As of the end of February 2012, Swiss national broadcaster SSR SRG has implemented the EBU’s Loudness Recommendation R 128. Loudness normalization is now applied to all TV channels at play-out.
A light-hearted video explaining the implications of the new approach has been created by SRG’s Loudness group, and is published online by the advertising sales arm of SSR SRG, Publisuisse. The benefits of harmonizing the volume differences between programmes, trailers and advertising are clear for viewers, who will no longer need to reach for the remote control. For broadcasters and advertisers R 128 provides the opportunity to utilize a wider dynamic range to deliver their messages. For advertisers in particular, R 128 provides reassurance that their competitors' content will not be louder than their own.
SRG's video is available in French, German and Italian.
The adoption of R 128 in Switzerland is the latest in a series of such adoptions across Europe. In Germany, both commercial and public broadcasters will implement the Loudness recommendation at the end of August 2012, while a phased introduction is already under way in France. Others that have implemented R 128 include the Netherlands and in Norway the DAB/DAB+ digital radio networks have been loudness normalized since February 2012.