The Evolution of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) Logo: A Visual History
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) is a private, non-profit corporation created by Congress in 1967. President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967 on November 7 of that year, leading to CPB's establishment. Its primary mission is to support public broadcasting through partial federal funding. CPB collaborates with public television and radio stations, working initially with National Educational Television (NET) stations before helping to establish the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) for television and National Public Radio (NPR) for radio.
Over the years, the CPB logo has undergone several transformations, reflecting changes in design aesthetics and broadcasting technology. This article explores the history of the CPB logo, tracing its evolution through various iterations.
Early Logos (1970s - Early 1980s)
The initial CPB logo, which appeared in the early 1970s, featured a simple, yet distinctive design.
Original Variant (1970-1984)
The logo consisted of a dark blue emblem on a blue background. The emblem comprised the lowercase letters "c," "p," and "b" stacked together in a jigsaw puzzle arrangement. Below the emblem, the text "Corporation for Public Broadcasting" was written in a serif font. This logo can be found at the end of episodes of Firing Line produced between 1970 and 1973.
Alternate Variant (1984)
In 1984, an alternate version of the logo was introduced. This variant maintained the stylized "cpb" emblem with the company name underneath in a serif typeface. However, the background was changed to a black/purple gradient, and a drop shadow was added to the logo, giving it a more three-dimensional appearance.
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Mid-1980s Logos
The mid-1980s saw further modifications to the CPB logo, with different variations appearing on various public broadcasting programs.
1983-1985
This version is preserved on 1983-1985 Reading Rainbow tapes. On season 1-2 episodes of Degrassi Junior High, the CPB logo on a black background, is blue-violet with a magenta diagonal line sweeping by.
1985-1987
A later variation is preserved on 1985-1987 Reading Rainbow tapes. This version was also used on season 1 episodes of Square One TV, The Ring of Truth, 3-2-1 Classroom Contact, Degrassi Junior High, and Frontline, among other programs.
The CGI Era (Late 1980s - Early 1990s)
With advancements in computer graphics technology, the CPB logo entered the CGI era, featuring more dynamic and visually engaging designs.
3-D Logo (1988-1991)
This logo featured the CPB logo in 3-D against a space background with stars zooming past. The circle in the logo was colored blue and white, and the entire logo slowly rotated 90 degrees to the left. In Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?, the Earth was placed behind the logo.
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On episodes from 1993 to 1996, the byline used in the subsequent logo was added below the text. The logo sometimes faded away to make room for the text "Viewers Like You," with "Viewers Like" in a small font and "you" sketched below in yellow script. This variation was common on post-1988 shows.
The "Viewers Like You" Era (1991-2002)
The 1990s saw the introduction of the "Viewers Like You" tagline, which became a prominent feature of the CPB logo and funding credits.
Version #1 (1991-1993)
This version featured a textured cobalt blue/purple background with occasional thulian pink comets flying past. Two circles slid in to form the CPB logo above the white text: CORPORATIONFOR PUBLICBROADCASTING. A redesigned version of the CPB circle was used, with a blue and lavender outline around it and in the letters. The font was also modified slightly to ITC Garamond Light. After a few seconds, the text faded out as the logo split into two CPB logos flying off to opposite sides of the screen, revealing the words "Viewers Like You" (in plain white plain serif text) near the top, as more comets flew diagonally upward.
On some shows from 1991 to 1993, including episodes of American Experience and NOVA, the first variant of the CPB logo had a brighter blue color scheme.
Version #2 (1993-1999)
Starting on March 22, 1993, a new byline reading "A private corporation funded by the American people" in a condensed white Garamond font was added under the text. At that time, the text above was arranged centered and appeared earlier, before the sweeping pink lines.
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Starting on October 4, 1999, the text "Thank You" followed "Viewers Like You". This was often customized for the particular show.
Special Variants
- Ghostwriter used an animated sky background with two pinwheels forming the CPB circle. In later episodes from 1993 to 1995, the background was replaced with an animated aquamarine background with jacks.
- On 1995-1998 episodes of Sesame Street, the whole text was bigger and written in cursive, and the logo was shown on the top left of the screen.
- On pledge drive programming such as The Internet Show, The Judds' Farewell Concert, and The Kennedy Center 25th Anniversary Celebration, the "Viewers Like You" tag used a blurry, multi-colored background.
Audio
Sesame Street episodes from 1991-1992 used the "Funky Chimes" as background music, while episodes from 1992-1995 used a hip-hop instrumental based on the Sesame Street theme. On all Sesame Street episodes with this logo from 1991-1995, the announcer (Gordon, played by Roscoe Orman) says "Funding for this program was provided in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting… On 1995-1998 episodes of Sesame Street, a kid (Gabi, played by Gabriela Rose Reagan) says "Funding for Sesame Street was provided in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting… The spiel varies from show to show.
Legacy
This logo has been preserved on reruns of 1991-2000 PBS programs, even when the current PBS logo is plastered over a previous logo. The byline variant, which first appeared on the Shining Time Station episode "Becky Makes a Wish", is much easier to find and can be spotted, for example, at the end of at least one or two episodes on a few of The Magic School Bus DVD releases. This logo was last seen on Dragon Tales reruns on PBS Kids Sprout in 2011 and can be also found on several VHS/DVD releases of the show. The Reading Rainbow superimposed variant appeared with the 2000-2001 fundings on the DVD releases of "Borreguita and the Coyote" and "Kate Shelley and the Midnight Express".
The Print Logo (1998-2002)
This logo appeared on the same background as the 7th PBS logo (replete with the walking men silhouettes). It featured the CPB print logo, in black, centered on the screen. No text or byline was shown. However, another variant of the regular logo existed with the byline from before, along with the URL, "cpb.org", added in 2001.
The audio consisted of an extended version of the 1998 PBS logo's music, albeit entirely on guitar. The music was also used on 2000-2004 episodes of Scientific American Frontiers, using the "Viewers Like You" disclaimer without the CPB logo. For voice-overs, an announcer either said, "This program is made possible by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting" or "and by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting".
The Square Logo (2002-2007)
In 2002, the CPB logo underwent a significant redesign, adopting a more modern and streamlined appearance.
Visuals
The logo featured an aqua blue background with blue and white dots appearing in the center of the screen and pulsing outward, while streaks ran through it. The rings then formed the CPB logo, redesigned again with smoother text and now in a square. The "p" and "b" were connected to the edge of the square. The white then faded out inside the text, and 4 streaks ran along the edges.
For the Viewers Like You variant, the same dots appeared across the screen, vertically centered, and blue and white rings provided the transition from the CPB slide to the "Viewers Like You" slide, and the process repeated itself for the transition from the "Viewers Like You" to the "Thank You" slide. On Reading Rainbow and 2004 prints of Dragon Tales' first season, the blue dots bounced off the bottom of the screen, then onto the middle and formed the CPB logo. The URL slid in to the top left of the screen. Then, the byline (now in a straight line, in blue, and not all capitalized) faded in at the bottom and formed a smile.
Audio
The music consisted of a futuristic synth tune as the dots appeared, followed by a woodwind note as the CPB logo wiped in. This was followed by an updated version of the 1996 PBS logo's music, performed on brass.
The Ethereal Background Logo (2005-2010)
This logo featured a blue/purple/red ethereal background with silhouettes of random people doing various things. The CPB logo wiped in horizontally (first with the dots, then the text), and the byline from the 9th logo appeared. A widescreen variant was introduced in 2005. Starting in 2007, the background and the logo were graphically enhanced, with the silver tinted CPB logo with a shine instead of white. The byline and URL were altered in the same silver and shine color as on the CPB square logo. The wiping in of the logo was quicker.
Several variations of the 2002 PBS logo's music have been used so far. This logo is preserved on 2002-2019 PBS programs funded by CPB if a station has older prints.
The Bubble Background Logo (2009-2014)
This logo appeared on the 2009 PBS logo's bubble background. The CPB logo in white appeared via bubbles forming the square while the text zoomed out, and the byline from the 9th and 10th logos appeared. Then, "Viewers Like You" wiped in left to right, in PBS Explorer font. "Viewers Like" was white, and "You" was yellow within a dark rectangle. On Tavis Smiley, the CPB logo didn't appear.
In its last years, the logo was a simple zoom-out. The audio consisted of a variation of the 2009 PBS logo's music.
The Department of Education Logo
It's important to note that the Department of Education has its own distinct logo, separate from the CPB. The Department of Education emerged on May 4, 1980, following the division of the former Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. This division led to the establishment of both the Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services, a transformation brought about by the Department of Education Organization Act.
On the first season of Dragon Tales, the seal is a still picture of a plaque with a painting of the tree on a dark blue gradient background. Notably, the colors of the tree and foliage are darker, and the inner background of the tree is blue instead of gray. The border around the seal also has a more black-silverish outline and has notable shine marks.
Conclusion
The CPB logo has undergone numerous transformations throughout its history, reflecting changes in design trends, technological advancements, and the evolving mission of public broadcasting. From its humble beginnings as a simple emblem to its more elaborate CGI-enhanced iterations, the CPB logo has served as a visual representation of the organization's commitment to providing quality programming and educational content to the American public.
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