The issue of inconsistent audio levels, where advertisements play significantly louder than the program content, is a common frustration for viewers of streaming services. This disparity can disrupt the viewing experience, causing the need to adjust volume frequently. On YouTube TV, such fluctuations between show audio and advertisement audio are often noticeable.
Addressing this problem enhances user satisfaction and provides a more seamless viewing experience. Ideally, audio should remain consistent, minimizing viewer intervention. Historically, regulation has attempted to mitigate this issue in traditional broadcasting; however, streaming platforms present new challenges due to diverse content sources and encoding methods. Audio normalization, a process to standardize sound levels, is key to addressing this inconsistency.