Public Service Announcement writing technique

Unlike a press release, a public service announcement (PSA) is usually transmitted electronically, via radio or television in a short spot of ten to sixty seconds. A requirement of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is that stations donate a certain amount of airtime to serve the public and the community. Most public radio and TV stations have a community calendar for which they will announce events to the public. A public service announcement typically indicates a community event, usually, but not always, for a non-profit organization. Commercial groups can also announce non-profit events or services. If you just want a pre-event plug, the community calendar is where you should direct your PSA. Many local newspapers also have community calendars so PSA’s are not limited to electronic media.

Although the PSA covers less material than the typical press release, it requires the same "who, what, where, when and why. information. You have several choices when deciding what type of coverage you’d like to have. You may not always get your preferred coverage, but you can at least try to obtain it. For example, you can aim for just the pre-event announcement which would go to the Calendar; you can try for an on-air interview to have yourself or a personal representative announce the event; you can request an audio taping of the actual event to be aired later on the news or at a future date of significance such as in advance of the event or at any other time.
How To Do It
Follow these steps when you want to use PSAs to publicize an event:
The procedures of writing a PSA differ somewhat from media outlet to media outlet. But
if you use the following basics as your guide, you won’t go wrong:
Step 1 (Four weeks before event):
1) Contact area radio stations on which you wish to air your PSA.
Confirm the format for submitting the PSA, including their preferred length in
words or seconds.
Determine the cost, if any (most public stations and some private stations will air
community announcements for free, as long as the events are open to the general
public).
Determine when you can expect the PSA to air after the station receives it, and
ask how far in advance of airing the PSA the station needs to receive it.
Note: You need to plan ahead so that you can send your PSA to the proper
person or department. Personal contact, of course, is the best approach. This
means that you or someone you know who has a personal contact or influence at
the media outlet personally contacts the person. In that case, it is full steam ahead
and you write it the way that person wants it. Otherwise, you must proceed in the
same way as the average person, by directing your PSA to the target point.
For a single-mailing PSA, call the station and get the proper name of the
Department head and address it to her or him.
If you are doing a mass mailing or faxing to several media outlets, the only way to
address your PSA is to the Public Service Director at the different addresses to
which you are sending them. Next, add "Community Calendar" or "Program
Director" or "On Air Interviews," depending upon which coverage you seek.
Stations don’t necessarily use these titles but common sense says it will increase
your chances of getting your PSA to the proper department.
Step 2 (Three weeks before event-or earlier, if the station requires more lead-time):
1) Write your PSA.
Instead of putting "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE" on the top left hand side
of the page as you do for a press release; you put "PUBLIC SERVICE
ANNOUNCEMENT" at the top middle of the single sheet of paper followed
by a few spaces and then the date that you’d like your announcement to air. If
you have stationary with your organization.s logo, you can work your format
around that.
Briefly describe your target audience (the people you want to reach with your
message).
List the dates your PSA should begin and end running on the air.
List a contact person (you?) and a phone number. Include an email address, if
you have one. This information allows the radio or television station to
contact you regarding your PSA.
It is customary to write the PSA in all CAPS.
Be sure to include the length of your PSA.
2) Make sure releases are legible and on 8 1/2 X 11" paper. You could include two
versions: a short one (maybe 30 seconds) and a longer version (45 seconds or 1
minute). This will give you a choice for your final submission. Note: There
should be no more than 75 words for a 30-second PSA.
3) Read it out loud and listen to how it sounds when spoken. Stick to the facts. Avoid
superlatives, over-enthusiasm and acronyms or nicknames the general public may
not be familiar with. Read it aloud to see how long your PSA will be and adjust
your text as needed to fit the time slot.
4) At the end, write ’-end-’ or ’# # #,’ as you do in a press release.

Within the non-profit community there are those who are PSA veterans and those who are about to embark on their first public service campaign, those who team with professional organizations to plan, produce and distribute PSA's and those who may have taken on this challenge themselves. There's no one set of rules to do it correctly. But, there are enough issues in trying to get “it” right that an overview like this might fit nicely into your "Save When Needed" folder. The perspective for this article is based on August, Lang & Husak’s 12 years of experience concepting and producing successful PSA campaigns, and Bill Goodwill, of Goodwill Communications, the Agency’s partner for PSA distribution, tracking, reporting and evaluation.
Public service announcements are a vital tool in generating awareness for critical issues while dispensing important information for many non-profit organizations. PSAs, strategically created and distributed, can help to achieve organizational marketing goals in a very cost-effective manner while netting millions of comparable advertising dollars in free space and airtime. But, however enticing the promise of a great return on investment may be, it must be said that creating and deploying public service announcements is a major challenge.
Much has been written about public service advertising – delving into who should use PSAs, the message, the technicalities of distribution and evaluation and follow-up. There are always opportunities to gain exposure for your cause, organization or mission through public service advertising even if it’s not a campaign devoted to kids, health and safety, the most popular types of campaigns. But, just because you are a non-profit organization with a noble mission, it is not the responsibility of TV and radio and print media to volunteer their time and space to tell your story. To garner your fair share of exposure, you need to have message that connects, an execution that stands out, a marketing/promotion effort that separates your message from the pack, and a way to judge the impact of your efforts.
The demand for PSA exposure is at a premium these days for a number of reasons:
The emergence of many new social ills and causes accompanied by heightened public awareness and a renewed sense of activism. AIDS, drug abuse, the environment, illiteracy and the homeless are just a few of the most topical.
Many TV and radio stations have become increasingly involved with local issues and select charities, meaning that those national issues without a local tie-in assume a lesser priority.
In a race for greater audience shares, still other stations are using time that used to be allocated to PSAs for station and program promotions, to help them achieve a stronger identity in market.