What is a public service announcement?
Public service announcements, or PSAs, are short messages produced on video, audiocassette or digital formats that are given to radio and television stations for broadcast, and/or uploaded to the internet.
Canadian radio and television broadcasters aren't required by law to donate a fixed percentage of air time per day to PSAs but many stations choose to give free time to non-profit organizations and their messages. Consider it a mix of community good will and the chance to fill in those dead hours when fewer viewers are tuned in and ad revenue is low or non-existent anyway.
But fewer listeners or viewers still can mean a very effective, low cost way to get your message to a mass audience. Since the airtime is donated, the only cost to your organization is the actual ad production. A PSA is particularly effective if you plan it as part of a two- or three-pronged media campaign. And, if you have a simple message to get across or want your listeners or viewers to accomplish one action - like 'Don't drink and drive" - PSAs are a great tool.
While TV and radio remain the dominant means for local mass marketing, online distribution is growing all the time.
Your organization's own website and free online sites like http://www.youtube.com, http://www.ourmedia.org, http://video.yahoo.com, and http://video.google.ca can help you reach new audiences. To be successful on these sites, you will need to select good keywords: think of terms that other people would type into a search engine to lead them to your PSA.
When should you consider using PSAs?
A first step in deciding to use a PSA is to clarify its purpose. What are your goals with this ad or series of ads? What do you want to accomplish by putting a PSA out there? And, for that matter, why do you want to use a PSA instead of other publicity forms and outlets? If you have a clear, easy-to-understand issue, you're seeking a specific action with your ad, and you have a limited promotions or outreach budget, then a PSA is right for you.
The limits of the PSA There are limitations to PSAs. Because these ads are run on donated time, you may find you're not able to get them on all the media outlets you'd like. Or you may find your ads are at the mercy of station staff members who may be overworked, arbitrary, or personally opposed to your group's work. If you have a controversial message or an issue that is the subject of heated public debate, some stations may shy away from being involved with your group at all. Some basic research - outlined below - can help you decide if a PSA is right for your organization.
How do you get a PSA done?
Generally, PSAs are sent 'ready-to-air' although some radio stations (often community or campus radio) will accept a script that their announcers can read live on the air or record for later use. While stations may occasionally lend staff to help you write the script, in most cases you'll need help from outside professionals to craft an effective PSA. Generally, it's not a good idea to produce it yourself unless you or someone in your organization has TV or radio writing experience and you're sure you can do a professional-quality job. Everyone has seen or heard at least a few badly produced local PSAs. These can negatively affect public opinion of your organization.
Where do you start? A first step is to contact the local radio and TV stations that cater to the audiences you want to reach. You need to find out their policies on PSAs and their technical requirements. Do they even accept PSAs, what format do they want to receive them in, what is the preferred length, how to submit them, etc. Depending on the size of the market and the structure of the particular station you're dealing with, your best contact person could be the public affairs director, traffic director, program director, promotions manager, or even the station manager.
Making it happen
Once you have all the technical specs and a team you are sure can fulfill them, you'll need to creatively craft your message to reach your target audience. Simple ads, even just one announcer or actor with little music or effects can be as effective as bells, whistles and a cast of hundreds. Testing script drafts on your target audience is one way to make sure your message is working. How can you tell if your PSA was effective?
The best way to judge effectiveness of a finished ad is to request a specific action and then to monitor the actions taken. And to make your efforts even more worthwhile, you can use the PSA to get more extensive media coverage by sending it to journalists. You should find your organization getting longer media stories on your work or possibly getting asked to become a guest on a panel show. This is using the principal of leverage, a very powerful principle in doing community work!
Public service announcements, or PSAs, are short messages produced on video, audiocassette or digital formats that are given to radio and television stations for broadcast, and/or uploaded to the internet.
Canadian radio and television broadcasters aren't required by law to donate a fixed percentage of air time per day to PSAs but many stations choose to give free time to non-profit organizations and their messages. Consider it a mix of community good will and the chance to fill in those dead hours when fewer viewers are tuned in and ad revenue is low or non-existent anyway.
But fewer listeners or viewers still can mean a very effective, low cost way to get your message to a mass audience. Since the airtime is donated, the only cost to your organization is the actual ad production. A PSA is particularly effective if you plan it as part of a two- or three-pronged media campaign. And, if you have a simple message to get across or want your listeners or viewers to accomplish one action - like 'Don't drink and drive" - PSAs are a great tool.
While TV and radio remain the dominant means for local mass marketing, online distribution is growing all the time.
Your organization's own website and free online sites like http://www.youtube.com, http://www.ourmedia.org, http://video.yahoo.com, and http://video.google.ca can help you reach new audiences. To be successful on these sites, you will need to select good keywords: think of terms that other people would type into a search engine to lead them to your PSA.
When should you consider using PSAs?
A first step in deciding to use a PSA is to clarify its purpose. What are your goals with this ad or series of ads? What do you want to accomplish by putting a PSA out there? And, for that matter, why do you want to use a PSA instead of other publicity forms and outlets? If you have a clear, easy-to-understand issue, you're seeking a specific action with your ad, and you have a limited promotions or outreach budget, then a PSA is right for you.
The limits of the PSA There are limitations to PSAs. Because these ads are run on donated time, you may find you're not able to get them on all the media outlets you'd like. Or you may find your ads are at the mercy of station staff members who may be overworked, arbitrary, or personally opposed to your group's work. If you have a controversial message or an issue that is the subject of heated public debate, some stations may shy away from being involved with your group at all. Some basic research - outlined below - can help you decide if a PSA is right for your organization.
How do you get a PSA done?
Generally, PSAs are sent 'ready-to-air' although some radio stations (often community or campus radio) will accept a script that their announcers can read live on the air or record for later use. While stations may occasionally lend staff to help you write the script, in most cases you'll need help from outside professionals to craft an effective PSA. Generally, it's not a good idea to produce it yourself unless you or someone in your organization has TV or radio writing experience and you're sure you can do a professional-quality job. Everyone has seen or heard at least a few badly produced local PSAs. These can negatively affect public opinion of your organization.
Where do you start? A first step is to contact the local radio and TV stations that cater to the audiences you want to reach. You need to find out their policies on PSAs and their technical requirements. Do they even accept PSAs, what format do they want to receive them in, what is the preferred length, how to submit them, etc. Depending on the size of the market and the structure of the particular station you're dealing with, your best contact person could be the public affairs director, traffic director, program director, promotions manager, or even the station manager.
Making it happen
Once you have all the technical specs and a team you are sure can fulfill them, you'll need to creatively craft your message to reach your target audience. Simple ads, even just one announcer or actor with little music or effects can be as effective as bells, whistles and a cast of hundreds. Testing script drafts on your target audience is one way to make sure your message is working. How can you tell if your PSA was effective?
The best way to judge effectiveness of a finished ad is to request a specific action and then to monitor the actions taken. And to make your efforts even more worthwhile, you can use the PSA to get more extensive media coverage by sending it to journalists. You should find your organization getting longer media stories on your work or possibly getting asked to become a guest on a panel show. This is using the principal of leverage, a very powerful principle in doing community work!
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