History Channel
I've been watching a lot of the History Channel lately. For some reason, their programming has just grabbed my attention.
While watching programs, and not just on the History Channel, by the way, music has been added for various reasons. My guess is it's usually to add to the drama of the moment. That, I don't mind, but it is often louder than the narrative and drowns out what is being said.
Let me explain something. I grew up during the 60's, what I call the Grand Age of Television (as opposed the the Golden Age of Television of the 50's). Television might not have been then what it is today, but when I came home from school, if the TV wasn't on, turning it on was probably the second thing I did. Even today, if I'm home, the TV is on unless I'm sleeping. I even leave the TV on for the dogs. No, I don't think they watch it, but I think it's good for them to hear voices while I'm gone (not to mention it might deter anyone thinking of breaking in).
That being said, I don't "watch" a lot of TV. I'm usually doing something else so I hear what's on TV rather than seeing what's on. If the music is louder than the narrative, I lose what the program is about.
I've also noticed that, in addition to using music for effect, some commercials tend to be louder than the programs or other commercials. I know that there is a range in which programming and commercials are aired, and the louder ones are within that range. That doesn't help when I'm frantically reaching for the remote so I can turn it down.
This seems to be a two-fold problem: 1. if I can't hear the narrative, I don't know what the commercial is for and I don't buy the product, and 2, if I'm searching for the remote to turn down the sound, I don't know what the commercial is for and I don't buy the product. If I don't buy the product, for whatever reason, someone loses money. But that means I save money....hmmm...
That commercial has seconds to grab my attention. I won't buy the product if I can't hear what it being advertised. If the music drowns out what the actors are saying, I don't know what the product is. If I'm frantically searching for the remote because the commercial is suddenly louder than what preceded it, I don't know what the product is. On a side note, now I'm annoyed because the commercial "yelled" at me. If I know what the product is, do you think I'm going to buy it when I don't like the commercial?
I know I'm getting older, and I could have hearing loss in some some registers. It would make sense, I'm not as young as I used to be. But, please, editors, directors, producers, ad writers, whoever has control over these effects, tone down the music effects and let us hear what is being said!
While watching programs, and not just on the History Channel, by the way, music has been added for various reasons. My guess is it's usually to add to the drama of the moment. That, I don't mind, but it is often louder than the narrative and drowns out what is being said.
Let me explain something. I grew up during the 60's, what I call the Grand Age of Television (as opposed the the Golden Age of Television of the 50's). Television might not have been then what it is today, but when I came home from school, if the TV wasn't on, turning it on was probably the second thing I did. Even today, if I'm home, the TV is on unless I'm sleeping. I even leave the TV on for the dogs. No, I don't think they watch it, but I think it's good for them to hear voices while I'm gone (not to mention it might deter anyone thinking of breaking in).
That being said, I don't "watch" a lot of TV. I'm usually doing something else so I hear what's on TV rather than seeing what's on. If the music is louder than the narrative, I lose what the program is about.
I've also noticed that, in addition to using music for effect, some commercials tend to be louder than the programs or other commercials. I know that there is a range in which programming and commercials are aired, and the louder ones are within that range. That doesn't help when I'm frantically reaching for the remote so I can turn it down.
This seems to be a two-fold problem: 1. if I can't hear the narrative, I don't know what the commercial is for and I don't buy the product, and 2, if I'm searching for the remote to turn down the sound, I don't know what the commercial is for and I don't buy the product. If I don't buy the product, for whatever reason, someone loses money. But that means I save money....hmmm...
That commercial has seconds to grab my attention. I won't buy the product if I can't hear what it being advertised. If the music drowns out what the actors are saying, I don't know what the product is. If I'm frantically searching for the remote because the commercial is suddenly louder than what preceded it, I don't know what the product is. On a side note, now I'm annoyed because the commercial "yelled" at me. If I know what the product is, do you think I'm going to buy it when I don't like the commercial?
I know I'm getting older, and I could have hearing loss in some some registers. It would make sense, I'm not as young as I used to be. But, please, editors, directors, producers, ad writers, whoever has control over these effects, tone down the music effects and let us hear what is being said!
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