h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: What is a PSA? - A2857124
Author: lil_fred333 - U798756

Hello, this guide entry is about PSAs or public service announcements.

We've all probably seen them on the TV or heard them on the radio, but what are they, and what are they advertising?

Find out by reading "What is a PSA?" You'll probably be surprised by how much work and planning goes into a 30 second ad that is for the benefit of their local community, not a company.

>>The media that usually provides the service is radio and TV, the media that can broadcast. They don’t have to provide free advertising. It isn’t the law. The Media provides PSAs out of support for their causes.<<

OK, here's some editing.

First sentence can be streamlined to something like;
PSAs are usually provided by broadcast media, such as radio or TV.

Next three sentences, same problem:
There is no law requiring the Media to provide airtime for the PSAs. They do it out of support for the cause. (OK, its not perfect, but you get the idea.)

ok thanks, that DOES make it sound alot better and go alot smoother.

thanks

An important area for PSA's (in the UK. at least during the 'Cold War' was what do do in the event of a nuclear strike on the country. These (together with the leaflets) were a source some ridicule. Similar leaflets are niow being distriubuted to deal with the terrorist threat. I'm sure that there are also radio/TV PSA's ready to roll at the moment they're needed

BIGAL

wow. That's interesting fact I didn't know before. Cool.

P.S. Ref. "There is no law.......": In the U.K. it is part of the BBC's Charter to provide Public Service Broadcasting; and is one of the reasons why we have to pay an annual licence fee (if we own a TV).
BIGAL

>>A PSA or Public Service Announcement is FREE advertising that promotes some public cause or informs the community about important information.<<

How about: ...that promotes a public cause or provides the community with important information. (?)


and feel free to take a jab at my venus flytrap entry:
A2917424

>>The media determines the commitment to PSAs on a case-by-case basis. In larger media markets, the media, most likely, will have a public service director, to screen and evaluate the many requests for free space or air time. <<


alteration:
...The media will most likely have a public service director to screen and evaluate...

(again, just to streamline it.)

Ok, I'll try and change all of that. Thanks LeoAlpha, your really good at making things sound better. I make it all sound choppy.

>>The director has to identify the PSAs that are in need of support and for which there is an identifiable and direct benefit to the community they serve. The hard thing to any potential PSA promoter is to demonstrate why they should be 'favored' over some other organization or cause.<<

pardon my multi-thread style, I'm taking one cut at a time.
Back to business:

"The director has to identify the PSAs that are in need of support..."
Its not the PSAs that need support, so much as the causes they represent, right? So shouldn't 'PSAs' be replaced by 'causes'?

"The hard thing to any potential PSA promoter is to demonstrate..."
a little bulky and awkward. First of all: the hard thing, (maybe: the difficult thing?) *for* any PSA promoter, not *to*.
To get rid of that awkward "is to", maybe rearrange the sentence so it reads "...is demonstrating..." For example:
"The most difficult job of a potential PSA promoter is demonstrating that..."

BIGALL,
Should i write, "There is no law in the US", or just add the whole thing about the BBC aswell?

mistake: its still "demonstrate why" not sure why I stuck in a "that".

My pleasure to help out. Editing is my hobby. its kept me awake through many calculus classes. You're good at organizing the order and stuff. There's nothing to criticize there. YOu just throw in a few unnecessary words someplaces. Like these two sentences: (to get back to business...)

>>The media donates space or airtime on behalf of organizations or causes they perceive will be of benefit to their local community or their audience constituency. <<

suggestion: ...donates space or airtime *to* the organizations...
suggestion: ...to their local community or audience constituency.

Thanks again, seems as BIGALL isn't writing back, do YOU think I should change it or just add what he said?

<Hi Lil_Fred, I had just off to have my evening meal.

You could compasre and contrast the situation in the USA and UK. I would have thought, tyhough, that there must be some sort of legal requirement in the USA for at least one channel to broadcast PSA's, otherwise they couldn't be relied upon to do so when REQUIRED (by Government, ew.g. in the event of a nuclear strike)



I may be off-line for the rest of the evening as my daughter is hankering to use the computer

BIGAL

ok

ttyl then

I agree. you should mention both. Say "In the US there is no requirement so its reliant on the generosity of the media, while in the UK its required so they have no chance to show how generous they really are... "

Pls dont use that quote, but you know what I mean.

yeah, I know what you mean. lol

Here's some more:
>>A PSA or Public Service Announcement is FREE advertising that promotes a public<<

...is a FREE advertisment...


>>But, in the U.K. it is part of the BBC's charter to provide Public Service Broadcasting; and is one of the reasons why TV owners have to pay an annual licence fee. <<

to provide Public Service Broadcasting. This is one of the reason why TV owners have to pay...

>>The number of PSAs is normally a function of the media management’s commitment to the community and the amount of available space or time.<<

The number of PSAs aired is normally...
(maybe not *aired* since NewsPapers dont air? )

>>The media determines the commitment to<<

The media determines its commitment to

>>The media director may r<<

If you titled him a public service director earlier, why not call him that now? (also, maybe capitalize Public Service Director since it is a position.)

>>The most difficult job of a potential PSA promoter is demonstrating why they should be 'favored' over some other organization or cause.

Organizations that have purchased advertising to support their causes <<

First of all:
...is demonstrating why his cause should be 'favored'...
Second of all: maybe this should be one paragraph, with "For example" or something put as transition. IE:
"...over some other organization or cause. For instance, an organization that purchased advertising in the past..."

>>PSAs work if they are interesting and catch the viewer’s attention. The viewer will take the message into account. But if the message is unclear or the PSA is boring it will not work.<<

A PSA will work if it is interesting and catches the viewer's attention. Then the viewer will take the...
...or the PSA is boring, the viewer will will ignore it and it will not get its message across.

This paragraph comes a little out of left field. There should be some sort of sentence making a connection or transition between what you were saying until then and this paragraph. Like, "Even if the PSA is accepted, it will not necessarily do its job. A PSA has to be interesting to catch the viewers attention..." W@ever. It may require restructuring the paragraph, but will make the reading more fluid.

I think that's it! Wait 7 days and get recommended. No reason you shouldn't get in.

Thanks so much,

the only thing I didn't do was put the two 'paragraphs' together. The secound one isn't really a paragraph. It's more of a stand alone sentance, to help the point.

But if you really think it should be changed, let me know.

THanks.