To report a problem or to provide us with feedback, please visit our Contact Page.

General Questions
Account Registration and Login
Comments, Ratings, and Flags
Profiles
Contacting Us

General Questions

What is Public Action?

Public Action is a shared online discussion environment designed to engage the public broadcasting audience in a new level of participation, to build stronger communities around local stations and favorite shows, and to facilitate the creation and delivery of next generation public media.

So... how does this work?

Stations and programs create unique discussions, where they might pose a question, invite information sharing, or just stimulate conversation. You can continue these conversations by posting text, images and links, and by uploading audio and video files.

What discussions are going on and where can I find them?

We invite you to look around and see what other discussions may interest you. Often, stations and shows list discussions happening all over the network on the left side of the page. You can also find all local conversations in the navigation bar at the top of this page in the Topic Index, Recent Discussions, and our Search pages.

Can I start a discussion?

A few stations and programs are offering this ability to registered users, but it's up to each station or program. Once logged in, you might see a "create a new discussion" link beneath your user name.

So what's the difference between topics and discussions?

Topics are broader categories. Each topic contains one or more discussions.

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Account Registration and Login

How do I register for an account?

To login, you must first register with your station or show, but it's easy! Click on the register link at the top of the page and provide us with the following basic info:

• Username - Make one up! It must be at least six characters. If your preferred username has already been selected, you will be asked to come up with a new one. It can include spaces, numbers, and most special characters.
• Password - Remember it! Passwords are also case-sensitive.
• Email Address - Must be a valid email address. You will receive an email shortly after registering (look in your junk mail filter for a message from pa@publicinteractive.com just in case). Click on the link in the email to activate your new registration. If you don't provide us with a valid email address, then you will not receive the email to activate your new account. Once you click on the activation link in the email, you will be asked to try out your new username and password by logging in!
• Security Image - By typing in the letters and number to match those in the security image, we prevent automated (non-human) registrants. They make for bad conversationalists, trust us. If you can't read the security code, click on the "New Image" link and an easier to read one will be provided.

I'm having trouble logging in, what should I do?

Have you already registered? You must register with your station or show before you can log in (see above). If you've already registered, did you receive an activation email? Check your junk mail folder if you can not find the email. You must click on the activation link in the email before you can use your new account and successfully log in.

If you have successfully activated your account but still can't log in (remember that passwords are case sensitive), click on the "Forgot Password" link beneath the username field. By entering either your username or email, a new temporary password will be emailed to you.

Why should I register?

Registration offers a number of benefits that put you in the driver seat. These include the ability to rate and flag comments, tag discussions, and create your own profile. We describe each of these features below.

If I go off to another public broadcasting discussion, do I have to re-register or log in?

No re-registration or re-logging in is required when on other stations and shows in the Public Action Network. Only your local station or show has your contact information, but other stations and shows on the Public Action Network will automatically recognize your credentials. No additional accounts are required!

I want to edit my username, password, or email

To edit your account details, first log in. Then go to the "edit profile" link under your user name in the upper-left hand corner of your screen. From here, you will be able to change your email and password and even build a personal profile, where you can share more information about yourself. You can not change your username at this point.

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Comments, Ratings, and Flags

What if I really like (or really dislike) someone's comment. What can I do?

• Post a Reply: By clicking on the "post a reply" button, you can respond directly to an individual's comment.
• Rate the Comment: Registered users can rate comments by clicking on the stars. 5 stars = excellent. 1 star = awful (0 stars = not yet rated). Yellow stars show the average rating that has been provided - this way, worthy comments are highlighted and people can know to pass over the bad ones.
• Flag a Comment: You can flag comments that are inappropriate. If enough people flag a comment, it will be hidden from view until a moderator reviews the comment. What is inappropriate for some might not be inappropriate for all. For example, you shouldn't flag someone's comment just because you disagree with their opinion.

There are certain types of things that we feel are generally inappropriate and should not be posted in the first place, but if they do, they should be flagged for removal.

• Advertising, unsolicited, or overtly commercial content (AKA "spam")
• Language or imagery that isn't suitable for public conversation (depending on the conversation, this probably means anything that would make your mother blush)
• Personal attacks
• Off-topic comments
• Copyrighted material
• Anything that violates the Terms & Conditions of this environment

What are Tags?

Registered users can "tag" discussions. A tag is any keyword that you type in and assign to a discussion. When you click on someone's tag, it will bring up all the relevant discussions with that tag. The more people tag discussions, the more visible and relevant the tags get.

Hey, I added a tag, but it didn't show up!

Click on "show all" next to tags. You can also click on "edit tag" to retract tags that you have added

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Profiles

What's a profile and how to I create one?

To create a profile, you must be logged in as a registered user. Click on the "edit your profile" link under your username to get started. You can build a profile that tells more people about you. You can show off pictures and websites. You can let people know about your hobbies, the books you love, your favorite films, and other interests. You can fill out as much or as little of your profile as you choose.

What you choose to put in your profile is visible by others with the exception of your email address and anything you choose to put into the "Professional & Educational Background" section of your profile. All data is available to the station or show at which you registered, however. To learn more about how your personal data is managed, view your station's privacy policy.

How do I find other people's profiles? Can I contact them directly?

By clicking on a user's name next to their comment, you can view a user's public profile. You can not search for profiles or contact people directly (outside of a discussion) at this time.

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Contacting Us

How can I contact you?

If you need more help, want to report a problem you have discovered, or just want to send us your thoughts, please visit our Public Action Contact Page.

Can I suggest a discussion?

If your station or show doesn't already support "create a discussion", then pitch us your idea through the Contact Page. We'd love to hear it!