New BBC corporate font: BBC Reith

I really want to love Reith, and I’ve hoped it’d grow on me, but the sans-serif version just has the feel of something which might have come free with Windows 98 - like Verdana or Tahoma. To me, it lacks the class and timeless elegance of Gill Sans, and for a custom typeface actually looks less distinctive.

That said, I initially thought the serif version could come across as too formal and stuffy, but it actually seems to work quite well where I’ve seen it used.

Agreed. Cheap looking font.

The BBC could have adopted Bliss, Joanna Nova + Joanna Sans Nova, or other functional alternatives to Gill Sans.

Gill looks crap on screen though. Let’s not put the rose-tinted glasses on now something else has come along.

I'm not looking through rose-tinted specs. I'd have just liked Reith to look a bit less like a freebie font.

The BBC wanted a type family to own and not license existing fonts. They wanted something that works in print, on-screen, on the web, on devices.

They also wanted a font that is flexible enough to fit many voices and tonalities. So anything that is too stylistic, would not work.

I think there is some scope to create more stylistic renderings of the typeface in the future, as well as leading and tracking/kerning changes to fit a unique design style for different channels.

Outlined
http://www.dailyfreefonts.com/fonts/image/5727-v4432-Jumbo-Outline-Italic.png

Stencilled


3D/Extruded


Stamp/Textured
http://www.fontspace.com/preview/m/7d0266c8f7a1cd88066a21e33f6b015d.png

How much would purchasing a font family outright for unlimited use cost compared to how many man hours it took their team to create it?

That is what they have done essentially. They worked with the Type Foundry who produced the font. Dalton Maag. They told them the uses they intended, the tone of voice, and then iterated with them to mould it into what they finally got. They then have the right to use the font as they see fit, and not have to pay yearly for all the different ways it was used.

Just been watching Politics Live (first time I've managed to catch it) and was just thinking – Reith looks so BBC, in a good way. To me it still looks pretty modern and clean, but seems pretty recognisable as being from the organisation. Whether that's through familiarity or generally the 'personality' of the typeface, I like it.

If that’s the sans serif version and what’s going to be on air and online then I’m onboard with it. The first preview we got was with serifs and I did like it.

Also, for the VizRTs and other simple character generators at the BBC would changing the font to Reith be as simple as renaming Reith as what ever the current font they use? Rather than going in and editing every template.

I don’t mind the font but not the way BBC Sport use it, it’s far too small at times.

It wont be a simple font replacement, I imagine the BBC will be redoing its whole graphics package.

It is also possible they will just re-render the current titles but replacing the placenames with Reith versions, as well as updated logos - but it would be a shame if they didn't at least consider changing the titles branding as well.