Section 7. Preparing Public Service Announcements

• What is a public service announcement?

• When should you consider using PSAs?

• How do you write a PSA?

• How do you produce a PSA?

• How do you get your PSA on the air?

• How can you tell if your PSA was effective?

"This is your brain. This is your brain on drugs. Any questions?"

"A mind is a terrible thing to waste."

"Friends don't let friends drive drunk."

"You could learn a lot from a dummy."

How many of these phrases ring a bell? These widely recognized slogans from national public service announcement campaigns by the Ad Council illustrate how memorable a short public-interest message can become.

While the examples above came from large national campaigns, your own organization's public service announcements (also known as PSAs) -- even if they're produced locally on a modest budget -- can be an effective and relatively inexpensive way to share a message with the public.

What is a public service announcement?

Public service announcements, or PSAs, are short public-interest messages distributed through radio, television, digital media, streaming platforms, social media, and other communication channels. For traditional broadcast use, PSAs may be provided as ready-to-air audio or video files, although some radio stations, especially community, public, or campus stations, may accept a script that an announcer can read on the air. PSAs can be produced simply, with one person delivering a message, or they can include music, interviews, animation, dramatic storytelling, graphics, and other audio or visual elements.

Broadcast radio and television stations licensed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) have responsibilities to operate in the public interest, but federal rules do not require stations to broadcast a particular number of PSAs or devote a fixed percentage of airtime to them. Whether a station accepts and airs a PSA generally depends on the station's policies, programming priorities, available time, and assessment of community needs. This makes it important to understand each outlet's requirements before submitting material.

Advantages of PSAs

• PSAs can be relatively inexpensive. If an outlet donates airtime or distribution, your main costs may be planning, production, and preparing the materials.
• Many outlets allow you to include a telephone number, website, text number, or other way for people to get more information or take action.
• PSAs can be effective at encouraging a clear action -- for example, attending an event, visiting a website, making an appointment, getting more information, or using a community service.
• PSAs can raise awareness of your issue, organization, program, or available resources.

Limitations of PSAs

• When PSAs depend on donated airtime or placement, you may have limited control over whether, when, or how often they are used. An outlet may have little available space or may schedule unpaid PSAs at times when fewer people are listening or watching.
• Competition among nonprofit organizations and public-interest campaigns for donated airtime or placement can be significant. You may not be able to count on receiving extensive exposure from unpaid PSA distribution alone.
• Some outlets may be reluctant to accept PSAs addressing issues involved in intense public debate, such as abortion policy, LGBTQ+ rights, gun policy, immigration, or other contested topics. Editorial and acceptance policies vary by outlet.
• Broadcast outlets may not provide detailed information about exactly when or how often an unpaid PSA was aired. Digital platforms may provide more audience and engagement data, depending on how the PSA is distributed.
• PSAs require planning and production, and they are rarely sufficient by themselves to produce major policy or community change. Consider them especially when you have a clear message or specific action you want people to take, and coordinate them with other communication and community-engagement activities.

When should you consider using PSAs?

Here are some guidelines for deciding when you might want to incorporate PSAs into your media campaign. Keep in mind that you don't necessarily have to meet all of these criteria -- this is simply a list of situations in which PSAs may be useful for your group:

• When your group is a nonprofit organization or is promoting a public-interest message
• When you have a specific announcement to make (for example, the time and place of a meeting or event).
• When you have a clear and easy-to-understand issue or message
• When you're requesting a specific and realistic action
• When you have identified outlets or communication channels that reach the people you hope to engage
• When you have access to the writing and production skills needed to produce a clear, credible message
• When you've previously used PSAs successfully or have reason to believe the format fits your audience
• When the PSA will be part of a larger communication or media campaign

How do you write a PSA?

Decide upon and clarify the purpose of your PSA. What are your goals here? What do you want to accomplish by distributing or airing a PSA? And, for that matter, why use a PSA instead of another communication method?

• Identify your intended audience. Who are you hoping to reach through your PSA? What do you know about their needs, priorities, communication preferences, and relationship to the issue? Whenever possible, learn this directly rather than relying on demographic assumptions.
• Identify the media outlets and communication channels that can best reach that audience. Consider traditional broadcast outlets as well as digital and community-based channels available in your geographic area or to the community you want to reach.
• Prioritize your media outlets. Find out where your intended audience actually gets information. A community may rely on local radio, television, social media, streaming audio, community newsletters, faith-based communication networks, or a combination of channels. Let evidence and community input guide your choices rather than assumptions about what a particular group prefers.

Also consider when and how your audience uses those channels. Some people may listen to radio during a morning commute, while others are more likely to encounter your message through streaming audio, social media, or evening television. You may have limited control over when an unpaid broadcast PSA runs, so focus on selecting appropriate outlets and maintaining professional communication with media contacts rather than depending on a specific time slot.

Approach your preferred media outlets. You will want to make a personal contact, when possible, with the person responsible for accepting or scheduling PSAs. Check the outlet's website or contact the organization to find out its requirements -- what formats it accepts, preferred length, submission process, deadlines, eligibility requirements, and other guidelines. See "How do you get your PSA on the air?" later in this section for more detailed information.

Write your PSA. The actual writing waits until this point because you first need to understand your audience, your communication channels, and their policies.

Key points to remember about the writing:

• Because you've only got a few seconds to reach your audience -- often 30 seconds or less -- the language should be simple and vivid. Take your time and make every word count. Make your message crystal clear.
• The message should have a clear "hook" -- an opening, image, question, statement, or sound that earns attention without misleading, frightening, or stigmatizing people. For example, a PSA about emergency preparedness might begin, "If severe weather reached your neighborhood tonight, would your household know what to do?"
• The PSA should usually request a specific action, such as visiting a website, attending an event, calling a number, making an appointment, or learning more. You ordinarily want listeners or viewers to know what they can do after encountering the PSA.

Getting ready to write your PSA:

Choose points to focus on. Don't overload the viewer or listener with too many different messages. List all the possible messages you'd like people to remember, and then decide on the one or two most important points. For example, if your group educates people about asthma, you might focus on recognizing common triggers and knowing where to find reliable information and support.

Brainstorm. This is also a good time to look at PSAs that others have produced for ideas. Get together with your colleagues to discuss ways you can illustrate the main point or points you've chosen. Whenever possible, include members of your intended audience as genuine partners in developing the message. For example, if your PSA is intended for Black youth, involve Black youth in deciding how the issue should be discussed, what matters to them, and what communication approaches feel authentic rather than assuming what will appeal to them.

Check your facts. It's extremely important for your PSA to be accurate. Any facts should be checked and verified before the PSA is distributed. Is the information current? Are statistics represented accurately and in context? If there are demonstrations included in the PSA, are they done clearly, safely, and correctly?

Identify a "hook". A hook is whatever you use to earn the listener's or viewer's attention. It can be humor, music, a compelling question, a surprising but accurate fact, a brief story, or an emotional appeal. Make sure the hook fits the audience and issue without relying on stereotypes. For example, don't assume that people will prefer a certain kind of music because of their ethnicity or cultural background; ask members of the intended audience what feels relevant and appropriate.

Now you're ready to write your script!

Basic guidelines for PSA format:

Many broadcast PSAs are produced in standard lengths such as 10, 15, 20, or 30 seconds, although requirements vary by outlet and platform. Before writing or producing your final version, check the exact length and technical specifications required by the outlet. Leave enough room for the message to be delivered clearly without rushing.

Length of PSA	10 seconds	15 seconds	20 seconds	30 seconds
Approximate number of words	20-25 words	30-35 words	40-50 words	60-75 words

Prepare your script in a clear, readable digital format and follow the outlet's submission requirements. Some outlets may provide their own template or specifications.

Keep each version clearly labeled by length and format so that the outlet can easily identify the correct file or script.

The top of the script or accompanying submission information should generally identify:

• how long the PSA should be used, including relevant start or end dates if the message is time-sensitive
• length of the PSA
• what agency or group the PSA is for, and
• title of the PSA.

For video PSAs, a script or production document may separate visual directions from dialogue or narration. A storyboard or shot list can also be useful for showing how images, text, sound, and spoken language work together.

Avoid unnecessary abbreviations or other wording that could be confusing when read aloud. Include pronunciation guidance when names, places, or unfamiliar terms may be difficult to pronounce.

Follow the outlet's current conventions for indicating the end of a script or submission. Traditional media scripts sometimes use "###" to indicate that no additional material follows.

Your script can be sent as "live copy" -- a simple script ready to be read by an on-air announcer -- or as a prerecorded audio or video file. Requirements vary considerably by outlet, so find out what format is accepted before producing or submitting the PSA.

Below is an adapted example of a short live-copy PSA script for radio:

Sample radio PSA script -- live copy

Use: As scheduled
Time: 20 seconds
Agency: Community Health Coalition
Title: "Know Your Resources"

Main Point: Everyone deserves access to reliable health information and support. Learn what resources are available in your community, ask questions, and share accurate information with the people you care about. Contact your local community health organization to learn more.

###

If you can get help from someone with radio, television, digital media, communications, or production experience, this is a good time to do so. They can review your work and offer suggestions. Because PSAs are short, a knowledgeable reviewer may be able to identify problems quickly.

Pretesting your script is always a good idea. Ask people from the intended audience to watch, listen to, or read the PSA and give candid feedback. Ask what they think the message means, what caught their attention, whether anything was confusing or alienating, and what action they would take after seeing or hearing it. Depending on the issue, you may also want feedback from people with subject-matter expertise or relevant lived experience. The process doesn't have to be large or highly formal. Even modest pretesting can reveal problems before the PSA is widely distributed.

Now you have a script that's ready to go! If you're only preparing live-copy scripts, you can skip the next part ("How do you produce a PSA?") and go directly on to "How do you get your PSA on the air?" If you're going to create a prerecorded audio or video file, read on!

How do you produce a PSA?

If you're planning on sending in a prerecorded PSA, decide whether you can produce it effectively yourself or whether outside help would improve the result. Affordable recording equipment, smartphones, and editing software have made basic production much more accessible, but the final product should still be clear, understandable, accurate, and technically appropriate for the platform where it will appear. Poor audio, unreadable text, distracting visuals, or inaccessible design can interfere with even a strong message.

You may be able to produce a strong PSA without paying a professional production company. Find out whether anyone in your group has broadcasting, video, audio, design, or digital-media experience. You can also approach area production companies, advertising or communications firms, community media organizations, and universities to see whether they can provide expertise, equipment, studio time, or other assistance. Students studying communications, film, journalism, design, or broadcasting may also be interested in gaining relevant experience.

If your resources allow, you can hire a professional producer, production company, communications consultant, or advertising agency. Some may offer reduced rates or donated services to nonprofit and community organizations, so ask about that possibility.

Tips for radio and audio:

• A professional announcer can help, but isn't essential. Community radio volunteers, voice performers, storytellers, organizational staff, or community members with relevant experience may all be effective. Choose voices that fit the message authentically rather than assuming people will respond best to someone simply because they appear to share a particular age or background.
• Audio audiences may be driving, working, exercising, studying, cleaning, or doing other activities while listening. Make the main point easy to follow even when people aren't giving the message their full attention.
• Use a clear opening that quickly establishes relevance. For example: "Do you know where your family would go during a severe-weather emergency? Make a plan before you need one."

Tips for television and video:

• Plan what viewers will see as well as what they will hear. Create a script, shot list, or storyboard that connects dialogue, narration, on-screen text, images, and other visual elements.
• Community theater groups, media programs, local colleges and universities, community organizations, and people with relevant lived experience may be useful sources of performers or collaborators. Make sure participants understand how the finished PSA will be used and have agreed to participate.
• Simple graphic-and-voiceover spots can be inexpensive and effective. Photographs, illustrations, captions, on-screen text, and basic motion graphics can communicate a message without requiring elaborate production.
• If you're producing a video spot yourself, create a storyboard or shot list before filming. A storyboard shows sketches or examples of individual shots and can help the production team determine how the piece will flow and what images, camera angles, text, and staging will be needed.
• Use effects only when they strengthen the message. Complicated visual or audio effects can add cost and distract from the information you want people to remember.

Local community media organizations, public-access television stations, libraries, schools, universities, or nonprofit media programs may be able to provide production facilities, training, equipment, or technical assistance. Digital production tools have also made it possible for organizations to create useful audio and video messages with relatively modest equipment.

Some local television, cable, community media, and digital outlets also offer community calendars, event listings, brief announcements, or other public-information formats. These may be good alternatives when a full PSA isn't necessary. Check with the outlet for current requirements.

Overall tips

If resources allow, consider producing more than one version so that audiences don't encounter exactly the same message repeatedly. You might vary the opening, examples, length, format, language, or messenger while keeping the core message consistent. Keep each PSA brief and focused on what you want the viewer or listener to understand or do. Invite performers, community partners, and people with relevant lived experience to give feedback on the script and production. Make sure captions, readable text, clear audio, transcripts, language access, and other accessibility considerations are addressed when appropriate. When information changes -- especially health, safety, legal, or service information -- update the PSA promptly and ask outlets to stop using outdated versions. Talk with everyone involved in production about payment, credit, consent, and use of their work, and put important agreements in writing before production begins.

How do you get your PSA on the air?

Different stations and media outlets have different policies for PSAs. Some accept scripts for announcers to read, while others want a fully produced audio or video file. Digital outlets may use their own submission systems or technical specifications. Find out ahead of time what each outlet requires -- never assume that one outlet's guidelines apply to another. Requirements may include file format, length, advance notice, eligibility, contact information, captioning, image dimensions, or documentation about your organization.

Radio

Radio can be an effective outlet for PSAs, particularly when a station's audience overlaps with the people you hope to reach. Once you're familiar with submission requirements, send your PSA according to the station's guidelines. This may include a brief email or cover message along with the script, audio files, background information, and any specific instructions the station requests.

Even if you've already spoken with your contact, include a clear written message with your submission. Mention relevant previous conversations, identify the files or materials you're providing, and include contact information in case the station has questions. Keep the message brief, professional, and appreciative.

PSA Submission Message

Anytown Teen Pregnancy Prevention Coalition
789 Walnut Drive, Suite 88 * Anytown, PA 12345 * (215) 555-5678

[Date]

Mai-Lin Huang
Public Affairs Director
KPSA Radio
1234 Broadcast Lane
Anytown, PA 12345

Dear Ms. Huang:

Thank you for explaining KPSA's policies and requirements for public service announcements. As discussed, I am submitting several ready-to-air PSAs for our adolescent parent support and education program:

• Five 10-second spots
• Three 15-second spots
• Three 30-second spots
• Two 60-second spots

The files are labeled by length, and copies of the scripts are included for reference. Please let me know if you need another format or any additional information.

Thank you again for your assistance and for considering these messages for KPSA's audience.

Sincerely,

Alicia Rodriguez
Director

Anytown Teen Pregnancy Prevention Coalition

Attachments:

• PSA audio files
• PSA scripts
• Organization information, if requested

Keep copies of everything you submit and retain the final versions of all scripts and media files. If appropriate, follow up after a reasonable period according to the outlet's preferred communication method. Avoid repeated contact if the outlet has already declined the PSA or asked not to receive further follow-up.

Television

Getting an unpaid PSA shown on television can be competitive. Start by finding out who is responsible for public service announcements or community-affairs programming and what the station's current submission process requires. Depending on the station, the appropriate contact might work in community affairs, public affairs, programming, traffic, promotions, or another department.

Once you know the appropriate contact, follow the station's preferred submission process. That might involve email, an online portal, file transfer, or a conversation with station staff. Be prepared to provide a broadcast-ready copy of the PSA, the script or transcript, information about your organization or initiative, and documentation of nonprofit status if the station requests it.

Explain briefly how the PSA serves the community, who it is intended to reach, and what action or information it provides. You can also explain how the PSA fits into your broader communication campaign. Be gracious and professional, while recognizing that the station will make its own decisions about whether and when to air the message.

Once you've gotten approval for your PSA

After a radio or television station agrees to run your PSA, ask what information the station can provide about its expected schedule or placement. The person who approved the PSA may not be the same person who schedules it, and unpaid placements may change depending on programming needs.

If possible, listen to or watch for the PSA and check that the correct version is being used. Follow up with a brief thank-you message when appropriate. Maintaining a professional relationship can be useful for future community-information efforts.

Keep in mind that an unpaid PSA may not run exactly when originally expected. Broadcast schedules and programming needs can change.

How can you tell if your PSA was effective?

The best way to judge effectiveness is to connect the PSA with a specific, measurable objective. For example, if you're asking listeners to call a number, visit a webpage, send a text, scan a QR code, register for a service, or request information, you can compare activity before, during, and after the campaign. When possible, use a unique phone extension, web address, response code, or other tracking method so you can distinguish responses connected with the PSA from those generated by other outreach.

If you're promoting attendance at an event, you can measure attendance and ask participants how they heard about the event. If your goal is awareness rather than immediate action, surveys, interviews, website traffic, social-media engagement, or other feedback may help you understand whether people saw, heard, remembered, or understood the message.

Once the PSA is being distributed, you may also be able to use it to generate broader media attention, such as a news story about your work, an interview, a community discussion, or another opportunity to explain the issue in more depth. In this way, one communication effort can help create opportunities for additional outreach.

Finally, as noted before, pre-testing should help you figure out how effective a PSA may or may not be. Evaluation after release can then help you improve future messages and choose the communication approaches that work best for the communities you hope to reach.