title: Life cycle of television public service announcements disseminated through donated airtime.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the longevity and reach of television public service announcements (PSAs) developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Screen for Life: National Colorectal Cancer Action Campaign.
  
  
  METHODS
  Television airtime donated to Screen for Life PSAs was tracked, and the impressions (a broadcasting metric for audience size) generated by PSAs in circulation ≥ 5 years were analyzed in 2014. The sample consisted of 8 PSAs, including English and Spanish PSAs, PSAs featuring celebrities, and PSAs redistributed multiple times after their initial release.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the most recent year of circulation (5-9 years after initial release), each PSA generated 15.7 million to 251.7 million impressions. Peak annual impressions were achieved as late as 9 years after a PSA's initial release. When PSAs were redistributed 2 years or longer after the prior distribution, annual impressions increased over the preceding year by > 20 million in 80.0% of instances. Among English PSAs, those featuring celebrities produced the highest mean and peak annual impressions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Donated-placement television PSAs can be a long-lived health promotion strategy. Redistribution may enhance PSA longevity, and featuring celebrities, particularly in English PSAs, may expand reach.
authors: Soltera Center for Cancer Prevention and Control, Tucson, AZ 85704, United States.
authors: Crystale Purvis
authors: CP
authors: Cooper
authors: Soltera Center for Cancer Prevention and Control, Tucson, AZ 85704, United States.
authors: Cynthia A
authors: CA
authors: Gelb
authors: Soltera Center for Cancer Prevention and Control, Tucson, AZ 85704, United States.
authors: Jennifer
authors: J
authors: Chu
keywords: Colorectal cancer; Health communication; Mass media; Screening