Public Service Announcements

When the information is carried in the form of a free advertisement, it is known as a public service announcement, or PSA. In order to get their broadcast licenses renewed, commercial stations must demonstrate that they have provided the public service of distribut­ing useful information to the community from government agencies, charities, and community betterment groups.

Often the PSA is as expensively produced as any paid advertisement and arrives from national organiza­tions such as those organized to raise research funds to combat dis­eases or social problems.

Usually only nonprofit groups may expect to get PSAs on the air, because they should expect to hear it aired mainly in time periods when paid advertising cannot be sold—which is to say, when only some segments of the radio audience are listening.

PSAs are limited in their impact. They alone are not likely to cause long-term behavior changes. They are most useful for creating awareness or heightening the public's sensitivity to a health problem or issue.