PSAs

Dear Editor:A great New Year's resolution for the city of Downey would be to display public service announcements (PSAs) wherever it can. Hard to spot in most cities, PSAs are also very scarce in Downey. The scarcity of PSAs is attributable to the fact that no one profits from them and PSAs usually cost money to produce. No one wants to spend money producing something that won't earn more money than it cost to make. The fact that the subject matter behind PSAs is usually sad, boring or condescending makes their lack of popularity and disappearance understandable too. Public service announcements agitate us because they often call into question our habits or morality. Most of us want instant gratification but not instant agitation. To spark the revival of PSAs in Downey, it should be our city's policy to put PSAs along the fencing of major city projects while construction is going on. Neat and simple banners should tell everyone to stop smoking, get to work on time, cover your mouth when sneezing, respect your parents, eat fruits and vegetables, help someone today, be nice, drive carefully, drink water, watch for pedestrians and cyclists, get your child off the floor at the store, read books, learn about money, take a class, do things with your children, brush your teeth, report crime, tell the truth, talk it out, etc. There are so many good things for Downey to say to residents and visitors yet there are no "signs" that Downey is making a concerted effort to use PSAs to remind folks of the important things they often forget. In 2014, Downey should commit to making PSAs a bigger part of its civic duty. Dan Chantre Downey

********** Published: Jan. 16, 2014 - Volume 12 - Issue 40