Applications
CRTC moves to control loud television ads
MUMBAI: The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), an independent public authority that regulates and supervises broadcasting and telecommunications, has laid down new rules requiring Canadian broadcasters and broadcasting distributors to control the loudness of television commercials.
The new rules, which came into force 1 September, applies only to digital television services and not to analog services.
Viewers who believe that a commercial was broadcast at an excessively loud volume should first contact the broadcaster or television service provider about their concerns and attempt to resolve the complaint directly; and if the concerns are not addressed to their satisfaction, viewers may then submit a complaint to the CRTC via its website or by other means listed on the website.
“Starting on September 1, Canadians will be able to enjoy their favourite television programs without having to adjust the volume during commercial breaks,” said CRTC Chairman Jean-Pierre Blais. “We appreciate the efforts undertaken by the broadcasting industry to conform to the new standard and ensure that programs and commercials are transmitted at a similar volume.”
The broadcasters and television service providers must adhere to an objective international standard for measuring and controlling television signals. It is important to note, however, that loudness is a perception that is dependent on a number of factors, including the nature and content of the audio material. Some frequencies are perceived to be soothing, while others are more irritating to the human ear, the CRTC noted.
As a result, a commercial can be broadcast at a similar volume, or audio level, as the program that preceded it but perceived to be of different loudness, it added.
The CRTC also pointed out that the United States will adopt the same international standard by the end of the year. Until then, viewers watching the over-the-air signals of American television stations may be exposed to excessively loud ads.
Applications
Inshorts Group chief Deepit Purkayastha joins IAB video council for Southeast Asia and India
The co-founder and chief executive of the short-form content platform has been inducted into the IAB SEA+India Video Council, giving India a stronger voice in shaping digital video frameworks
NOIDA: India has long been the world’s most chaotic, multilingual and mobile-first digital market. Now, one of its most prominent short-video executives is getting a seat at the table where the rules are written.
Deepit Purkayastha, co-founder and chief executive of Inshorts Group, has been selected as a member of the IAB SEA+India Video Council for 2026. Run by the Interactive Advertising Bureau, the council brings together senior leaders from Southeast Asia and India to shape standards, best practices and measurement frameworks for the fast-evolving video and digital advertising ecosystem.
The timing is pointed. According to the IAMAI-Kantar Internet in India Report 2025, over 588 million Indians are now consuming short-video content, with growth increasingly driven by rural and non-metro audiences. India’s active internet user base has crossed 950 million, with 57 per cent of users now coming from rural markets. Yet the frameworks that govern how video consumption is measured and monetised were largely designed for single-language, Western markets and have struggled to keep pace with the scale, diversity and complexity of India’s digital landscape.
Purkayastha is no stranger to these debates. He already serves on the AI Council at Marketing and Media Alliance India and as co-chair of the Digital Entertainment Committee at the Internet and Mobile Association of India. His induction into the IAB SEA+India Video Council extends that influence into the global video standards arena.
Inshorts Group sits squarely at the intersection of these forces. Its flagship product, Inshorts, India’s highest-rated short news app, reaches 12 million active users with 60-word news summaries. Its sister platform, Public App, reaches 80 million monthly active users across more than 700 districts and 12 languages, serving communities that most global platforms barely register.
Purkayastha said the opportunity was about building something more representative. “India today sits at the centre of the global video ecosystem, but the frameworks that define how value is created and measured have not always kept pace with the realities of our market,” he said. “Being part of the IAB SEA+India Video Council is an opportunity to contribute to a more representative and future-ready approach, one that accounts for diversity in language, context, and user intent.”
As a council member, Purkayastha will contribute to shaping regional standards across video advertising, measurement and platform governance, with a focus on frameworks that are native to India’s multilingual, mobile-first ecosystem rather than imported from global benchmarks designed elsewhere.
For years, India has been content to play by rules written for other markets. Purkayastha’s induction is a signal that it is done waiting to be consulted and ready to start writing them.
