CIDI Kicks Off 3rd Annual 'PSAid: Public Service Announcements for International Disasters,' Contest

CIDI Kicks Off 3rd Annual 'PSAid: Public Service Announcements for International Disasters,' Contest

College Students Have Opportunity to Win Up To $30,000 Cash

ARLINGTON, Va., Feb. 4 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Center for International Disaster Information (CIDI) launched its 3rd annual (PSA) contest, PSAid: Public Service Announcements for International Disasters today with an official call for entries to college students across the U.S. This increasingly popular contest calls on U.S.-based college students to create an educational 30-second print and broadcast PSA that will heighten awareness surrounding the message that "Cash is Best" when it comes to international disaster relief efforts.

This year's contest offers a new print category which allows even more students to participate by opening this contest to a broader pool of talent. The contest reaches out to aspiring filmmakers, photographers, journalists, graphic designers, artists and more in the hopes that these inspired youth will serve as the most creative platform for delivering this timely and critical message. PSAid provides students with the unique opportunity to educate Americans on how to efficiently and effectively assist the globe's disaster victims, while also gaining valuable career experience. Last year's PSAid winners had their PSA entries aired nationwide on television and cable programs reaching hundreds of millions of viewers.

Students will compete for a portion of the $30,000 in cash prizes. Three final winners will be announced in each category. Winners from both categories have the chance to have his or her PSA nationally distributed to major television networks, cable channels and magazine and newspaper outlets, as well as the chance to receive national attention through contest promotions. Entries will be judged on overall impact, originality, memorable content, delivery, and clear and concise messages. Winners will be chosen based on the combined results of a panel of professionals and public vote.

This year, the judging panel will welcome two prominent media officials who understand the plight of international disaster victims. Joanna Coles, Editor-in-Chief of Marie Claire magazine; one of the country's leading fashion, lifestyle and socially-conscious magazines, and John Stanmeyer, an award-winning photojournalist for the culturally groundbreaking magazine, National Geographic will serve as contest judges. Experts from CIDI and the United States Agency for International Development's Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA) will complete the judging panel.

Students are asked to submit their entries digitally at www.psaid.org.

This interactive Web site not only provides students with helpful production tools such as logos, stock images, common myths and FAQs, but will also allow them to participate in the selection process by commenting on entries, posting submissions to their social network pages such as Facebook and ultimately voting on their top choices. This year, CIDI will also launch its very own Facebook group, where students have the chance to find out additional contest information and post their feedback and comments directly on the page.

Five semifinalists in each category will be announced in April for viewing, voting and downloading on CIDI's Web site at www.psaid.org. The general public will have one week to vote (counting 20 percent towards toward the entries total points) from April 11-18. General public votes will be combined with the panel of professionals (80 percent of the total points) and a winner will be announced nationally on or around April 21, 2007.

The first-place winner in the broadcast category will receive $12,000 cash; the second- and third-place winners will receive $5,000 and $3,000 in cash, respectively. The first-place winner in the print category will receive $6,000 cash; second- and third-place winners will receive $3,000 and $1,000 in cash, respectively.

2008 PSAid judges include:
-- Suzanne H. Brooks, Founder and Director of CIDI
-- Tony Stitt, USAID
-- Nazik M. Salih, USAID
-- Rebecca Gustafson, USAID
-- Todd Horne, USAID
-- Joanna Coles, Editor-in-Chief, Marie Claire magazine

-- John Stanmeyer, award-winning National Geographic and Time photojournalist

For a complete set of contest rules and regulations, as well as other contest information or to submit a PSA, please visit www.psaid.org.

CIDI is based in Arlington, VA, and was created in 1988. CIDI provides individuals, groups, embassies and corporations with information and guidance in support of appropriate international disaster relief efforts. The organization works with a variety of partners to channel the public's energy and desire to help to achieve maximum impact. By reaching out to the American public and the private sector, CIDI helps to promote activities and donations that will do the most good for disaster victims around the world.

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: Center for International Disaster Information

CONTACT: Salma Bahramy, Hill & Knowlton, +1-202-944-1901, for the Center
for International Disaster Information

Web Site:

http://www.psaid.org/

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