Rule up your interactive notebooks
 What is a public service announcement? (PSA)
 A public service announcement (PSA) is a message in the
public interest disseminated without charge, with the
objective of raising awareness of, and changing public
attitudes and behaviour towards, a social issue.
PSA is any message promoting programs,
activities or services of federal, state or local
governments or the programs, activities or
services of non-profit organizations.
 Discouraging Drink Driving
 Discouraging and raising awareness of Binge Drinking
 Discouraging smoking
 Discouraging Drug use – ecstasy, ice, marijuana, heroin
 Raising awareness about domestic violence
 Encouraging healthy eating
 PSAs run on TV for free.
 The PSA sponsor requests a slot from a TV network but the station is
under no obligation to play the spot at any time or at all.
 In some cases a fee is charged when a station agrees to play a PSA in
a particular time slot.
 PSAs cannot be used to raise money for a group or cause or recruit
volunteers for that purpose. Unlike commercials, the Federal
Communications Commission restricts PSAs from using the media as
a platform for sales of any kind and words like "free" and "discount "
are prohibited.
 Often in the form of commercials and print ads,
PSAs are created to persuade an audience to take a
favourable action. PSAs can create awareness, show
the importance of a problem or issue, convey
information, or promote a behavioural change.
 "This is your brain.
This is drugs. This is
your brain on drugs.
Any questions?"
PSA DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE
 Who is the target audience?
 Does the PSA target parents, teens, teachers or some other social
group?
 Consider the target audience's needs, preferences, as well as the
things that might turn them off.
 The action suggested by the PSA can be almost anything. It can be
spelled out or implied in your PSA, but the message needs to be
clear.
A PSA may use visual effects, an emotional response,
humour, or surprise to catch the target audience.
Some PSA’s may use scare tactics but care must be taken.
Attention getters are needed, but they must be carefully
selected.
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3QWEAJ6NNU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rWMkFzvArE
 https://www.govtech.com/education/news/How-to-Create-the-Perfect-Public-
Service-Announcement.html