BBC’s ‘Context’ illustrates intersecting components of a news story visually

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BBC News launched “Context,” a new program that airs on both the BBC News Channel in the U.K. and BBC World News around the globe.

Hosted by Christian Fraser, the show is designed around guests to bring perspective and context to the big stories of the day.

The show has its own unique open, while making use of the BBC’s primary news graphics package for insert graphics and banners.

For its branded look, “Context” features a muted blue accented with the trademark BBC red.

The show’s name is spelled out in the broadcaster’s bespoke font BBC Reith. The logotype also features three muted, intersecting boxes behind the lettering, with the strokes of the box meeting specific vertical and horizontal parts of various letters.

The center “T” also features an extended middle stroke that, along with the horizontal line that forms the top of the letter, serves as the “hub” of the boxes.

A variety of box and line elements complete the look, including concentric rings and matrix grids.

The concept of intersecting facts, ideas and topics forming the complete picture is played out on screen visually with intersecting circles boxes that change color and rotate into the logo in the show’s various animations.

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Studio shots are kept simple, with Fraser seated at an anchor desk and blurred cityscape background behind him and a rectangular OTS-style graphic camera right that features its own unique animated entrance.

Given the panel nature of the show, a variety of box layouts are also used but have been kept simple and clean, a tactic that keeps the focus on the guests rather than the graphics. 

The “Context” graphics package was created in-house under the direction of creative director Mitra Turani and designer Stelios Thoukidides. The design work also has the distinction of being completed remotely due to the coronavirus pandemic and restrictions on office staffing levels.

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