PBS Logo PNG
The PBS logo encodes the useful information needed to educate and improve viewers’ skills. The logo shows various ways to present data and an impressive list of topics covered.
PBS: Brand overview
Public Broadcasting Service grew out of National Educational Television, or NET, founded in 1952 as the Educational Television and Radio Center with major support from the Ford Foundation. NET tried to serve a field largely ignored by ABC, CBS, and NBC, focusing on educational television rather than commercial ratings. Still, it lacked stable funding and a unified structure.
The turning point came in 1967, when President Lyndon Johnson signed the Public Broadcasting Act and created the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, or CPB. On November 3, 1969, PBS was founded by CPB through the efforts of Hartford Gunn Jr. of WGBH, CPB president John Macy, NET leader James Day, and Kenneth Christiansen. Funding was threatened under Richard Nixon. Still, Fred Rogers’ 1969 Senate testimony helped raise support from $9 million to $22 million.
PBS went on air on October 5, 1970. Its first program was The French Chef with Julia Child, produced by WGBH. Early programming included Sesame Street, Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, Evening at Pops, Great Performances, and NOVA, which launched in 1974. Federal pressure continued, including Nixon’s 1972 veto and later Reagan-era cuts to CPB, pushing PBS to rely on viewers and corporate grants.
In the 1970s and 1980s, PBS built much of its identity through The MacNeil/Lehrer Report, This Old House, Frontline, American Masters, and Ken Burns’ documentaries, including Brooklyn Bridge and The Civil War. PBS Kids launched in 1994, while “viewers like you” began appearing in station announcements in 1989. In 2012, PBS Digital Studios was created to compete online. By 2013, PBS.org video views reached about 250 million per month, ahead of the traffic on the websites of CBS, NBC, and ABC.
Meaning and History
The Public Broadcasting Service’s experience proves that the television environment can be used for entertainment and educational purposes. Her programs’ format mixes both to balance entertainment and practical use. This way, they can interest a wide range of viewers without losing their educational value.
PBS was incorporated at the end of 1969 and started operating a year later, replacing National Educational Television. For half a century, it has changed many logos. At the same time, all of them (except the first) share a common element: the image of the face in profile. The iconic symbol originated in 1971, when Herb Lubalin stylized the letter “P” to resemble a human head.
1970 – 1971
The first PBS logo was created in 1969, the same year the broadcaster launched, but did not come into use until 1970. It debuted during the premiere of The Andersonville Trial and then appeared on screen alongside the final symbol of National Educational Television. It was a placeholder, a temporary option needed when moving from NET to PBS.
The logo’s structure was very simple: a three-line inscription “PUBLIC BROADCASTING SERVICE” on a plain background. The designers chose the regular Helvetica font for the text. The color scheme was the same as the NET logo’s palette: one word was red, another was yellow, and the third was blue.
1971 – 1984
In 1971, a second PBS symbol appeared, and people who grew up in the 1970s are now nostalgic for it. It was designed by Herb Lubalin, an American typographer and graphic artist. Lubalin considered several versions of the design. He even wanted to integrate the word “PBS” into the falcon’s neck or decorate it with stars. However, in the final version, only an abbreviation remained from the first concepts.
A blue P-shaped head replaced the letter “P” and turned to the left. It consisted of a set of geometric shapes: a triangular nose around the eye, a square neck, and a semi-oval base. This was followed by an orange “B” with two symmetrical hole circles. The same circles were inside the green “S,” shaped like a modified number “8”.
In the original version, under the acronym was the phrase “PUBLIC BROADCASTING SERVICE,” written in ITC Avant Garde Gothic. Herb Lubalin collaborated with Tom Carnase and Ernie Smith to design the PBS typeface. There was also a variant without the service’s full name.
1984 – 1998
In the mid-1980s, PBS needed a new identity because its three-letter call sign resembled those of ABC, NBC, and CBS stations. The company representatives turned to Chermayeff & Geismar for help solving the problem.
Tom Geismar directed the creative process. He immediately singled out the main symbol of the broadcasting service – “P” in the shape of a head. The designer turned it to the right side, increased the back of the head, and lengthened the nose and neck. In addition to the “cosmetic surgery,” he carried out “cloning,” adding a fragment called The Split. This part looked like two additional profiles, with the middle silhouette formed by negative space. The picture seemed to depict three faces: black, white, and black again. The firm has named the new symbol Everyone. It was introduced in March 1984 and appeared on TV screens in September.
Under the triple P-profile was the abbreviation “PBS.” Chermayeff and Geismar created their ITC Lubalin Graph Demi font, named after Herb Lubalin. It contained bold letters with rectangular serifs.
1998 – 2002
In the late 1990s, designers Publicis and Hal Riney developed a new logo for the Public Broadcasting Service. They placed the heads inside the black circle and changed their color to make the front profile white. To the right of the icon was the company’s abbreviated name. Lee Hunt Associates animated the symbol.
2002 – 2019
In 2002, PMcD Design staff changed the scale of the elements: they enlarged the disk with a P-shaped graphic sign and reduced the inscription. The font has also changed. The new Caecilia 75 Heavy felt smoother and more concise than the old ITC Lubalin Graph Demi.
2009 – 2019
The logo created by PMcD Design had a 3D version. A black-and-white gradient inside a circle distinguished her. The inscription looked the same as in the previous version.
2019 – today
On the eve of PBS’s 50th anniversary, the letter “P” has undergone a “facelift.” Branding studio Lippincott was responsible for the process. The evolved heads had rounded noses and almost doubled their necks. The circle with heads has been reduced. The designers also changed the font: it has no serifs for the first time since 1971. The new style reflects the digital age, while the signature PBS Blue color makes the symbol more visible across platforms. The modern logo first appeared on the company’s official website in 2019. Over the next year, 70% of stations receiving PBS programming began using it.
Font and Colors
The iconic three-headed symbol represents the very “public” that is mentioned in the name of the Public Broadcasting Service. At the same time, it remains the “P” from the original Herb Lubalin acronym, though it is no longer as obvious. The Lippincott designers have kept the emblem but simplified it to adapt it to the multi-platform world. Three profiles pointing in the same direction reflect different points of view. These are attentive viewers focused on PBS educational content.
In 2019, the inscription on the logo remained sans-serif for the first time. The custom font used is called PBS Sans. It was created specifically to make the abbreviation easy to read on any screen. All three letters are bold, capitalized, and the same size as the heads inside the circle.
Another innovation from Lippincott designers is PBS Blue. A bright electric shade has replaced black. Its task is to highlight the Public Broadcasting Service brand in an oversaturated media space. It is believed to evoke a sense of integrity and trust. Its combination with the white color creates inner balance.