PSAs

[chuckigo@maine.rr.com]

----- Original Message -----
From: Donna Halper <dlh@donnahalper.com>
Date: Thursday, January 18, 2007 5:15 am
Subject: PSAs

> (snip) But let me ask those of you who are PDs or 
> announcers:   even if you are sold out, do you still try to fit in 
> a 
> certain number of PSAs?  If so, are there organizations you prefer 
> to 
> use, or is it a matter of whatever got sent to you that week?  
(snip)
> 

Donna,

   the one thing we try to do on our stations up here in Portland is 
bang the drum as loudly as possible for as many local area non-profit 
events as possible - it is the one thing that we can do to 
differentiate ourselves as not canned, bird-delivered or syndicated 
programming.  on Oldies 100.9, we try to work the local events in as 
convseration item as opposed to what some of our stations do - the pre-
produced "community calendar" thing.  the mentioning of local 
happenings is probably the most-commented upon aspect of our on-air 
programming that i hear - that we seem to know everything that is 
going on.  the in-studio list of events i have in front of me is 
broken down by day so that we get an opportunity to mention the events 
a few times, especially in the hour or so before they're scheduled to 
happen.  we get plenty of "thank you's" from groups who have had a 
number of people show up at the event saying they'd just heard about 
it on the radio and decided "why not."
  additionally, most of the stations in Portland do latch onto 
a "national" charitable organization off and on through the year (Red 
Cross, Toys For Tots, Children's Miracle Network, St.Jude's, cancer 
support groups, homeless shelters, food banks, etc) for one or two 
major attention-getters.
   as far as pre-recorded psa's, though, on our stations they are 
usually limited to a committment from the Association of Broadcasters 
(usually Maine's chapter), and those might be drinking & driving 
messages, coast guard, or highway safety.

- -Chuck Igo