CNBC Logo PNG
A TV channel covering financial and business news, it maintains its popularity with a recognizable CNBC logo. Moreover, CNBC’s emblem has a catchy design with a slight asymmetry. This does not fully convey the brand’s essence, but it expresses its desire to stand out from the background of the gray mass.
CNBC: Brand overview
Business and financial news coverage is the main focus of CNBC, America’s leading commercial news channel. The channel was founded in April 1989 by two companies, NBC and Cablevision, whose mission was to cover consumer and business news. Two years later, the company became the owner of a competing financial channel, Financial News Network, which allowed it to increase its coverage and the number of regular viewers and significantly increase its workforce. After buying the share owned by Cablevision, NBC began to independently influence the channel’s organizational policy and the formation of news topics and programs.
CNBC’s history began in 1979 when the Satellite Program Network (SPN) launched a channel dedicated to financial news. Known as FNN (Financial News Network), this channel was the predecessor to CNBC and the first of its kind, providing 24-hour coverage of the financial markets and business news.
In 1985, NBC, a division of RCA, decided to create its business news channel, which became CNBC (Consumer News and Business Channel). However, the launch faced several obstacles, including difficulties obtaining broadcast permits and competition from the already-established FNN.
On April 17, 1989, the channel finally went on the air. Initially, it aired from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on weekdays, focusing on financial news during the day and consumer news and talk shows in the evening. Sue Herrera, who had previously worked at FNN, was the first anchor for the new network. In its early years, the channel faced stiff competition from FNN, which had wider distribution and an established audience. However, the financial backing from NBC allowed for investment in technology and talented journalists.
1990 was a turning point for the channel. It began broadcasting 24 hours a day, launching “CNBC at Night,” an evening program focused on business news from Asia and Europe. This decision enabled the network to cover global financial markets and provide viewers with 24-hour access to business information.
In 1991, a major event in the network’s history occurred: the channel acquired its main competitor, FNN, which was facing financial difficulties at the time. This acquisition allowed the network to significantly expand its audience and strengthen its position as the leading business news channel.
After the merger with FNN, the company continued to develop and expand. 1995, CNBC Asia was launched, followed by CNBC Europe in 1996, making the network a truly global brand. These international versions of the channel allowed the network to provide 24-hour coverage of global financial markets.
1997, the platform launched its website, marking a major step into the digital age. The site provided users real-time access to financial news and data, complementing television broadcasts.
The channel experienced rapid growth in the late 1990s and early 2000s, largely thanks to the dot-com boom. The platform became an integral part of Wall Street culture, and its hosts, such as Maria Bartiromo and Ron Insana, became household names in the financial world.
However, 2001 brought new challenges for the network. The dot-com crash and subsequent stock market downturn led to a decline in ratings. The channel responded by expanding its programming beyond purely financial news to include more content about business and the economy in general.
In 2003, the company launched several new programs, including “Mad Money with Jim Cramer,” which became one of its most popular shows. Cramer’s charismatic style and investment advice attracted new audiences.
2006, the network expanded its global reach by launching CNBC Africa. That same year, the channel began broadcasting in high definition (HD), becoming one of the first news networks to do so.
The 2008 financial crisis presented both challenges and opportunities for the network. While the crisis led to a decline in advertising revenue, it also generated enormous interest in financial news. The channel was key in covering the crisis, resulting in record ratings.
2010, the network signed a deal with Dow Jones, gaining access to content from The Wall Street Journal and MarketWatch. This partnership strengthened the platform’s position as a leading source of business news.
In 2014, the network launched a block of evening programming aimed at a broader audience, including reality shows and documentaries about business and entrepreneurship.
In 2015, the channel ended its partnership with Nielsen to measure daytime audiences, arguing that traditional methods did not account for viewing in offices and other business settings. Instead, the platform began using data from Cogent Reports.
In 2016, the network revised its digital strategy and invested heavily in developing its digital platforms, including mobile apps and streaming services.
In 2017, the company launched a digital platform aimed at a younger audience, focusing on careers, entrepreneurship, and personal finance. In 2018, the network expanded its presence in the Middle East by launching CNBC Arabia.
In 2019, the company celebrated its 30th anniversary, becoming a leading business and financial news source. That same year, the channel launched several new programs, including “The Exchange” and “Power Lunch.”
The years 2020 and 2021 brought new challenges and opportunities for the network. The channel adapted to the changing environment by increasing its digital content and launching new program formats.
Throughout its history, the network has consistently demonstrated its ability to adapt to changing market conditions and technological innovations. From its early days of broadcasting to the modern era of digital media, the company remains a key player in financial journalism, continuing to inform and influence the business community worldwide.
Meaning and History
The channel started its “first steps” as a satellite television service 1979. It aired old movies, educational programs, and entertainment shows. Low-budget offerings were not particularly conducive to success and rapid business growth. In June 1988, the company leased a transponder from the Tempo Channel, the basis of which the entire broadcast was restarted. Tom Rogers, the future executive chairman of Engine Media, is in charge of the process. In 1989, its new co-owners, Cablevision and NBC, used the channel as a Consumer News and Business Channel, locating the main office in Fort Lee (New Jersey). The acronym for the company’s name became CNBC.
Having gone through great hardships – a constant battle with the Financial Channel, overcoming skepticism from providers who thought the Financial News Network met all their needs – CNBC had already met 17 million homes in 1990. That number, however, was not even half of FNN’s reach. However, providence was destined to provide CNBC with a lucky break – FNN had financial problems, which provided the opportunity to buy a competitor as early as May 21, 1991.
Thanks to the launch of Euro-Asian channels in the nineties, the company has grown significantly, increasing the number of its viewers. As early as 2003, the company moved its office to 900 Sylvan Avenue (Route 9W) in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. A new era in the company’s development begins with digital video and new studios. The visual construction of the television programs provides the ability to follow real-time news reports, weather forecasts, and stock prices – NYSE, NASDAQ, and AMEX in constant updating mode. A dynamic bar at the top of the screen constantly updates indices and prices of various world market commodities.
Today, NBC continually broadcasts breaking business and financial news on domestic U.S. and international markets during weekdays and weekends. Documentaries and reality shows are shown on the channel’s main topics on weekends and after-hours. As NBC has grown and expanded, it has created many regional affiliates and a network of versions, starting in 1995 with broadcasts in European and Asian countries. This process is still underway today, with more and more countries being covered.
All this development process is reflected in the brand’s logo, which has changed following the significant changes in the company’s history. Over the years, the channel has changed its visual identity several times, leaving only the company name abbreviation. This provided the necessary brand recognition in the future, demonstrating its success and adherence to its traditions.
What is CNBC?
It is a leading international network for business and finance news, covering real-time markets, economics, and corporate developments. The channel, available on both digital and television platforms, offers a wide range of business programming, including in-depth analysis of economic trends, interviews with prominent industry figures, and real-time market updates. The network is well known for its sharp reporting style and ability to deliver breaking news immediately relevant to the financial sector. The channel caters to a broad audience, including business executives, professional traders and investors, and consumers seeking financial literacy.
1989 – 1991
CNBC radically changed its information focus and began fighting for a new product consumer. The ways of achieving its goals had not yet been precisely defined, and a new image of the company was beginning to take shape. This was also reflected in the logo, which lasted two years and was changed because it did not correspond to the spirit and philosophy of the channel. The logo showed the abbreviation of the company’s name in black and lowercase letters. The middle letters “n” and “b” were joined at the bottom. All the letters were slightly elongated horizontally. In a sense, it was a tribute to the fashion or tradition among TV stations worldwide, which practiced a similar style in their names.
1991 – 1992
The victorious ’91 merger with FNN demanded a new approach to its image, which led to a change in logo style. The retained name was easy to read and remember, thanks to the large black uppercase lettering. The middle part of the “C” had circles, one inside the other, alternating white and black. In their center, there was a black dot. This symbol had a double meaning. It resembled a target, a goal, which spoke to the essence of the channel’s existence – to hit the exact target with its information, providing the accuracy that would allow the viewer to solve his business problems victoriously. At the same time, such a symbol also resembled the spread of waves on the air, which pointed to the company’s profile as a television channel.
Beneath the name, on a black rectangular plate with rounded left and right ends, in white, not very large typeface, was the text Information That Hits Home. This slogan is a characteristic of the company’s main goal.
1992 – 1996
In 1992, the network’s daytime business programming, which had existed under the name “CNBC / FNN Daytime,” was supposed to echo the name of the bought-out channel to facilitate the transition and adaptation of its viewers, but it was canceled. In anticipation of anticipated changes in the company’s operations and management, and in light of the beginning of changes in advertising technology thanks to advances in modern technology, it was decided to adjust its own visual identity. The new logo was the same “in black” abbreviation, written in capital letters in a slightly modified Bookseller Bk Reduced Bold italic font. Its slant to the right represents both the drive forward and the effort to overcome many difficulties to convey only important and up-to-date information to the viewer. Above the first letter was made in gray color sign, changing its thickness along the entire length, beginning and ending in dots, covering the letter with a semicircle.
1996 – 2023
On May 12, 1996, a new brand sign was launched, which is the official symbol of the channel. Keeping the abbreviation of the name, it was the first time during the channel’s existence that colorfulness in all rainbow shades was used. The use of the so-called “peacock tail” – if you look closely at the image, you can see the stylized contours of a bird formed by unfilled voids between the central petals, gave the name to the logo itself – NBC Peacock, which ensured a better perception of the emblem, its memorability. In this way, the developers demonstrated a connection with color television and the extensive coverage of their units for viewers of different countries and nationalities. At the same time, such a variety of colors indicates the most complete and accurate presentation of information covering numerous business and finance areas, forming a “business kaleidoscope. However, the peacock symbolizes fame, importance, honesty, and longevity, just as CNBC positions itself.
2023 – today
The new CNBC logo evolves from the previous design, retaining recognizable elements while emphasizing a refreshed brand perception. The central feature of the logo—the multicolored peacock symbol representing the parent company NBC—remains largely unchanged. This symbol, depicted in a rainbow of six vibrant colors—red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple—continues to convey the variety of content the channel offers its viewers.
However, the “CNBC” lettering has been changed compared to the previous logo. The font has been modernized, featuring a sleek, sans-serif style without unnecessary details and rendered in dark blue. This color represents reliability, stability, and professionalism—key qualities associated with a channel that specializes in financial and business news.
The peacock symbol has been slightly reduced in size to emphasize the channel name’s importance. The “CNBC” text is now broader and occupies more space as if coming to the forefront. This change reflects a strategic focus on branding and recognizing the channel’s name in the context of global competition in the media industry.
CNBC: Interesting Facts
CNBC is a top name in business news, offering updates on the financial markets and business insights.
- Start-Up in Exciting Times: CNBC kicked off on April 17, 1989, when more people became interested in the stock market. This timing helped the channel meet the rising need for up-to-the-minute financial news.
- Growth Through Merger: In 1991, the network took a big step by merging with the Financial News Network (FNN), which boosted its audience and confirmed its spot as a top business news channel. This move helped the network by bringing in more resources and people from FNN.
- Worldwide Presence: The channel reaches a global audience, with broadcasts in Europe, Asia, and Africa, plus its main channel in the U.S. This global network allows for wide-ranging coverage of the world’s financial markets.
- Embracing Digital: The network launched its website to share news, analysis, and financial data online, reaching more people and keeping up with how they get their news.
- Unique Shows: The platform offers news, reality shows, documentaries, and special reports on business, finance, and entrepreneurship. Popular shows include Mad Money with Jim Cramer and Shark Tank.
- Morning Show’ Squawk Box’: Squawk Box is the channel’s morning show, blending business news with interviews and discussions. It’s designed for investors and the average person and shapes the financial conversation for the day.
- Color-Coded Ticker: The channel uses colors on its stock ticker for quick updates: green indicates prices are up, red shows they’re down, and blue means no change. This system makes it easy to follow the market’s direction.
- Unique Headquarters: The network’s headquarters are in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, showing its dedication to offering a fresh take on financial news, separate from the usual New York City scene.
- Giving Back: The organization participates in charity work, focusing on financial education and community projects. These efforts are part of its mission to improve financial knowledge and give back.
- Influential Interviews: The network is known for its impactful interviews with CEOs, world leaders, and financial experts. These conversations often grab headlines and sway the markets, showing the platform’s significant role in finance worldwide.
Font and Colors
Radical changes were made to the logo, first of all, in its visual presentation to the viewer. Rainbow multicolored “peacock’s tail,” made in 6 bright colors. Each color is one petal. Located in a semicircle, the symbol is grouped to be symmetrical. Its two outermost petals were horizontal, highlighting the conventional border above the abbreviation of the company name. The name is rendered in traditional black using the Univers Next Pro 940 Extended Extra font. Symmetry in the placement of each logo element – the text and the “tail”- provides an easy visual perception of the entire composition. The entire composition provides the convenience of its placement on branded products, the screen, and the Internet, not cluttering the space but maintaining its appeal.
