The authors present a content analysis of 137 public service announcements (PSAs) focused on alcohol-impaired driving that aired nationally on U.S. television between 1987 and 1992. Their findings include the following: 1) Most PSAs were intended to reach an undifferentiated general audience, not necessarily those who are at greatest risk for driving and drinking. 2) Most PSAs were designed to create awareness of the problem of alcohol-impaired driving of to promote individual behaviour change. 3) Most PSAs were developed on the use of designated drivers than on any other subject. 4) About two-thirds of the PSAs included one or more celebreties who speak directly to the audience. Past media campaigns have to ignore the fact that people's behaviour is profoundly shaped by their environment, which in turn is shaped by public policy. The authors recommend that future mass media campaigns against alcohol-impaired driving focus on building support for changes in institutional structures, public policy or law that will motivate, support, and sustain the efforts of individual to alter their behaviour. They further recommend that the principal organizations concerned about alcohol-impaired driving share their plans and develop a common communications strategy that will advance the public policy agenda proposed by the Surgeon General's Workshop on Drunk Driving.
Samenvatting