Public Service Announcement (PSA) Category Definition


The iVIE Public Service Announcement (PSA) category is open to K-12 students. The entries must be 30 OR 60 seconds in length, total running time, not including credits or blank frames. By submitting your PSA, you consent to its use by the San Diego County Office of Education and iVIE partners, to be broadcast for promotional and/or educational purposes.

A public service announcement informs the public or raises awareness about social issues, community services, health or safety concerns, or environmental conditions. Government regulation requires radio and TV stations to contribute a certain amount of broadcast time for PSAs.

In addition to raising awareness, a PSA must also encourage to viewer to take some form of action or change their behavior. All this must be done in a very short period of time. An effective PSA can communicate a message and evoke the desired emotion with a mix of music or sound, narration and images, in just 30 to 60 seconds.

Questions about the differences between student created video and teacher created video or how much to expect from students during the video creation process? Click here for more information.

A public service announcement uses many marketing techniques to educate, motivate, and call the viewer to action. A successful PSA meets the following objectives:

  • Gets the viewer's attention
  • Convinces the viewer that they can make a difference
  • Makes every word and image count
  • Uses emotions to compel your viewer
  • Clearly calls the viewer to action

If you have further questions about a Public Service Announcement submission, please contact Becki Goehl.

 
Public Service Announcement Examples

Learn More about PSA's

  1. Wikipedia PSA entry
  2. Ad Council As the leading producer of public service advertisements (PSA) since 1942, the Ad Council has been addressing critical social issues for generations of Americans. Visit the PSA gallery for examples.
  3. Using Public Service Announcements in the Classroom Kathy Schrock provides multiple links to PSA examples from past to present.
  4. WillowWeb Character Counts PSAs Elementary students produce PSAs as part of "Character Counts,"a character education framework used nation-wide.
PSA Entry Example

Click image to see video
"No Excuses" 2007 9-12 Broadcast Journalism Nominee
Orange Glen High School - Escondido Union High School District - Teacher: Rob Coppo

Purpose: To Persuade
Audience: Students
Educational Objective: This series of PSAs were designed to open a discussion about drinking and driving among students, teachers and parents. This particular PSA, "No Excuses" was designed to address the many justifications students use for drinking and driving. By juxtaposing the images of actual accidents with photos of the victims, it is hoped that students can make the connection between their words and their actions.

California State Content Standards

Visual and Performing Arts

2.0 Creative Expression

2.1 Solve a visual arts problem that involves the effective use of the elements of art and the principles of design.

2.6 Create a two- or three-dimensional work of art that addresses a social issue.

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