1. Public Service
Announcements

2. What is a PSA?
A message broadcast on radio or television.
Intended to modify public attitudes by raising awareness
about specific issues.
Part of a public awareness campaign to inform or educate
the public about an issue such as smoking or compulsive
gambling.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_service_announcement

3. As Defined by the FCC
“Any announcement (including network) for which no
charge is made and which promotes programs, activities,
or services of federal, state, or local governments (e.g.,
recruiting, sale of bonds, etc.) or the programs, activities
or services of non-profit organizations (e.g., United Way,
Red Cross blood donations, etc.) and other
announcements regarded as serving community interests,
excluding time signals, routine weather announcements
and promotional announcements."
http://www.museum.tv/eotvsection.php?entrycode=publicservic

4. A Short History of PSA’s

5. The Beginning of
PSA’s
Came into being with the
entry of the United States
into World War II.
Radio broadcasters and
advertising agencies
offered their skills and
facilities toward the war
effort and established the
War Advertising Council
which became the official
home front propaganda arm
of the Office of War
Information.
http://www.museum.tv/eotvsection.php?entrycode=publicservic

6. Rosie the
Riveter
According to the
Encyclopedia of
American Economic
History, the "Rosie the
Riveter" movement
increased the number of
working American
women to 20 million by
1944, a 57% increase
from 1940.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosie_the_Riveter

7. The Ad Council
By the end of the war, the practice of volunteering free air time
had become institutionalized as had the renamed Advertising
Council, which now served as a facilitating agency and clearing
house for nationwide campaigns which soon became a familiar
part of daily life.
"Smokey the Bear" was invented by the Ad Council to personify
its "Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires" campaign
"A Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Waste" raised millions for the
United Negro College Fund
The American Cancer Society's "Fight Cancer with a Checkup
and a Check" raised public awareness as well as funds for
research and patient services.
http://www.museum.tv/eotvsection.php?entrycode=publicservic

8. “Only YOU can prevent forest fires”

9. “Only YOU can prevent forest fires”

10. “A mind is a terrible thing to waste”

11. The Fairness Doctrine
The ultimate demonstration of the effectiveness of public service
announcements came in 1969. Two years earlier, a federal court
upheld the FCC's application of the Fairness Doctrine to
cigarette advertising on radio and television, and ordered
stations to broadcast "a significant amount of time" for anti-
smoking messages.
This effectively meant one PSA for every three tobacco
commercials. The PSAs proved so effective that smoking rates
began to decline for the first time in history, the tobacco industry
withdrew all cigarette advertising, and Congress made such
advertising illegal after 1971.
Public health professionals credit the PSAs with having saved
many millions of lives by initiating the decline in American
smoking. http://www.museum.tv/eotvsection.php?entrycode=publicservic

12. “This Is Your Brain on Drugs”
The Advertising Media Partnership for a Drug-free
America was set up by a group of media and advertising
agency executives, spearheaded by Capital Cities
Broadcasting Company, then completing the take-over of
ABC.
Rallying unprecedented support, the organization
mounted the largest public service campaign ever. Indeed,
at its height, with more than S365 million a year worth of
print lineage and airtime, it rivaled the largest advertising
campaign.
During the first years of the campaign, its research team
documented considerable difference in attitudinal and
behavioral change among young people.
http://www.museum.tv/eotvsection.php?entrycode=publicservic

13. “This is your brain on drugs. Any Questions?”

14. The Goal of a PSA
The goal of a PSA is to get someone to ACT, or change their
BEHAVIOR.

15. Components of a PSA
Target Audience
Message
Organization
Tag Line

16. Target Audience
It is important to think about the intended audience of your PSA.
What elements you include, as well as how you present the information, will vary based
on your target audience.
Demographics to think about:
Age
Gender
Race
Socioeconomic Class
Education
Sexuality
Geographic Location
Values and Morals
Interests (sports, entertainment, etc.)
Religion
Politics

17. Message
Without a clear message, the PSA is not useful to the
viewer.
Examples of messages include:
Don’t drink and drive
Drugs are unhealthy and destructive
Failing to put out a campfire can cause a forest fire

18. Organization
At the end of a PSA, it’s important to put contact
information for a local or national organization. This
allows the viewer an opportunity to contact someone for
more information or help.

19. Tag Line
A tag line is a catchy one-sentence slogan that is stated
toward the end of the PSA
It should be easy to remember
Keep it short and simple!
“Only YOU can prevent forest fires!”
“Got Milk?”
“This is your brain. This is your brain on drugs.
Any questions?”

20. Hunger/Food Bank Education
RAADD Get Fit
United Negro College Fund Prepare for College
Nature Texting and Driving