PSAs Get 17 Seconds of Each Television Hour

PSAs GET 17 SECONDS OF EACH TELEVISION HOUR
[SOURCE: Kaiser Family Foundation]
To help inform the work of non-profits seeking to communicate with the public, the Kaiser Family Foundation is releasing a new, updated study that examines the extent and nature of public service advertising (PSA) on both broadcast and cable television. The report finds that broadcast and cable stations in the study donated an average of 17 seconds an hour to PSAs ­ totaling one-half of one percent of all TV airtime. The most frequent time period for PSAs to air was between midnight and 6 a.m., accounting for 46% of donated PSAs across all stations in the study; looking only at broadcast stations, 60% of donated PSAs ran overnight. The time period with the fewest donated PSAs was during prime time (8-11 p.m.), with 13% of all donated PSAs.
http://www.kff.org/entmedia/entmedia012408nr.cfm

* Public service ads tilt to insomniacs (Associated Press)
http://www.latimes.com/business/printedition/la-fi-psa25jan25,1,1492667....

* PSAs are few and far between (Associated Press)
http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D8UCD2GG0.htm

* Shouting To Be Heard (2): Public Service Advertising in a Changing Television World
http://www.kff.org/entmedia/7715.cfm

* FCC Commissioner Michael Copps
"This year, by the way, broadcasters have a special challenge-preparing television viewers for the upcoming DTV transition... I do want to make one point that is germane to this discussion of PSAs: It's going to require lots of air time to make viewers aware of what's coming and what they need to do to prepare themselves for DTV. But it would be tragic if we saw all the other kinds of PSAs and public service programming cut back to accommodate this new need. Stepping up to the plate here means broadcasters doing both the DTV transition and moving ahead-not cutting back-on PSAs."
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-279697A1.doc

* Kaiser Family Foundation Study Takes Aim at PSAs
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6525265.html?rssid=193

* National Association of Broadcasters
"We're pleased with Kaiser's findings that there has been no decrease in public service advertising over the last five years. NAB's own surveys reveal that local television and radio stations donate more than seven billion dollars in airtime for PSAs annually."
http://www.nab.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=News_Room&TEMPLATE=/CM/Conten...