Download WRITING A RADIO P.S.A. Sample Instructions from WCPT Radio

WRITING A RADIO P.S.A. Sample Instructions from WCPT Radio, Chicago, IL 1. How many words can be included in a PSA? Here at Chicago's Progressive Talk, we generally air 30 second PSAs.
30 Seconds = 80 Words
It's important that the length is accurate. Otherwise, the PSA may not be usable.
2. Counting words properly. It is not sufficient to use your computer's "Word Count". The computer does not count numbers or
website/email addresses correctly. Count each number as a separate word, just the way you would if
you wrote out the number.
Example: 21 is actually two words – "twenty" and "one".
Nor does the "Word Count" function in your computer recognize that a phone number with dashes is
more than one word.
Example: 312-222-2222
"Word count" thinks this phone number is one word. It is actually 10 words. If, for any reason, a dash
or period must also be read, remember to count these as well. The same issue occurs with website or
email addresses.
[email protected]
Word count says this email address is one word.
This address is actually 7 words:
k / clarke / at / newsweb / radio / dot / net
1234567
If you read your phone number, website or email address out loud, you will usually count correctly.
3. How do I make the PSA effective? Don't try to get all the information in. Include what, where, when and then other important information.
Leave time to repeat the phone number or website twice at the end of the PSA.
Don't include your email address if it's too hard to understand hearing it only once (for instance, long
website addresses). One mistake is to include the phone number only once because a long website
address takes up so many words.
Don't "bury the lead". The first sentence of the PSA should catch the listener's attention and call
attention to the most important element of the PSA. It should be a call to action.
Don't get too technical. Keep it simple. If you can get the listeners to call, come, write, check your
website, or do the one, most important thing you want them to do, you'll have the opportunity to give
them more, in-depth, information.