Public service announcements

DEFINITION: Advertisements targeted at specific audiences advocating a course of action meant to benefit the public at large

SIGNIFICANCE: Because public service announcements are often produced and distributed by government agencies, they can be targets for censorship by those who believe them to conflict with prevailing political ideology

Hundreds of millions of dollars worth of broadcast time and print space are annually devoted to public service announcement (PSA) campaigns. Research has shown that PSAs can contribute to personal behavioral change, provided that they use simple and direct messages targeted at specific audiences. Most public service campaigns present fairly innocuous messages, encouraging members of the audience to do such things as wear automobile seat belts, get regular medical checkups, or stop smoking.

The “America Responds to AIDS” campaign, launched in 1987 by the US Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Disease Control (the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), was criticized by some audiences for its direct public-health messaging. The campaign’s “America Responds . . .” radio announcements spoke frankly about illicit drug use and sexual infidelity; a television PSA featured an animated condom that “walked” across a floor and jumped into a bed, where it slid under the covers between the bed’s two occupants.

Supporters cheered the campaign’s frankness, but critics argued that the campaign emphasized condom use rather than abstinence-based messaging. The campaign was attacked by conservative members of Congress, who agreed that it was improper for government funds to be used to create PSAs that some people found objectionable. Many broadcasters refused to air the spots, claiming they were inappropriate for their audiences.

Concern over the content of some PSAs continued into the twenty-first century as debates over school curricula and educational materials expanded in many states. In 2023, numerous US states introduced or enacted laws that critics, including PEN America, described as “educational gag orders” restricting discussions on topics such as race, gender, and LGBTQ+ issues in educational settings. These laws have led to the removal or alteration of educational materials and PSAs that address these subjects. Critics argued that these measures limited or removed educational materials intended to inform students about race, gender, and LGBTQ+ topics. Public-health and educational campaigns addressing politically controversial subjects have at times faced restrictions, criticism, or removal by government officials, broadcasters, school districts, or advocacy groups.

Bibliography

“America Responds to AIDS.” National Library of Medicine, www.nlm.nih.gov/exhibition/surviving-and-thriving/digitalgallery_theme_2.html. Accessed 6 May 2026.

“America’s Censored Classrooms 2023.” PEN America, 9 Nov. 2023, pen.org/report/americas-censored-classrooms-2023. Accessed 6 May 2026.

Greenberg, Susan H. “Gag Orders Threaten Higher Ed, PEN America Report Finds.” Inside Higher Ed, 9 Nov. 2023, www.insidehighered.com/news/quick-takes/2023/11/09/gag-orders-threaten-higher-ed-pen-america-report-finds. Accessed 6 May 2026.

Grossman, Andrew M., and Kristin A. Shapiro. “Shining a Light on Censorship: How Transparency Can Curtail Government Social Media Censorship and More.” Cato Institute, 3 Oct. 2023, www.cato.org/briefing-paper/shining-light-censorship-how-transparency-can-curtail-government-social-media. Accessed 6 May 2026.

“Tips for Getting Public Service Announcements (PSAs) Aired.” American Library Association, www.ala.org/conferencesevents/celebrationweeks/natlibraryweek/radiotpsatips. Accessed 6 May 2026.