public service announcements PSA's are an effective--and free--way to notify people about your event, but they are also a way to increase public awareness of your organization and its goal. They provide brief "exposure" in a number of mass media at once, so there is a free opportunity to have at least the name of your organization widely and frequently mentioned. Within the length limits specified, creative writing can get across more than just the time and place of your event. You can also use them to thank people and organizations who have helped you. Using PSA's means knowing what each media outlet is willing to accept, and how they want it. Each of the following media outlets was kind enough to respond to our request for their requirements, and we'd like to add any others in the Halifax region that publish or broadcast PSAs. Got any case histories of effective PSA's? Suggestions here please. Radio 94.7 Seaside-FM (CFEP-FM) Eastern Passage - Metro Halifax CKDU 97.5 FM 97.9 FM Community Radio CHNS/CHFX Radio CBC Radio One, Information Morning Newspapers Daily News The Laker / The Weekly Press The Dartmouth Laker (Dartmouth, Cole Harbour, Colby Village and Portland Estates) Southender Magazine (South-end Halifax) Bedford Magazine (Bedford, Hammonds Plains, Kingswood and Glen Arbour) Chebucto News (Armdale, Harrietsfield, Herring Cove, Jollimore, Ketch Harbour, The Pennants, Purcell's Cove, Portuguese Cove Sambro, Spryfield, Williamswood) The Masthead News (St. Margaret's Bay, Prospect Road, Chester, Tantallon, Hammonds Plains, the South Shore, Timberlea and adjacent communities) Television EastLink Television Cable distribution to subscribers. 94.7 SEASIDE-FM (CFEP-FM) Eastern Passage - Metro Halifax "Metro's Easy Listening Radio Station" 2 weeks notice is asked before going to air. Maximum length: 30 to 60 seconds (reading time). Title of our PSAs, is "SEASIDE-FM Notes", which are read at about 8 minutes before each hour. PSA received will also be posted on our web site: seasidefm.com. Address to: General Manager PSA SEASIDE-FM P.O. Box 196, Eastern Passage B3G 1M5 E-mail: seasidefm@ns.sympatico.ca Fax 469-0966 back to list CBC Radio One, Information Morning Submit one week before event. By email, about a paragraph's worth of information is best, to: infomorning@halifax.cbc.ca You can also call in your announcement to "Talkback" 1-800-582-5526 or 420-4499. Be sure to leave your name and phone number. Length: between 30 and 60 seconds. Your recording may be used on-air. back to list EastLink Television Cable distribution to subscribers. Messages promoting non-profit groups, organizations and events Your PSA must be sent in at least 2 weeks in advance of your event. No longer then 25 words. Include a telephone number in the body of the text for viewers who wish to receive additional information from your organization. Please do not post ticket prices or cost. We are unable to post messages that are of a political or religious nature, or supporting a rally or demonstration. A Public Service Announcement will remain on the Notice Board for a maximum of 7 days. Due to the high volume, we cannot guarantee airtime if you message is not sent in 2 weeks in advance. Address to: EastLink Television 367 Sackville Drive, Lower Sackville, NS B4C 2R7 Fax: 453-5714 E-mail: sabina.capaldi@corp.eastlink.ca back to list Daily News PSA's must be received at least three days prior to the event. Should not exceed 50 words- but keep in mind it may be cut down to just the main details. Include details (time, date, location, cost...) and a contact number. Address to: Daily News Denise Surette, Community Calendar Box 8330 Stn. A, Halifax, NS B3K 5M1 Fax: 422-5667 Email: community@hfxnews.ca back to list 97.9 FM Community Radio Maximum length of the announcement: 15-20 seconds (reading time), preferably pre-written for immediate production. You can give additional details, which may be used at the announcer's discretion. Preference: one week in advance of broadcast; last minute announcements can be accommodated within 24 hours. Address to: Email: 979@inforadiocanada.com   James MacLeod, 441-9415 Email: jack@inforadiocanada.com   Jack McGaw, 423-5585 back to list The Laker / The Weekly Press Items of interest. Maximum of 250 words, with contact names and numbers. Two weeks in advance. Address to: Weekly Press Attn: Heather 287 Highway #2, Enfield, NS B2T 1C9 Fax: 883-3180 E-mail: wp.editor@ns.sympatico.ca (text format only). back to list CHNS/CHFX RADIO Oldies 96, CHNS & Country 101, CHFX There is no set time limit, as PSA's are a Community Focus section within our broadcast. We get the most important facts of your event...and that's it. PSAs should be submitted at least 11 days before broadcast. Address to: Christa Webber CHNS/CHFX RADIO 5121 Sackville St. 3rd Floor Halifax, Nova Scotia B3J 1K1 Fax: 422-5330 E-mail: christa.webber@chfxradio.com back to list The Dartmouth Laker (Dartmouth, Cole Harbour, Colby Village and Portland Estates) Southender Magazine (South-end Halifax) Bedford Magazine (Bedford, Hammonds Plains, Kingswood and Glen Arbour) These are monthly community publications. Notices should be received by the submission deadline, which is a week before the publication goes to press and 11 days before the publication is distributed. See schedule for dates. Announcements should be 100 words or less. Contributors should specify which publication(s) they want their PSA to run in. Should they wish to run the same notice more than once, they must re-submit the notice each month. Preference is given to notices pertaining specifically to the publication's community. For example, Bedford events and activities are given priority over non-Bedford events in Bedford Magazine. If groups have photos or graphics they'd like to submit to accompany their announcement, they are welcome to do so. They may either e-mail them to me at this address (JPEG format, minimum 175 dpi, 8" wide or larger), or mail hard copies to be scanned. These must be received by the submission deadline, as well. Address to: Attn: Shirley McLaughlin Preferably by email to: editorial@graphicadvocate.ns.ca Submissions can also be mailed to: (name of publication) 130 Wright Avenue, Dartmouth, NS B3B 1R6 Attn: Shirley McLaughlin back to list Chebucto News (Armdale, Harrietsfield, Herring Cove, Jollimore, Ketch Harbour, The Pennants, Purcell's Cove, Portuguese Cove Sambro, Spryfield, Williamswood) Published monthly. Limited space for PSA's, must relate to coverage area. Welcomes articles of interest to residents of coverage area. Deadline 20th of month before publication. Address to: Reg Horner E-mail: rhorner@ns.sympatico.ca back to list The Masthead News (St. Margaret's Bay, Prospect Road, Chester, Tantallon, Hammonds Plains, the South Shore, Timberlea and adjacent communities) Twice monthly, every second Wednesday. Contact for dates in any given month. Deadline, Wednesday before publication. Community events listings are free to churches, schools and non-profits within the circulation area. Length max 35 words (including date, time, admission fee if applicable). Attach your name and phone. Address to: Masthead News Box 280, Hubbards, N.S. B0J 1T0 Fax: (902) 857-1234 E-mail: themastheadnews@aol.com back to list CKDU 97.5 FM Submit at least one week in advance of announcement date. Last-minute submissions will be accepted, but there is no guarantee they will make it on air in time. Maximum length: two-three short paragraphs. Please submit the psa written the way you would like the programmer to read it. Address to: Pierre/spoken word coordinator E-mail: psa@ckdu.ca back to list

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