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Television Shows review: Background music 143

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Author of the review
11:58 am EDT
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Review updated:

Lately it seems producers are adding so much background music its almost impossible to hear what is being said. IT'S TOO LOUD! I got so frustrated last night watching undercover boss that I turned it off. I'm sure the advertisers are happy to know that I for one didn't see their commercials. It used to be mostly on documentaries or BRitish tv shows but now it poping up everwhere. Why all the noise polution, can't we just hear what people are saying

143 comments
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sylvia adams
, US
Aug 20, 2022 10:21 am EDT

I have terrible trouble hearing what is being said when there is music being played, a bit of background music is fine but mostly it's TOO LOUD, I can't hear what is being said and if there are no subtitles I just get frustrated and watch something else ( pointless if I can't hear what is being said)

If the makers of these programmes must have loud music playing when people are speaking at least put subtitles on, I have to have the volume up so loud that I end up with a headache.

Please do something

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L M Hamilton
Scunthorpe, GB
Aug 02, 2022 8:53 pm EDT
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There is no relief from this crazy production trend... Factual programmes are dominated by incidental and background music drowning out the narrators voice. As if genuine footage taken during world wars needs to be presented as a Hollywood movie, or a real life murder investigation requires an orchestra to make the horror and suffering more interesting at the cost of hearing about what actually happened. This is sickening to those of us who want factual information not cheap entertainment.

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Pauline Lupton
Millom, GB
Aug 02, 2022 4:32 pm EDT
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I agree with all above comments and find it spoils good programmes, you cannot hear what people are saying.Having watched National geographic set in the wilderness of Alaska I don’t see the need for music as it is not becoming of the natural environment and feel like wanting to change the Chanel as I become frustrated with this annoyance.

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L M Hamilton
Scunthorpe, GB
Jun 27, 2022 11:05 am EDT
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I'm fed up with trying to watch programmes with interesting subjects that have pointless music is in direct competition with the presenters voice. Why on Earth do they think that history and science needs any dramatic music? They fail to realise that many people switch off the inaudible material in disgust.

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Cindy Lutz
, US
Jun 21, 2022 10:27 pm EDT

On all the National Geographic Alaska shows, the MUSIC IS TOO LOUD... You can not even hear what they are saying. If you turn the volume up, the music also goes up. So irritating because the shows are great. Do they not watch their own shows? Almost don't want to fight it anymore.

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Shakespeare
Carluke, GB
Jun 12, 2022 12:39 pm EDT
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I may as well not watch TV anymore, the background music makes it such a strain to listen to dialogue I miss over half of what is being said.

It is utterly ridiculous and unecessary, what on earth is going on, don't the producers watch what they make. Just so fed up with this nonsense.

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Dadee
, US
May 20, 2022 10:38 pm EDT

I agree with these complaints. The music on these shows are so damn loud that you cannot hear the talking. I watch these shows for the content, not the music. I want to hear what is being said. Turn the music down or you’ll lose a viewer.

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Cindy Creason
, US
May 20, 2022 8:46 pm EDT

I love the shows on ID chanel but music so loud can not hear people talking

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DawnArtinger
Jacksonville, US
May 24, 2022 9:48 pm EDT

I agree! The commercials aren’t loud but the shows on ID have such loud background music I can barely hear what people are saying! No other channel does this! Grrrrrrr

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Blistered Thumb
Riverton, US
May 12, 2022 7:49 pm EDT
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I've discovered on my Roku device in the options menu, under audio, there is a "leveling" setting. This helps as far as hearing the dialog but the annoying music and laugh track is still there. An inventor would become rich if you could design a mixer that you could shut off music and audience noise. Even when the volume is leveled out equally, the annoyance of unwanted background audio is too much to bear. The shows aren't all that great to begin with. That's why so many networks are showing classic TV because Hollywood is just too stupid and lazy to come up with something as good as a 50 year old show. The same can be said about movies. I haven't seen an entertaining new movie in about 20 years. The actors and actresses of yesterday, the ones that were entertaining, have all gotten too old to be any good anymore. Occasionally, an old one will get lucky and come across a good script and still be watchable, such as Tom Hanks "Finch". I enjoyed the movie well enough to watch more than once.

I may be too picky but I'm fed up with the writers and producers putting out garbage! It's become so difficult in finding anything worth watching that my wife and I usually use our television as an aquarium. We found some good ones on YouTube with soothing bubbles and NO music that play for 10 hours with no commercials. Or if it's cold outside, there are some nice fires crackling in simulation that are not only sound pleasing but beautiful as well.

This alone has kept me from throwing my big screen tv in the trash. It's so refreshing to turn off that garbage that annoys you people and use your television for something else! Screw Hollywood! If I had the power, I'd fire all of them! Too bad my method of protest is unnoticed. They don't have a clue that I found a way to still enjoy television.

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Blistered Thumb
Riverton, US
May 13, 2022 12:05 am EDT
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Oh, and by the way, I'm not a music hater. I love a lot of different genres but there comes a time for listening to good music and watching something entertaining. So ... ears for music ... eyes for watching visual entertainment! The two doesn't work well with each other unless it's a music video!

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Terry Auxier
, US
May 12, 2022 2:43 pm EDT

i quit watching CBS because i couldn't hear what was being said, now the CW is doing it. WHY ! there is no reason for it at all. i turn volume off and put on closed caption , it's not the same without voices but can't hear them talk anyway.

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Blistered Thumb
Riverton, US
Mar 28, 2022 8:07 pm EDT
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It's not just the background music, it's laugh tracks also! I refuse to watch sitcoms! I'm not such a brainless idiot that I need cued when to laugh! Honestly, would it really hurt a show if no background music or laugh tracks were used?

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Blistered Thumb
Riverton, US
Mar 28, 2022 7:17 pm EDT
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I totally agree with you! Would it really hurt a show if there was no music or no laugh track?

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Janice Forsberg
Logan Lake, CA
Mar 03, 2022 10:08 pm EST
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The background music drowns out the voices talking. Very distracting. Especially if one is hard of hearing. Or find a quieter type of music. Having to turn off the TVs as it becomes impossible to watch. Thank you

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Elwoodpsuggins
, US
Jan 19, 2022 1:16 am EST

Apparently, the Drummer's union is calling all the shots. That NOISE is supposed to be background not foreground. Since the people in charge are too wimpy to stand up for decent programs, it is my duty to turn on something else.

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ReneeAgain
Emporia, Kansas, US
Oct 07, 2021 4:09 am EDT

Law & Order Special Victims Unit music made it impossible to hear the dialog.

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Jan Wuenker Everett
, US
Oct 04, 2021 11:30 am EDT

The background music is so loud on New Amsterdam that it drowns out the dialog. I love the show and I hope the producers see all these comments. (I have good hearing and it’s not my TV). Thank you.

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janrob1214@gmail.com
, US
Jan 12, 2022 3:04 pm EST

What is the purpose of the drum playing in New Amsterdam? It is so distracting. I am at the point of not watching the show any longer. Does anyone know who I would write to at NBC to beg them to remove the stupid drums. Of all the shows on television, this is the most annoying background music. I have been watching this show since day 1 but I can't take it any more. STOP WITH THE STUPID DRUMS.

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Caroljean Medling Sowell
, US
Oct 01, 2021 10:32 pm EDT

My husband and I are ready to STOP watching some of our favorite shows on TV because of ALL the LOUD background music when actors are talking! We can't hear or understand what they are saying over the damn music! What's the point?! It's VERY irritating and NERVE RACKING! There was NO background music when people were speaking their parts in the past. STOP WITH THE BACKGROUND MUSIC!

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Sheila K Wright
, US
Sep 08, 2021 3:37 pm EDT

The LOUD music on Chicago Fire is really to loud! You can't hear the actors over the music back ground noise if that is what you call music.

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Phil Ward
EDENBRIDGE, GB
Jul 10, 2021 3:56 pm EDT

What qualifications do these loud music muppets have, its ludicrous to have music blaring away when you are trying to listen to a commentator. Why does a nature have to have some demonic [censored] thumping away on a xylophone before they switch to five bars of random guitar strumming and then onto how many time they can hit middle C on a piano in twenty seconds . All I want is the clear commentary with perhaps some natural sound such as the birdsong of the species being featured, wind in grasses around the silent little fieldmouse, gently lapping waves as we watch otters, NOT a 100 decibels of percussion that have absolutely nothing to do with the subject. Television is supposed to be a medium of information as well as entertainment. If I go to a lecture from a professor, I will sit in the lecture hall in silence with 500 other people and there will not a a single note of music - we are there to listen to the speaker. So why if that same speaker is on TV does he require the backing of a bunch of half-witted musicians having what appears to be a fun 'jamming' session ? TURN IT DOWN! or better still, OFF

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James Chisholm
, US
Jul 03, 2021 7:12 pm EDT

I totally agree with all of the above. I love history and documentaries, but had to give up several because background music has become the storyline, it seems. I simply turn them off rather than struggle to hear. So many have I turned off during last several years I have missed out on lots of good stories.

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Caroljean Medling Sowell
, US
Oct 01, 2021 10:24 pm EDT

My husband and I ready to give up some of our favorite programs because of the LOUD background music where you can't even HEAR what the actors are saying!

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Reneka Slykhuis Ferreri
, US
Jun 08, 2021 10:38 pm EDT

Turn off the background noise on New Amsterdam or I will stop watching. It interferes with the dialog, can’t stand it.

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JLwt
, US
Oct 01, 2021 7:31 pm EDT

Omg! The drums…I can’t even deal any more!

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Caroljean Medling Sowell
, US
Oct 01, 2021 10:26 pm EDT

New Amsterdam is one of our favorites, but we're ready to give them up along with many others because of the LOUD damn background music!

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H Terris
Halifax, CA
Jan 18, 2022 12:46 pm EST
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Replying to comment of JLwt

I agree, they’re so annoying. I just started season 1 but if it’s still happening in season 4 I may have to rethink binge watching this series.

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Lawrence Whittle
Chippenham, England, Wiltshire, GB
Jun 06, 2021 6:37 am EDT

I agree with all that others have said. You can't hear what the actors on television are saying on so many programs, including the soaps.do the television get paid for putting musicians music on. I can't see why you have music on some. a low volume music is okay to create an atmosphere, NOT the volume that's being done now.
because I was in the forces, I am tone deaf in my right ear, through firing rifles etc. so I hear the music more than the speech. As someone else said you have to turn the program off at times, because you can't hear the dialogue.

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Lawrence Whittle
Chippenham, England, Wiltshire, GB
Jun 06, 2021 6:32 am EDT

I agree with all that others have said. You can't hear what the actors on television are saying on so many programs, including the soaps.do the television get paid for putting musicians music on. I can't see why you have music on some. a low volume music is okay to create an atmosphere, NOT the volume that's being done now.
because I was in the forces, I am tone deaf in my right ear, through firing rifles etc. so I hear the music more than the speech. As someone else said you have to turn the program off at times, because you can't hear the dialogue.

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Mad TV Watcher
Marlow, England, Buckinghamshire, GB
May 22, 2021 8:41 pm EDT
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I agree with everyone who thinks the music on TV is too loud. I like to watch 24 hours in A & E but the music is so loud and distracting that you cannot hear the medical staff and nor can you concentrate on the programme because it is so annoying. Writing to the TV producers is a waste of time as they do not acknowledge the email complaint and they do not do anything to turn down the noise. Totally fed up with watching television because the background music kills my enjoyment of the programmes.

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Mary Beth Smith
Waterloo, Ontario, CA
May 16, 2021 10:23 pm EDT

I agree with everyone about the loud background music being used in tv shows, movies and documentaries. It’s very upsetting because my husband and I can’t hear the actors words over the loud background. We have started watching old movies instead on TCM because it’s a relief to be able to follow a story. We started using closed captions to just catch the words but we don’t like it.
There is nothing redeeming about loud music in this manner. I watched very scary people tonight and the music was through the entire story.
Whoever decided this was a good idea should know we all mute our commercials because they are extra loud and don’t watch them. This does not help the companies trying to sell their products. Please contact the powers that be to stop this insanity. Every network should be involved to have the background music in the background and sometimes silent as it was intended to be. The largest population is the older generation and usually the most financially stable and therefore can spend more money on the companies they have advertising. We won’t if we never watch your ads and eventually will not watch your programs.
Thank you in advance for your assistance in this matter.

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JM DAoust
, US
Apr 30, 2021 12:57 pm EDT

My wife and I are so tired of the extremely loud background noise on "New Amsterdam" that we're ready to stop watching it. It's an unpleasant, wasted and frustrating hour!

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Phyllis Scialdo
, US
Feb 16, 2022 3:46 pm EST
Replying to comment of JM DAoust

AGREE Completly!..

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JM DAoust
, US
Apr 30, 2021 12:55 pm EDT

My wife and I are so fed up with the awfully loud background noise on "New Amsterdam" that we're ready to stop watching it. It's just an unpleasant, wasted and frustrating hour!

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Claire Orville Plewes
North Vancouver B.C., CA
Feb 13, 2021 1:36 am EST
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I live in Canada, but of course watch the programs that mostly come from the United States and the background music is far too loud and I feel it is time to tell the Program Managers of these programs to turn down the background music, I find it turns us off from listening to the program . My email address is "claireorville463 @gmail.com" Yours truly Claire Orville Plewes

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noise hater
, US
Nov 25, 2020 5:28 pm EST
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If you live in the uk stop watching tv and cancel your lincense (save yourself some money) and go the pipedown website

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Alice Lopez
, US
Apr 28, 2019 9:07 pm EDT

Can't something be done about the loud background music on almost every TV program.Actually there is no need for any music to be played. But if it must be played can't it be turned down to very low. I can not hear what the actors are saying and I can't make out the story line. Please get something done about the loud music.
Thank you.
Mrs. Alice Lopez

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arpo
, AU
Jan 31, 2019 4:28 pm EST
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Regardless of the many complaints, all tv programs are ruined by background and foreground music - so much that it is often impossible to understand the dialogue. Over 3 million Australians suffer from deafness and most of it is caused by and/or exacerbated by this unnecessary noise. It is safer to watch with all sound muted than risk making your hearing worse trying to hear dialogue through stupidly loud dubbed on music. People are being paid to cause deafness so beware: children in the future will be born deaf because of it. Do something now: Get together a class action and sue the perpetrators for a few trillion dollars before it is too late.

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Rod Webb
, US
Dec 17, 2018 2:14 am EST

background music is getting louder, on just about every program, watching project runway at the moment with the sound turned down. Wish the tv station controllers would listen to all the complaints,
Rod

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Joan Markunas
, US
Dec 13, 2018 12:16 am EST

I AGREE WITH EVERYONE. I LOVED TO WATCH THE LIFETIME MOVIES AND THE HALLMARK MOVIES, ESPECIALLY THE CHRISTMAS ONES. WHEN YOU CAN'T HEAR WHAT THEY ARE SAYING AT CRUCIAL POINTS IN THE MOVIE IT GETS VERY FRUSTRATING. I STOPPED WATCHING ALL OF THEM AS IT'S A WASTE OF MY TIME. I RECENTLY STARTED WATCHING THE NEW SHOW "DIRTY JOHN" ON BRAVO. I DON'T KNOW WHY, BUT CONNIE BRITTON NEEDS TO FIND HER VOICE OR THEY NEED TO REPLACE HER WITH SOMEONE YOU CAN UNDERSTAND. SHE SPEAKS TO EVERYONE IN SUCH HUSHED TONES, LIKE SHE IS WHISPERING, AND YOU CAN'T HEAR A WORD. I COMPLETELY MISSED OUT ON WHAT THE HECK THE STORY IS ABOUT. WATCHED 2 MORE WEEKS OF IT, AND I QUIT. PLEASE SOMEONE TELL HER TO SPEAK UP, WORST ACTING I HAVE EVER SEEN. SHE ACTS LIKE SHE IS DOPED UP, NO EMOTION. AND PLEASE TELL WHOMEVER TO GET RID OF ALL THE LOUD MUSIC THEY PLAY ON MOST OF THESE SHOWS, LIKE LIFETIME AND HALLMARK MOVIES.

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meand you
, US
Dec 03, 2018 8:34 am EST

Can't enjoy tv as music is louder than the dialog.

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dawgtawk wellington
, US
Oct 31, 2018 11:48 pm EDT

It's driving me nuts! Almost no TV Show, Film or Documentary without annoying, sickening and hate sparking constantly nerving background music any more.
Since 10 years and evermore increasing year by year.
Sometimes it makes me so crazy that I get visions of destruction like killing those [censored]s in charge by stabbing knives in their stupid heads. You know the ones with total anger and rage. That's the time when I have to turn off the Set.
Really, in the meantime my consumption of television has come down to maybe 3-5 hours a week because I can't stand it any more. Good shows, some even exceptional are being completely ruined through the permanent pollution with for the show and the ambience of the story absolutely useless ambient background music and effect noises. And then often so load you can't understand even a word being said by actors, off camera voices and narrators at all.
Why do they even bother at all letting actors voice their characters? Why not go back to the good old days of silent filming and save the money for writers.
Just let the actors jump around like stupid in front of the camera. One can't understand them anyway.

At the time I'm downloading more and more shows from the 70s, 80s, 90s and beginning [protected]. W O W! Many of those have no music at all and when only sporadic and most of the time kind of quiet with exception of the title music that is being played at those former meant to be advertising breaks.
What a difference and so much fun understanding everything!
Personally my opinion is that modern days television can really go to hell!

And those [censored] ups are permanently whining about how rates are constantly declining and old media are losing viewers, listeners, readers.
Really? Those shmocks haven't found that out by now?

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meand you
, US
Dec 03, 2018 8:33 am EST

Joe Kenda is the worst. Can't hear what they are saying.

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srgtslady
, US
Oct 25, 2018 1:35 pm EDT
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The background noise on New Amsterdam show is horrid and you can't hear what is being said. This is not the only one during prime time every night. The 3 Chicago shows are the same. Please turn the noise way down so I can hear what is being said and as for Blue Bloods I think they drink that Scotch way to much. They seem to drink every chance they get-are any of them alcoholics yet?

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Cracker39
, US
Oct 01, 2018 4:48 am EDT

What is with this new trend of putting unnecessarily loud and obnoxious music or sound effects in TV shows and movies? So many of the TV shows that my wife and I like to watch are no longer enjoyable to watch because the voices are drowned out by sudden blaring music, drums or other sound effects. I have to keep one finger on the volume of the remote to turn the sound up for voices and down for the noise pollution. And it is not just a few networks; it has spread to the History, Discovery, Nat Geo and many other channels. We are abandoning several of our favorite shows because of the increasing difficulty of hearing the dialog. It is either that of just turn the sound off and the close captioning on. REALLY! Why do the producers think we need or want all that loud noise. Are the show content not enough? Why destroy it by overriding the dialog with noise. And we are only one of many folks with this complaint. You lose viewers and we lose what used to be good TV watching. PLEASE! STOP THE NOISE ALREADY.

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srgtslady
, US
Oct 25, 2018 1:38 pm EDT
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Replying to comment of Cracker39

I have the same problem and it is very annoying. The background noise on all the shows is to much but I see how many of us feel the same way but nothing is done so maybe we should just save out breath because they don't read or listen to us.

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ElizabethElla
, US
Sep 09, 2018 3:24 pm EDT
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Attention networks! Stop assaulting our hearing with the crazy loud background music and sound effects.

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ElizabethElla
, US
Sep 09, 2018 3:20 pm EDT
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Trying to watch 'Murder Chose Me' on ID ( Investigation Discovery) channel right now. The background music soars SO loud, at times, that I can't understand what the people are saying. My ears are now ringing. Very annoying that we can't enjoy or understand the people talking due to the background music soaring to deafening levels. This channel seems to be one of the worst for this happening in certain shows. My ears are seriously ringing from how loud it suddenly soars to. Why do they do this?

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arpo
, AU
Aug 05, 2018 1:59 am EDT
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These are all complaints of assault on people's hearing. Complaints won't stop the perpetrators.
1 in 6 Australia have hearing complaints caused by such assaults!
The only answer is a counter attack in the way of multi law suits. Sue them for millions/billions/trillions of dollars.
LITIGATION IS THE ONLY ANSWER