How To Write A PSA
WZIP-FM 88.1 wants to broadcast your University of Akron or community Public Service Announcements. Follow the directions below and send your PSAs to WZIP on a regular basis. We’ll do the rest.
-Chris Keppler, General Manager, WZIP-FM, The University of Akron
Which Organizations are eligible to be included in free PSA Broadcasting?
Your group must be a non-profit, public service organization holding a 501-c-3 exempt tax status issued by the IRS in the name of your organization. (Most UA clubs, services, and departments hold this status-many community service groups also meet this requirement.) Your services should be available to the general population. Of course, every radio and TV station reserves the right to reject a PSA based on other criteria or if the content is not applicable to the audience.
What should your Public Service Announcement include?
This is the PSA submission style that’s acceptable to every radio, TV and Cable operation in our area.
Can I just send a news release or a flyer?
A news release will be given to the News Department and may or may not be used as a news item. A News Release is not a Public Service Announcement and may not contain all the information we need to get your message on the air as a PSA more frequently. A flyer doesn’t help us at all-we don’t know what’s the most important information on the flyer… flyers are often times incomplete… and we don’t have the time necessary to convert your flyer into a PSA. Handwriting is also a problem. Many times we can’t read the writing-so always computer print or type the PSA.
Send your Public Service Announcement to WZIP:
WZIP-FM88
The University of Akron
302 East Buchtel Avenue
Akron, OH 44325-1004
Email: wzip@uakron.edu
University of Akron Campus Mail: WZIP + 1004-Kolbe Hall 320
Public Service Announcement Example:
One More Thing…
Send a letter of thanks to the radio and TV stations that broadcast your Public Service Announcements. Radio and TV stations are not require by law to broadcast PSAs. WZIP broadcasts your PSAs in an effort to be supportive of your good work. Sending a letter of thanks every so often maybe help establish a long-term working relationship between your organization and the media. Your letter may be used by a radio or TV station to document its commitment to public service and the radio and TV stations may be more receptive to using your PSAs in the future if they know that you appreciate the work they’ve done for you on-air.