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New BBC corporate font: BBC Reith

To replace Gill Sans in print and on screen (May 2017)

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NG
noggin Founding member
Anyone else still getting the old font on the Sport site while using Google Chrome?


No - Chrome on a Mac is rendering in Reith here.
RO
Rofters
New graphics?

BR
Brekkie
Looked OK in the logo and probably will be fine on screen but really don't like it on the website, though that could just be that little thing called "change".
KE
Kennycarr5605
Anyone else still getting the old font on the Sport site while using Google Chrome?

And on Safari?
GE
thegeek Founding member
I think they forgot a bit:

*
bkman1990, Warbler and bilky asko gave kudos
DT
DTV
The new font does look alright, though I do hope it doesn't find its way onto the news graphics and logos (but it almost definitely will). I feel that Reith Sans looks a bit 'light' and 'soft' for news and any serif font would look god awful unless there is a significant redesign of the on screen graphics. Though, any reason to get rid of the bland and characterless Helvetica must be considered.

Given the strong BBC connotation with Gill Sans I'm surprised they didn't design a typeface more in the British humanist family - this does, as others have alluded to, look not unlike ITV Reem and Guardian Egyptian. Gill isn't a perfect font but something in its vein would look more BBC and could address some of the issues. Gill Nova has changed the 1 numeral from a I to a 1 (although Kono's numeral 1 is still the best) and addressed a few other quirks. Plus the new semi-bold is a much nicer alternative to the 'fat' Gill Sans Bold with some of the lighter weights looking nice in text.

The whole move, though, is typical BBC. The BBC as a whole or certain departments are always 'unifying the brand' only to a) never fully implement it (Gill is still used by some BBC regional news programmes over 4 years after it was replaced) and/or b) decide its boring and dull to have a uniform identity. ITV, Sky and Channel 4 are very good at this sort of thing - the BBC has a huge weakness for brand implementation. Also, as with so many BBC executive decisions as of late, it is shortsighted, late and not a priority. The typeface, particularly the Sans, has a distinctively 2010s feel and is being adopted just as that style is bound to go out of fashion - within a few years the font will look dated.
LO
lobster
I think the font is nice, but i'm not entirely convinced it's any more readable than the standard sans-serif they use. on my mobile, the bbc sport page looks ok, but on my desktop, the spacing between the letters seems to be a little too much... and imo harder to read.
AN
all new Phil
I reckon we'll see more of the serif version used for News. Would be a nice change for them to go for something aesthetically pleasing rather than just functional like they've done previously.
GM
nodnirG kraM
Would be a nice change for them to go for something aesthetically pleasing rather than just functional like they've done previously.


Ahem ....

http://thetvroom.com/images/pool-7/730/main-06.jpg
dbl, tmorgan96 and Rex gave kudos
AN
all new Phil
She is the embodiment of functional.
BA
bilky asko
It looks alright on the Sport site, works well.

I guess one bonus when it is applied to News is that it will make it harder for people to produce fake BBC web pages, which has been a problem for years now.


If anything, it's even easier than before, as the SPORT part of the logo is just text:

*

I have purposely misspelt Sean O'Kane for authenticity.
JA
james-2001
Is Paul Akinbola going to introduce his flair for people **** into nappies into the interceptor revival?

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