Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Public Service Anouncements And The Fight Against Aids: A Survey Of Radio Broadcasters' Attitudes And Policies, Douglas J. Swanson

Journalism

A pilot study surveyed radio broadcasters in Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas to further an understanding of their role as gatekeepers for public service announcements (PSA) to educate audiences about AIDS and bring about "safe" behavior. A total of 300 stations were in the sample. Respondents were asked to provide information about their stations and their stations' use of HIV/AIDS PSAs. Most broadcasters reported using HIV/AIDS PSAs (76.1%). About one-third of broadcasters who reported not using the PSAs claimed they had never been offered any such announcements to broadcast. Most respondents agreed that HIV/AIDS is a significant national and local …