NPR

Official Websites

• https://www.npr.org
• https://www.npr.org/about
• http://www.npr.org

Brand Guidelines

2004

Brand Summary

Mission

• To provide quality radio programming dedicated to informing, entertaining, and enriching the lives of listeners, while maintaining a strong, clearly-defined company identity in a competitive media world [^1].

Core Values

• quality
• clarity
• consistency
• public service
• distinctiveness

Target Audience

• Listeners seeking informative, entertaining, and enriching radio programming, as well as member stations and partners in the media industry [^2].

Personality Traits

• professional
• clear
• consistent
• distinctive

Visual Identity Overview

• The NPR visual identity centers on the NPR logo, which uses bold, contrasting colors (red, black, blue) and simple, lowercase typography. The logo is strictly regulated in terms of color palette, proportions, and usage, with Bell Gothic Black as the principal typeface. Visual guidelines ensure clarity, consistency, and proper co-branding with member stations and partners [^3].

Categories

Logo Usage

• The proper use of the NPR logo is essential in order to ensure consistent corporate identity and strengthen its overall impact. The logo must not be altered in any way, redrawn, embellished, or recreated. Variations are not permitted.
• The NPR logo must be reproduced in multiple colors as shown on page 4 every time multiple colors are used to advertise and promote NPR and its programs. The NPR logo shall only be reproduced in one color when no more than two colors are being used to advertise and promote NPR and its programs.
• The NPR logo may only be reproduced in a single color for materials used with NPR itself and situations, both internal and external, where full color is impractical or uneconomical, such as newsprint and one or two color reproduction.
• The effective use of the corporate colors requires a high degree of quality control in color matching. The variables like the type of paper, amount and type of ink, printing equipment, and the character of light which falls upon or is projected onto the color all affect the final color. Satisfactory color matching cannot be achieved by only specifying a number or system. To insure correct color reproduction, match colors visually to swatches from a Pantone Color Specifying System.
• Only use camera-ready artwork available on disks, logo slicks or the NPR Members Only Web Site when reproducing the logo. Call NPR Corporate Identity to request copies.
• Shown below are two approved forms in which the NPR logo can appear in color. The positive form of the NPR logo has been developed for use against white or light-colored backgrounds. The reverse form of the NPR logo has been developed for use against black or dark-colored backgrounds.
• In order to achieve the best possible color fidelity, it is important to visually match the swatches from the Pantone Color Specifying System to the final color being printed, painted, or produced.
• Pantone Coated: PMS 179C (n), PMS Black 6 C 2X (p) (Alternative PMS Black 6 C), PMS 2727C (r)
• Pantone Uncoated: PMS Warm Red U (n), PMS Black 6 U 2X (p) (Alternative PMS Black 6 U), PMS 2727U (r)
• CMYK: n (C=0, M=80, Y=80, K=0), p (C=100, M=0, Y=0, K=100), r (C=80, M=40, Y=0, K=0)
• Only use black ink (or white ink against a dark-colored background) when printing the NPR logo in a single color. However, if using colors other than black or white ink, use the darkest ink color on a light-colored background, and the lightest ink color on dark-colored background. Reproduction of the NPR logo in one color should only be used for internal-use materials such as N PR business forms and memorandums and for both internal and external promotional situations where fulI color is impractical or uneconomical, such as newsprint and one or two-color materials.
• The positive form of the NPR logo must always be used against white or light-colored backgrounds as shown below. The reverse form of the N PR logo must always be used against black or dark­colored backgrounds as shown below.
• In order to protect and strengthen the trademark status of the NPR logo, the original approved versions must not be altered, modified, added to, or changed in any way.
• Additional design elements or visually competitive backgrounds will interfere with the quality and consistency of the N PR logo. In general, the NPR logo should normally have a generous amount of background space surrounding it, in order to set it off. Avoid the use of any promotional copy, or competing slogans, taglines or logos in close proximity to the NPR logo, which creates confusion and reduces its clarity and impact.
• Do not space out the three tiles.
• Do not pair the words “National Public Radio” with the logo.
• Do not stack the tiles vertically unless used for large environmental graphics such as banners or signs.
• Do not include the “®” within the logo.
• Never use the 3-solid tile version of the NPR logo.
• Shown below are two approved color formulas in which the NPR logo can appear on the Internet. In order to achieve the best possible color fidelity, it is important to only use the color formula listed below when using a “gif” or “html” format.
• GIF Red=R:247, G49, B:16 [Blue=R:49, G:99, B:206 Please make sure these RGB values do not change HTML Red=FF0000, Black=000000, Blue=0066CC
• The NPR logo must not be altered in any way.The guidelines established in the preceding section for use of the NPR logo by member stations applies for premiums and promotional products.
• When printing any version of the NPR signature, use only first-generation images from the reproduction sheets. Do not use photocopies or other second-generation reproductions; such copies will seriously degrade the quality of the image. If you require signatures of a different size from those supplied, choose the next largest size and reduce it using only the finest photographic methods available. Signatures larger than those supplied on the reproduction sheets should be generated from the master computer files.
• When generating the NPR signature for printed materials from a computer file, do not use less than a 1270 dot-per-inch output. Images from laserwriters or other low-resolution output devices may be used for position only, but may not be used for final printing.
• Any other rendering of the NPR signature, such as a hand-drawn illustration, that is neither taken from an approved reproduction sheet nor generated from a computer at high resolution, must be approved by NPR Corporate Identity and Information before it is used.

Color Palette

• The NPR logo must be reproduced in multiple colors as shown on page 4 every time multiple colors are used to advertise and promote NPR and its programs. The NPR logo shall only be reproduced in one color when no more than two colors are being used to advertise and promote NPR and its programs.
• The NPR logo may only be reproduced in a single color for materials used with NPR itself and situations, both internal and external, where full color is impractical or uneconomical, such as newsprint and one or two color reproduction.
• The effective use of the corporate colors requires a high degree of quality control in color matching. The variables like the type of paper, amount and type of ink, printing equipment, and the character of light which falls upon or is projected onto the color all affect the final color. Satisfactory color matching cannot be achieved by only specifying a number or system. To insure correct color reproduction, match colors visually to swatches from a Pantone Color Specifying System.
• Shown below are two approved forms in which the NPR logo can appear in color. The positive form of the NPR logo has been developed for use against white or light-colored backgrounds. The reverse form of the NPR logo has been developed for use against black or dark-colored backgrounds.
• In order to achieve the best possible color fidelity, it is important to visually match the swatches from the Pantone Color Specifying System to the final color being printed, painted, or produced.
• Pantone Coated: PMS 179C (n), PMS Black 6 C 2X (recommended, p), PMS Black 6 C (alternative, p), PMS 2727C (r)
• Pantone Uncoated: PMS Warm Red U (n), PMS Black 6 U 2X (recommended, p), PMS Black 6 U (alternative, p), PMS 2727U (r)
• CMYK: n: C=0, M=80, Y=80, K=0; p: C=100, M=0, Y=0, K=100; r: C=90, M=40, Y=0, K=0
• Only use black ink (or white ink against a dark-colored background) when printing the NPR logo in a single color. However, if using colors other than black or white ink, use the darkest ink color on a light-colored background, and the lightest ink color on dark-colored background.
• Reproduction of the NPR logo in one color should only be used for internal-use materials such as NPR business forms and memorandums and for both internal and external promotional situations where full color is impractical or uneconomical, such as newsprint and one or two-color materials.
• The positive form of the NPR logo must always be used against white or light-colored backgrounds as shown below. The reverse form of the NPR logo must always be used against black or dark­colored backgrounds as shown below.
• Do not space out the three tiles.
• Do not pair the words “National Public Radio” with the logo.
• Do not stack the tiles vertically unless used for large environmental graphics such as banners or signs.
• Do not include the “®” within the logo.
• Never use the 3-solid tile version of the NPR logo.
• Shown below are two approved color formulas in which the NPR logo can appear on the Internet. In order to achieve the best possible color fidelity, it is important to only use the color formula listed below when using a “gif” or “html” format.
• GIF Red=R:247, G49, B:16; Blue=R:49, G:99, B:206; Black=0,0,0; HTML Red=FF0000; Black=000000; Blue=0066CC. Please make sure these RGB values do not change.

Typography

• Bell Gothic Black is the principal typeface for NPR.The NPR name typeface functions as a second element of the identification. Its use in all signatures, signs, business forms, stationary, advertising, and promotion helps to tie these communications together and quickly identify the organization. NPR must always appear in Bell Gothic Black when used as headline or subheadline copy. It is not necessary that NPR appear in Bell Gothic Black when NPR is used within a body of text.
• For print communications, the NPR name has been typeset in Bell Gothic Black on reproduction sheets for use as camera-ready art.
• The new corporate font is Bell Gothic. Bell Gothic comes in two weights: light and black and is available for both PC and Mac.
• The secondary font is Times. Times should be on both PC and Mac as part of the system font.
• When drafting correspondence, only use Bell Gothic Light or Times for the body text and Bell Gothic Black for headlines or subheads. Font size should be 10 points and line spacing 12 points.

Co Branding

• NPR is a strong, national media brand standing for quality radio programming dedicated to informing, entertaining and enriching the lives of listeners. Member Stations often have strong local media brands built through the unique services they have provided to their communities.
• Both brands are assets, and when leveraged together can help strengthen both NPR and member stations’ identity and competitive positioning. By linking the station and NPR brands, co-branding helps both NPR and stations increase their visibility and listenership and realize more efficient use of their communications resources.
• The NPR logo may, when properly licensed to a member station and displayed as provided in these standards, be used by it to signify its status as a member of NPR, to publicize and promote NPR programming on its station, and to create and customize items bearing the NPR logo.
• Improper use may lead to confusion as to a station’s identity and its relationship to NPR. To leverage the strength of both identities, it is critical to practice clear and consistent usage as suggested in this manual.This practice will help strengthen both identities across a variety of wide-ranging applications from print, Web, and station premiums to outdoor signage and promotions.
• Stations who have signed proper license agreements with NPR may signify their status as an NPR affiliated station by using the NPR logo to endorse the station identity.The endorsement relationship, where the station logo is dominant and NPR’s logo subordinate, will help to ensure that the station’s own identity is retained and reinforced in the community while benefiting from the value the NPR logo provides.
• The following pages include suggestions for proper combinations of the NPR logo with the station logo, as well as examples of improper combinations. These suggestions can be used as shown or they can serve as guidelines to develop visual identities appropriate to your station’s needs.
• However, the guidelines below must be followed to avoid infringing NPR’s servicemark and to avoid any alteration or distortion of the NPR logo.
• • Never incorporate the NPR logo and/or name typeface into your name, call letters, frequency or logo.
• • Keep the NPR logo and/or name typeface smaller than your station’s name, call letters, frequency and logo.
• • Contact NPR if there are any questions concerning your use of the NPR logo.
• • Only Member Stations may refer to themselves as “an NPR Member Station” (see positioning tag examples below). Other stations may refer to themselves as “Your Source for N PR News or other appropriate word.”
• To facilitate partnerships with companies who share its business and mission interests, NPR has developed co-branding lock-ups. The system is designed to express the essence of the relationship, provide fair credit, and strategically leverage the brand visibility of the parties involved. Its construction is based on a simple visual formula that easily adapts to the contractual and creative needs of any NPR partnership.
• equal visibility co-branding lock-up Equal size logos provide balanced visibility. The concept of partnership is clearly captured, yet both brands preserve their identity. Design constraints may require the use of a horizontal lock-up.
• The order in which logos appear is contingent on design prerogatives and contractual agreements between NPR and its partner(s).
• Some partnerships require the use of three logos. Depending on levels of participation, marketing goals, or target audience, one brand may dominate the lock-up (see page 13).
• Partnerships involving more than three companies may not benefit from giving equal visibility to each brand. In fact, the inclusion of several marks often results in “logo soup,” the nickname of a counter-productive visual effect that dilutes the message and confuses consumers. In such cases, it is preferable to establish a dominant brand based on marketing goals and target audience.
• space above and below separator line must be equal and no less than 1/4 of the NPR logo width
• logos are optically equal in size
• separator line cannot be thicker than 0.5 pt. It can justify with logos’ width or extend slightly beyond logos outside edges
• logos and separator line must be centered

Naming Conventions

• “NPR” shall be the primary communicative name, and shall only be referred to as NPR rather than “National Public Radio.” In the past, NPR has referred to itself as “NPR” and “National Public Radio” interchangeably and inconsistently. In addition, the words “National,” “Public,” and “Radio” perpetuate some of NPR’s most common perceptual problems. A significantly large number of individuals believe that NPR receives most of its income from the federal government, is publicly traded, is a government institution, or is the same organization as PBS.These misperceptions can inhibit our ability to secure underwriting and successfully distinguish ourselves from the competition. “National Public Radio,” should only be used within a body of text to endorse NPR. For legal documents use “National Public Radio, Inc.” “National Public Radio” shall not be used in lieu of the NPR logo and the NPR name.
• The new NPR logo is a service mark of National Public Radio, Inc. and must always be displayed with the “SM” symbol until it is officially registered as a service mark by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Once the new logo is registered (those licensed to use the mark will be advised when it has been registered), the NPR logo must always be displayed with the encircled “®” symbol. While the NPR logo spells out our initials in lower case within its graphic representation, the letter combination “NPR” in all caps is also a separately registered service mark.The letter combination “NPR” and the name “National Public Radio” are both registered service marks of National Public Radio, Inc. and each must have a legible ® affixed to it.
• “National Public Radio” shall not be used in lieu of the NPR logo and the NPR name.
• A new NPR mark for programming, services, or products should not be used in commerce with the “SM” or “TM” designation without first discussing the new mark with an attorney in NPR’s Office of the General Counsel.
• These symbols must appear with the first occurrence of a word mark in the body copy of any given document, even if it’s a possessive form.Titles, heads, and subheads are exempt from the rule.The initial registration symbol covers all additional instances of the word mark in the same document.
• For design or editorial reasons, you may opt not to use the “®”, “SM”, or “TM” so long as you include a legal disclaimer tailored for the specific marks referred in the document. Most NPR disclaimers conform to the following model : [word mark] and the [word mark logo] are registered and unregistered service marks of National Public Radio, Inc.
• On most printed materials, disclaimers should appear at a size no larger than 7-point type. For oversized applications such as roadside billboards, size of type should be adjusted accordingly. If you are unsure about the accuracy of a legal disclaimer, contact an NPR attorney or NPR’s Communications division.
• To establish NPR as the owner of any published material (technical document, advertising, films, videos, etc.) use the following copyright line: ©[year of publication] National Public Radio, Inc.
• On most printed materials, the copyright line should appear at a size no larger than 7-point type. For oversized applications such as roadside billboards, size of type should be adjusted accordingly. On other materials, consult the producer. If you are unsure about the accuracy of a legal disclaimer, contact NPR’s Communications division at (202.513.2317 or 513.2325).
• Never incorporate the NPR logo and/or name typeface into your name, call letters, frequency or logo.
• Keep the NPR logo and/or name typeface smaller than your station’s name, call letters, frequency and logo.
• Only Member Stations may refer to themselves as “an NPR Member Station” (see positioning tag examples below). Other stations may refer to themselves as “Your Source for N PR News or other appropriate word.”
• do not incorporate “NPR” into your station name
• do not use “National Public Radio”

Visual Style

• The proper use of the NPR logo is essential in order to ensure consistent corporate identity and strengthen its overall impact. The logo must not be altered in any way, redrawn, embellished, or recreated. Variations are not permitted.
• The NPR logo must be reproduced in multiple colors as shown on page 4 every time multiple colors are used to advertise and promote NPR and its programs. The NPR logo shall only be reproduced in one color when no more than two colors are being used to advertise and promote NPR and its programs.
• The NPR logo may only be reproduced in a single color for materials used with NPR itself and situations, both internal and external, where full color is impractical or uneconomical, such as newsprint and one or two color reproduction.
• The effective use of the corporate colors requires a high degree of quality control in color matching. The variables like the type of paper, amount and type of ink, printing equipment, and the character of light which falls upon or is projected onto the color all affect the final color. Satisfactory color matching cannot be achieved by only specifying a number or system. To insure correct color reproduction, match colors visually to swatches from a Pantone Color Specifying System.
• Shown below are two approved forms in which the NPR logo can appear in color. The positive form of the NPR logo has been developed for use against white or light-colored backgrounds. The reverse form of the NPR logo has been developed for use against black or dark-colored backgrounds.
• In order to achieve the best possible color fidelity, it is important to visually match the swatches from the Pantone Color Specifying System to the final color being printed, painted, or produced.
• Pantone Coated: PMS 179C (n), PMS Black 6 C 2X (p) (Alternative PMS Black 6 C), PMS 2727C (r)
• Pantone Uncoated: PMS Warm Red U (n), PMS Black 6 U 2X (p) (Alternative PMS Black 6 U), PMS 2727U (r)
• CMYK: n (C=0, M=80, Y=80, K=0), p (C=100, M=0, Y=0, K=100), r (C=90, M=40, Y=0, K=0)
• Only use black ink (or white ink against a dark-colored background) when printing the NPR logo in a single color. However, if using colors other than black or white ink, use the darkest ink color on a light-colored background, and the lightest ink color on dark-colored background. Reproduction of the NPR logo in one color should only be used for internal-use materials such as N PR business forms and memorandums and for both internal and external promotional situations where fulI color is impractical or uneconomical, such as newsprint and one or two-color materials.
• The positive form of the NPR logo must always be used against white or light-colored backgrounds as shown below. The reverse form of the N PR logo must always be used against black or dark­colored backgrounds as shown below.
• In order to protect and strengthen the trademark status of the NPR logo, the original approved versions must not be altered, modified, added to, or changed in any way.
• It is important to present the NPR logo in as clear and direct a manner as possible. Additional design elements or visually competitive backgrounds will interfere with the quality and consistency of the N PR logo. In general, the NPR logo should normally have a generous amount of background space surrounding it, in order to set it off. Avoid the use of any promotional copy, or competing slogans, taglines or logos in close proximity to the NPR logo, which creates confusion and reduces its clarity and impact.
• Do not space out the three tiles.
• Do not pair the words “National Public Radio” with the logo.
• Do not stack the tiles vertically unless used for large environmental graphics such as banners or signs.
• Do not include the “®” within the logo.
• Never use the 3-solid tile version of the NPR logo.

Additional Properties

Revenue History

Total Assets History