Public Service Announcements for International Disasters

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Frequently Asked Questions

GENERAL
SUBMISSIONS & VOTING
CONTEST THEME: PSA Contents
PRINT CATEGORY
BROADCAST CATEGORY
CONTACTS
- Who do I contact for questions about the contest?
- Where can I find more information?

GENERALBack to Top

What is PSAid?

PSAid is a public service announcement (PSA) contest for U.S.-based, college and university students. PSAid challenges students to create broadcast or print PSAs that explain the importance of appropriate international disaster relief and build support for relief work done by well-established, U.S.-based international disaster relief organizations. Students compete for cash prizes and national distribution of their PSA. In addition to professional growth and experience, students have the opportunity to help international disaster victims through their PSAs.
What is the deadline date?

All entries must be received by March 29, 2010 no later than 11:59 EDT.

Who can enter?

The competition is open to all undergraduate and graduate students who are enrolled in any full-time or part-time U.S.-based university program, including international students with a valid, current state visa. Students must be at least 18 years of age to participate.

What can I win?

In addition to cash prizes totaling more than $30,000, winners may have their PSA distributed nationally to major television networks and cable channels and may be used as the new voice and face of CIDI.

What are the contest rules and guidelines?

The official Contest Rules and Guidelines are available at www.psaid.org. All entrants must read and understand these guidelines for their entry to be valid. Students must enter original work; entries that have previously won awards are not eligible.

What are the key contest dates?
The key contest dates are:
- Contest officially begins: January 4, 2010
- Entries due: March 29, 2010
- Semifinalists announced: April 9, 2010
- Public voting: April 9- April 18, 2010
- Final winners announced: April 21, 2010

SUBMISSIONS & VOTINGBack to Top

How and where do I submit my PSA entry?

All contestants must register online and sign an electronic certification form along with any personal release forms (online signature). Entries must be uploaded to www.psaid.org.

What do I need to submit in order to enter the contest?
For an entry to be complete, we must receive your:
1. Entry;
2. Registration and certification information (completed online)
3. Any applicable personal release forms (submitted online).
All items are due no later than 11:59 EDT on March 29, 2010.
Can I submit both a print PSA and a broadcast PSA?

Yes, you are allowed to enter one PSA per category; if desired, you may submit one entry for the print category and one entry for the broadcast category. Please note, these are two separate categories and will be judged and voted on by the public separately and independent of each other.

What is the Groups option in the Registration Process and How Does it Work?

For contestants who desire to work in teams, entries may be submitted as group entries. There is no limit to amount of group members and all members must register at www.psaid.org. First, teams should designate a group leader who will register on the Web site as a Contestant. At registration, the leader should select “create a group.” A group ID will then be assigned. All additional group members will then register themselves and each will indicate that he or she is a member of the group by indicating the group ID number.

What is the Difference between a Public and a Contestant Registration on the Web site?

Contestant registrations are required for students wishing to officially enter the PSAid contest. Public registrations are for other www.psaid.org site visitors who wish to receive communications on the competition, view entries, and add comments to entries. Voters are not required to register, however, they will be required to give a valid email address to confirm their vote (see How Does the Public Vote? below).

I am entering the contest. What are the key steps for submitting a PSA and what happens with my entry?
1. Register as a Contestant (or a Contestant Group member)
2. Produce the PSA
3. Upload the PSA to www.psaid.org
  - If a Print Media submission, be certain to upload both required formats
  - If a video media, it must be in one of the specified formats
4. Submit the required registration information online and on time. This includes basic information and the release authorizations from actors or/and owners of proprietary material within the PSA.
5. Contest administrators review and approve the registration information and PSA for completeness. If there are problems or issues with any part of the submission, the contestant(s) will be notified in order for necessary adjustments. The PSA entry will not be seen on the Web site until all materials are in order.
6. If everything is found to be in order, the PSA is accepted. If it is a print submission, then it is immediately available for public review. If it is a broadcast submission, then it will be converted into a flash video format and posted for public review after conversion (usually the next day). All contestants are notified by automatically generated email that their submission has been accepted.
7. PSAs are available for public commentary. At this time, interest can be generated by the contestant(s) using social networking services or any other appropriate mechanisms.
8. When the submission period ends, the judges review all the PSAs and select five finalists in each category. The online display will change to separate finalists and other submissions.
9. Public voting is opened to help choose the winners.
10. Following the public voting phase, three winners in each category are revealed. Non-winning finalists are moved to a secondary display area.
Can I submit an individual or group entry?

Yes, you can submit an entry either individually or as a group. If you submit a group entry, the group will be responsible for dividing the prize money among group members. Groups should identify one point person to be contact by the CIDI for technical and administrative issues. All group members must complete registration information online with the group leader’s name identified.

How are winners chosen?

All entries will first be judged by a panel of professionals who will select five finalists. The five finalist entries will then be available for viewing on the PSAid Web site and for voting by the general public. General public votes will be combined with the judges’ votes to determine three winners in each category.

What are the judges looking for with the PSAs?

The judges will review all entries for overall impact, originality, memorable content, delivery/artistic skill, and clear and concise messages. The judges’ are looking for the entries that best convey both the importance and the impact of appropriate international disaster response. Additional suggestions from judges and additional knowledgeable professionals, is available in the Resources section at www.psaid.org.

How does the public vote?

Anyone with a valid email address and computer access is invited to vote at www.psaid.org. Visitors may locate semifinalist entries at the site by April 9, 2010 and may vote for one entry per contest category.

Can I vote more than one time?

One vote per category (broadcast and print) per valid email address is allowed.

How will winners be notified?

Winners will be notified by both email and phone.

CONTEST THEME: PSA ContentsBack to Top

What is the objective of PSAid?

The objective of PSAid is to educate the general public about CIDI’s principle theme that Cash is Best when it comes to appropriate international disaster relief. PSA entries should inform the public of how to help when an international disaster occurs. Viewers should understand, through the PSAs, that cash is the most efficient and most appropriate way to help victims of an international disaster.

What are the key themes I should keep in mind when creating my PSA?
- PSAs should inform the public of how to best help international disaster victims
- Ideally, PSAs should build on the interest of people ready to donate to an international disaster relief effort and demonstrate how they can channel their interest into optimal (cash) donations
- Cash donations are the fastest and best way to provide effective relief to international disaster victims
- In-kind gifts (products/goods) take time and money to transport, rarely meet victims' urgent needs, and can often interfere with onsite professional relief efforts
- Americans can truly make a difference in international disaster relief effort
- The public's help is crucial, and appropiate forms of giving (cash) can make a lasting and positive in an international disaster situation
- When choosing a charity to give to, always select well-established, recognized international disaster relief agencies with a track record of providing relief, with program professionals on-site and the capacity to provide assistance to those who need it most
Why are cash donations the preferred method of international disaster aid?
Cash is Best for these three reasons:
- Financial contributions are easily convertible to meet the international disaster victims' specific and immediate needs;
- Cash donations are more efficient, allowing purchases to be made at a bulk discount, at a lower transportation cost and with American dollars which generally go farther overseas;
- Cash donations go directly to the disaster site, allowing for exact purchases of what is needed most urgently and stimulating local economies. Other donations, such as products/goods, take time and money to transport, rarely meet victims' urgent needs, often interfere with professional relief efforts and frequently clash with cultural norms.
Students are encouraged to review CIDI’s guidance on appropriate international disaster response. CIDI offers Guidelines as well as the overview titled, “Who - How - Why”. Both are available in the PSAid Web site resources section and on the CIDI Web site.
What should I NOT include in my PSA entry?
- Domestic disasters – the contest is specific to international disaster response.
- Any disparaging remarks or questionable content.
- Request viewers to send donations to the CIDI; the CIDI does not accept donations.
- A word of caution about too much focus on in-kind donations – keep your message clear and don’t rely on past entries to guide your submission.
Can we include information in the PSA about donating other items such as commodities to international disaster victims?

No. We would rather the PSA to focus on the Cash is Best theme, encourage the public to channel their desire to help via cash donations, and deter people from the notion of giving inappropriate items that will not best help victims. One of the greatest misconceptions regarding international disaster relief is that goods and products are urgently needed after a foreign disaster. Supplies, particularly food and clothing, can almost always be purchased locally - even in famine situations. Local procurement provides the triple advantage of stimulating local economies (providing employment, generating cash flow), ensuring that supplies arrive as quickly as possible and reducing transport and storage costs. Also remember that certain foods, particularly in famine situations, can make victims ill. Contestants should keep this information in mind to help them illustrate why Cash is Best in their PSA entry. And remember, it isn’t about telling people what not to do – but rather to take their good intentions and interest, and inform them of how to best help when an international disaster occurs. Americans can truly make a difference in international disaster relief efforts and by following "Cash is Best", we can help in a way that is most beneficial to the disaster victims themselves.

PRINT CATEGORYBack to Top

What are the format requirements for a print entry?

A print PSA submission should be formatted as an 8”x10” image. Entries should be uploaded in two formats: in EPS format with a minimum of 300 DPI resolution along with a JPG copy that is 600 x 400 pixels (72 DPI).

I’m using images and materials from outside sources in my print entry. What sort of permission do I need to obtain to ensure I have the right to use this?

If you are not the original author of the imagery or artwork you are including in your print entry, you should obtain permission from the source you are securing any copyrighted imagery from or purchase the materials from a royalty-free Web site.

Can I mail my entry to CIDI?

No, all entries must be uploaded at www.psaid.org.

What are the cash prizes for the print category?

The first place print winner will receive $6,000 cash prize from CIDI. The second- and third- place winners will receive $3,000 and $1,000 cash prizes, respectively. Final winners will receive checks from the CIDI shortly after the culmination of the contest.

BROADCAST CATEGORYBack to Top

What are the format requirements for a broadcast entry?

Broadcast entries should be developed for high image and sound quality. All broadcast PSAs are not to exceed 100 megabytes in size and should be no longer than 30 seconds in length. All broadcast submissions must include a standard end tag available on the contest resources section of the PSAid Web site. Acceptable upload formats are .WMV, .AVI, .MOV, .MPEG, .MPG, and H.264. For public display during the contest, a flash (.FLV) version will automatically be generated.
Please make sure the sound for a video PSA is of a quality suitable for presentation on television and other public media outlets. Clear enunciation cannot be overstated. Encourage all speakers to project through the end of sentences as to not diminish volume at the ends of sentences. Increase the volume for quieter speakers, and vice versa in order to insure the consistency of volume throughout the video.

Can I mail my entry to CIDI?

No, all entries must be uploaded electronically to www.psaid.org.

My broadcast entry includes actors. What sort of permission do I need to obtain to ensure I have the right to air this footage?

You must obtain consent from any actors who appear in your PSA. Entrants will be required to declare that they have consent from any people appearing in their PSA. Note that consent requirements may vary from state to state. A section on the PSAid Web site, titled "Personal Release Form", is available at www.psaid.org. Actors must electronically sign this section. Actors must physically sign this form and contestants must upload them to the website – contestants will be prompted during the upload process. It is the sole responsibility of the contestant to ensure that all actors have provided written consent for use in PSAid. Contestants without proper permission are subject to disqualification.

I’m using images, graphics, music or the like from outside sources in my broadcast entry. What sort of permission do I need to obtain to ensure I have the right to use this?

If you are not the original author of the imagery or artwork or music you are including in your entry, you should obtain permission from the source or purchase the materials from a royalty-free Web site.

What are the cash prizes for the broadcast category?

The first place broadcast winner will receive a $12,000 cash prize. The second- and third- place winners will receive $5,000 and $3,000 cash prizes, respectively. Final winners will receive checks from CIDI shortly after the culmination of the contest.

CONTACTSBack to Top

Who do I contact for questions about the contest?

Kate Houston
PSAid Contest Coordinator
607 14th Street, NW, Suite 300
Washington, D.C. 20005
Tel: (202) 821-4059

Where can I find more information?

Please visit www.psaid.org for more information about the competition and www.cidi.org for more information on appropriate international disaster response.

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