PSA Scripting

General Information about PSAs

• Public Service Messages, or “PSAs,” at KDHX are available at no cost, but are restricted to serving 501c(3) not-for-profit organizations who wish to inform members of our community about the service that the organization provides.

• PSAs are limited to informational announcements that feature ongoing services and hotlines, and are NOT produced for date specific one-time or short-run events. These are handled by our Arts, Events and Concert Calendar.

• Messages are scripted according to the guidelines below, and are based on the content provided by the press release and/or announcement request. We will not run pre-produced PSAs, nor use copy provided verbatim. We choose to write our own version of the message according to our template to keep coverage from favoring one organization over another.

• PSAs messages are written and produced by volunteers, will include an instrumental music bed, will be :30 seconds in length, and will run randomly on our schedule at a frequency of approximately 4 times per day. A particular PSA stays in rotation for approximately 30 days before being replaced.

Writing a Script

• To begin go here (you might want to “right click” this link, and open it in a new tab)
• The opening line includes a mention of the organization and the service that they provide.
  • “Your friends at KDHX want you to know about the Educational Opportunity Center’s Talent Search Program.”
• Paragraph of one or two brief sentences, describes the sponsoring company and the service(s) they provide.
  • “Dedicated to giving adults a second chance at education, the EOC St. Louis students make the best educational choices they can. They offer the Educational Talent Search Program, designed to help at-risk students complete high school and enter an institution of higher learning after graduation. The Program includes career counseling and financial aid advice.”
• Next line is contact information, re-stating the title of the organization/program, phone # and website, if easily stated – always in ‘passive’ tone. (“For more info, you may…” is required instead of “Visit EOC dot ORG for more information”)
  • “For more information on The EOC and the Talent Search program, EOC dot ORG. “
• The ‘wrap’ line includes our tagline and legal ID (”...88 1 KDHX, St. Louis”), but preferably mentions the sponsoring organization again (or the event/service title, if significantly more appropriate).
  • “Tell a friend you heard about the Educational Opportunity Center’s Talent Search Program on 88 1, KDHX St. Louis”

Special Notes

• Use Phonetics: if something is challenging to pronounce, it is best to write out fo-NET-ick-lee.
• Website addresses should be as basic as is possible or omitted. Always exclude the “www”s.
• Our standard opening and the wrap lines: “Your friends at KDHX want you to know about...” & “Tell your friends you heard about__on 88 1, KDHX St. Louis.”