Several types of definitions for Public Service Announcements, also known as PS As, exist, but the simplified version used by the Lehigh Acres Gazette states that these are messages in the public interest that the Gazette will place on its website free of charge. The goal here is to raise the awareness or change the public attitude or behavior concerning a specific issue.
Because PSA’s depend on donated space, you’ll often find you’re not able to get them run on all the media outlets you’d like to, or you may find yourself at the mercy of media staff members who may be overworked, arbitrary, or personally opposed to your group’s work. PSA’s are often run as “filler” somewhere in a print publication and then only at times that may not prove advantageous to the group making the announcement.
Therefore the Gazette is pleased to announce a new featured page that will contain these messages of public interest for our readers to see, understand and act upon.
Note to the right at the top of the sidebar you’ll see a link to our new Public Service Announcements page.
All organizations, including government entities can make use of placing announcements that are in the public interest on this specific page in order to get their message across to our readers. Copy should be written and presented in third person voice, i.e., no use of a first-person “I or We.”
Note: this space is not to be used to promote products and services that are typically displayed in a four advertisement. An example would be some type of health organization announcing that a new service or educational program is available to the general public versus the announcement that a new type of medical devices available for purchase.
The standard Public Service Announcement should answer the following questions:
Who or what is the organization?
What is the subject of the announcement?
When is the subject of the announcement in effect?
Where the subject of the announcement is located, or where is the organization’s location?
Why is the announcement being made?
How is this announcement going to affect a person reading it?
All announcements must be accompanied by a contact telephone number for readers to gain additional information if needed. Furthermore, a contact person and telephone number not contained within the PSA is necessary for our records and in the event a staff member needs to contact somebody at the submitting organization.
Submissions need to be e-mailed to: psa@lehighacresgazette.info.
Any individual organization wishing to participate needing more information should call the Gazette at 239-491-3078.