experts yet
coming to their defense, supporters of
Young’s bill may just have to invest in
some earplugs.
Slide By :- Howard Davidson Arlington
MA

6. There is some precedent for regulating
the loudness of what Americans hear
through their TV, with an entire system
for reporting commercials that are
louder than the shows they inhabit. But
with juggernauts like the MPAA crying
foul so resoundingly and no experts yet
coming to their defense, supporters of
Young’s bill may just have to invest in
some earplugs.
Slide By :- Howard Davidson Arlington
MA