What is the standard integrated loudness target for broadcast programs under EBU R128?

• A. -23 LUFS integrated, with a true peak limit of -1 dBTP
• B. -27 LUFS integrated, with a true peak limit of -2 dBTP
• C. -23 LUFS integrated, with a true peak limit of -0.5 dBTP
• D. -20 LUFS integrated, with a true peak limit of -1 dBTP

Answer: (A)

Broadcast loudness normalization uses a fixed target for how loud a program should feel, plus a ceiling to guard against clipping. For EBU R128, the program is aimed at an integrated loudness of -23 LUFS, measured over the entire program, with a true peak limit of -1 dBTP. LUFS is a perceptual loudness measure that reflects how loud content sounds to a listener, not just the peak level. The -1 dBTP cap prevents inter-sample peaks that can occur during encoding, keeping compatibility across devices and codecs. So the standard target is -23 LUFS integrated with a -1 dBTP true peak limit. The other options don’t fit because they propose different loudness targets or peak ceilings than what EBU R128 specifies.