Public Service Announcement (PSA)

What Is a PSA?

Public service announcements are messages aired by radio and television stations at no cost to the sponsors. Typically, they must have a message that is a public service and be provided by a non-profit organization. Radio PSAs are powerful tools to create greater awareness because of the number of people who listen to radio while driving, in the office, working at home, weeding the front yard, etc. PSAs usually are 10, 15, 30, or 60 seconds. People placing PSAs should remember that stations are mailed hundreds of them each week. Many are not used, and others are used at times which are not the best (3 a.m., for example).

Who Decides What Is Played?

Most stations will have a public service or public affairs director who receives PSAs, decides which will be used, and when those will be played. The others are thrown in the garbage. Smaller stations may not have a person with this title, but you can ask for whoever is in charge of PSAs. It's important to remember that PSAs are usually scheduled four weeks before they are played. Thus, if you have a time in mind when you want your spot aired, you should approach the station at least four weeks before you hope to hear it on air.

Is There a Best Strategy for Placing a PSA?

There is, and it's the personal touch. Educators should not just seek having their PSA aired; they should attempt to develop a relationship with the radio station that benefits both parties. For example, someone from the news staff at a radio station could come to a class and talk about the news business. He or she could talk to a journalism class about working at a radio station and journalistic ethics. Tours of the stations could also be arranged. Disc jockeys (the right ones) could be invited to MC a school dance. Radio people like to get into the community and usually will appreciate such invitations. And if you have established this relationship, it's much more likely that your PSA will be selected over the American Trucker's Association PSA.

You may wish to establish such a relationship since NMSA plans to produce PSAs in future years. The personal touch is also important in delivery. Probably 99 percent of PSAs are sent in the mail. If someone walks a PSA into a station, that has to leave a powerful impression. And with members across the country, NMSA can blanket stations throughout the nation.

So What Do I Do?

The first step is to understand how important you are in getting these PSAs aired and aired at a good time. The personal delivery approach should increase success tenfold. Consider these steps:

1. Identify all the radio stations in your community and their telephone numbers. All stations—large and small—use PSAs, and it's appropriate to give the same PSAs to many stations as long as it's at the same time. You may want to do this with other middle level educators in your community to assure that several people are not asking the same station for the same thing and to make the job easier. These PSAs will be geared to parents, so stations that focus on adult listeners are especially important.
2. Phone the station and ask for the public service director or person in charge of playing public service announcements. Identify yourself as an educator at a local school— stress your connection with the community. Explain the project and National Middle Level Education Month (See the section that describes these specific PSAs.) Indicate that you will soon have four professionally produced 30-second PSAs which you would like the station to consider. Explain the message and indicate that it is important to parents and young adolescents in your community—that you know it will make a difference in the success of schools and students. Finally, say that you have them available in cassette format.
3. If the station will consider using them, note that on your form to be returned to NMSA and tell the public service director you will bring them by early in February.
4. When you have contacted all appropriate stations, return your form to NMSA.
5. Write thank you notes to the public service directors who are supportive.
6. When you receive your package of PSAs and support materials from NMSA in early February, phone the public service director again and ask for an appointment to drop the PSAs off. When you deliver them, ask whether the station would provide you with a report of usage after they are played, but don't demand this.
7. Remember developing a long-term relationship.
8. Keep good records of all information so you'll have it for future use.

What Impresses a Public Service Director?

There are a number of considerations any public service director will look for, and you should focus on these items when promoting your PSAs. Feel free to use some of the jargon; they'll be impressed.

1. Professionally-produced. They don't want something produced in someone's basement. Quality is important.
2. Sponsored by a non-profit organization. Be sure they know that NMSA is.
3. The message will have impact on the listeners. It's something that will make a difference and is practical. Your expertise as a local educator will be important in selling this idea.
4. Write-for pieces. Listeners can write for further information that doesn't cost anything. NMSA will provide a write-for piece on more ways parents and adults can help young adolescents succeed.

There are some other points you should make when you deliver the cassettes.

1. You would like the spots played as many times as possible during Month of the Young Adolescent (October).
2. You would appreciate having the spots played during quality times, not 3 a.m.