The CRTC is jumping the regulatory shark

Last week I wrote a post criticizing Conservative MP Nina Gewal for her private member’s bill that would regulate the volume of television commercials. I characterized such a regulation as being silly, pointing out that Canadians have remote controls and can adjust their own volume. It appears that there is no silliness that the CRTC doesn’t want a piece of.

The CRTC has announced that they will preempt Ms. Gewal’s legislation (though they deny that their decision has anything to do with Grewal’s Bill) by holding consultations on this very issue. In my mind I picture the CRTC chairman jumping up and down saying, “no no no, it is my job to regulate every minuet detail of Canada’s broadcast industry. Back off Nina you bitch!”

Of course the chairman in real life gives a more eloquent though nauseating defense of the proposed regulation:

"Loud ads on television can disrupt an otherwise enjoyable program and are a source of significant annoyance for Canadians. Viewers should not have to adjust the volume at every commercial break, and we will work with the broadcasting industry to find an acceptable solution," he said in a statement.

The above quote fills me with a desire to bang my head against the wall, or perhaps escape to the sea.

Note that we are talking about a “significant annoyance,” not a “significant risk of harm.” This proposal lacks even the virtues of most statist plans. Do you really think that it is the job of the government to protect us from being annoyed? As I write this a dog is barking in the street. It is really annoying. CRTC can you handle that for me?

“Viewers should not have to adjust the volume…” why the hell not? Seriously why the hell not? Are we so allergic to taking personal responsibility or are we so lazy as a people that pushing a button more than once a half an hour has become an onerous task?

Fortunately there is still time for reason to be heard. The CRTC has opened a page on its website for comments. Please I beg you to take the five minutes it takes to submit a comment. Let the CRTC know that we can control our own volumes.

Here is what I wrote to the CRTC:

This is clear regulatory overreach. Canadians are capable of adjusting their own television volume. A few hundred complaints are not enough to justify this interference with private individuals and companies.

I encourage you to post what you write in the comment section.