public service announcement: Information and Much More from Answers.com

A public service announcement (PSA) or community service announcement (CSA) is a non-commercial advertisement typically on radio or television, ostensibly broadcast for the public good.

The main concept is to modify public attitudes by raising awareness about specific issues.

PSAs in the United States

The most common topics of PSAs are health and safety, although any message considered to be "helpful" to the public can be a PSA. A typical PSA will be part of a public awareness campaign to inform or educate the public against smoking or compulsive gambling. Often, a celebrity may promote a foundation and ask for support from viewers or listeners, an example being Michael J. Fox's PSAs in the U.S. supporting research into Parkinson's Disease, or featuring "scaring straight" Crips street gang leader Stanley "Tookie" Williams from prison, urging the young not to join gangs. Some religious groups produce PSAs about non-religious themes such as family values as a means of increasing awareness of their church, and to show the role the church has in serving the community. Examples include the long-running "Homefront" campaign from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and more recently the United Methodist Church. Also, the military produces PSAs to recruit enlistees, alongside paid advertising and sponsorship efforts.

In the U.S, the role of PSAs was affected by deregulation of the broadcasting industry in the 1980s. Previously, a broadcast license was assigned to a television or radio station that was expected to serve as a "public trustee" by airing, among other requirements, frequent PSAs. Continued licensure no longer depends strictly on programming content, and the number of PSAs that are deliberately scheduled has declined, yet new PSAs continue to be produced and aired.

Today TV or radio stations typically use PSAs as a way to fill unsold commercial time, or to demonstrate their commitment to a particular cause. Some non-profit organizations such as the American Cancer Society and Red Cross choose to ensure usage by purchasing commercial airtime. Smaller organizations like the American Indian College Fund rely solely on donated media space to get their message out.

The Ad Council, while the largest producer of PSAs in the United States, requires substantial funding from the organizations that qualify for their work.

Well-known PSAs

• Jem: "Doing the right thing makes you a superstar!"
• Sailor Moon (American Version): "Sailor Moon Says!"
• The Incredible Crash Dummies: "You can learn a lot from a Dummy."
• G.I. Joe and Transformers: "And knowing is half the battle!"
• Heritage Minutes
• Hinterland Who's Who
• Just Say No
• Crying Indian (sponsored by Keep America Beautiful)
• Love. It Comes in All Colors
• Learn Not to Burn with Dick van Dyke
• McGruff the Crime Dog: "Take a bite out of crime!"
• NBC's One to Grow On
• Smokey Bear: "Only you can prevent forest fires!" and "Only You Can Prevent wildfires!"
• CBS Cares
• NBC's The More You Know
• ABC's A Better Community
• ABC Kids' Posse Philosophy
• This is Your Brain on Drugs
• I learned it by watching you
• Woodsy Owl: "Give a hoot, don't pollute!" and "Lend a hand — care for the land!"
• Mr. Yuk
• Heather Crowe
• C.O.P.S. For Kids
• Don't You Put It In Your Mouth (sponsored by Health Canada)
• American Indian College Fund: "If I Stay On The Rez"
• Second hand smoke
• Marine Corps Toys for Tots
• The Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog: "Sonic Sez" (One segment became a YTMND page)
• Captain Planet and the Planeteers: "Planeteer Alert!"
• Inspector Gadget: "Gadget Team Alert!"
• Click It or Ticket
• The Faster the Speed, the Bigger the Mess

See also

• Public Information Film (television spots produced for the British government)
• cause marketing

External links

• PSA Research Center, the only on-line information center dedicated solely to public service advertising, social issues and cause marketing.
• Attack of the PSAs 2: The Sequel and Attack of the PSAs - Blogs Remember the PSAs that you grew up with? Well, they're back. Every Wednesday there will be a new video of some of our favorite Public Service Announcements throughout time. And remember... Knowledge is Power!
• Ad Council, the largest producer of public service announcements in the United States.
• Partnership for a Drug-Free America, a well-known sponsor of public service announcements on a specific theme. The group behind the "This is your brain on drugs" TV spot.
• WestGlen Communications, a consultant, producer, and distributor of PSAs on television, radio, and the web.
• Goodwill Communications, Goodwill Communications, a distributor of public service materials to all media with a division specializing in cause related marketing.
• American Indian College Fund, providing Tribal College scholarships to Native American students around the country.

• Homefront, 30 year campaign funded by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, promoting family values.