Airing Public Service Announcements:

In the United States, radio and television stations allot a certain amount of airtime to run public service announcements or PSA's as a community service. Television stations are required by the FCC to air PSA's. Radio stations are not. PSA's are primarily used by nonprofit organizations to announce events or messages of public interest.

Due to increasing competition and limited space, it can be difficult to place a public service announcement. It is important to get the information to the right person at each station and to explain why your cause is important to the community. In some cases, stations may partner with an organization and produce a spot at no charge.

Radio PSA's

Radio PSA's are either read from scripts or supplied as an edited audio production on cd. Local radio stations appreciate having p[ublic service messages available for broadcast. Radio PSA's need to be brief and to the point and no longer than 30 seconds.

Television PSA's

A television PSA is 10, 15, 20, 30 or 60 seconds long. Stations in smaller markets will accept and air 30 and 60 second PSA's, but larger market stations look for the shorter PSA's. Local Government and Educational Cable Access stations will air 60 second PSA's more than commercial stations. Local Cable companies can also place the longer PSA's.

The Community Affairs director must preview each PSA that is submitted for air. Submittal DOES NOT guarantee air time.

The PSA must conform to NTSC broadcast standards.

Most stations require that the submitting organization be a 501(c)3 nonprofit. Each station has specific standards, so it is important to always contact the Community Affairs director before submittal.

Distributing TV or Radio PSA's

*Call each station and find out who is responsible for reviewing the PSA's. Larger stations will have a Community Affairs director, smaller stations (like any small business) mulititask, so it's important to ask for the person who handles PSA submittal.

*Find out the preferred format for the PSA's. Most TV stations accept BetaSP or DVCpro tapes for broadcast. These tapes are very high quality and cost $10-$25 each (plus professional duplication costs.)

*Call the Community Affairs director, introduce yourself & describe the PSA. Request a meeting or ask if you may send the PSA for their review.

*Distribute PSA's as early as possible prior to the time you would like them to air. Each station has different cut-off dates and procedures for submission.

*Call a week or two after submittal. Ask if they will be airing the PSA & if they would be able to provide a log of the air times and dates.

Something to Think About

Most of the time, you will be communicating with someone who is under-paid, under-appreciated and over-worked. Courtesy and Gratitude will be greatly appreciated, your organization will be thought of in kind terms, and your psa may get more air time.