Directing and Producing for Television, 5th Edition

chapter elevenCommercials and Public Service Announcements

Similarities and Differences

Television commercials are television messages designed to sell:

1. a product
2. a service
3. an idea

A public service announcement, or PSA (public service bulletin [PSB] in the United Kingdom), is similar to a commercial but is produced for:

1. a socially relevant cause
2. a nonprofit organization

PSAs are usually dedicated to improving or serving organizations involved in education, health, welfare, safety, and so on. In the United States, commercial television stations are required by federal communications law to provide service to the community, and airing PSAs is considered a form of community service. Stations usually use their inventory of unsold air time ...