The Public Broadcasting Service is an American public broadcaster and nonprofit network based in Arlington, Virginia. It distributes programs such as Nature, Nova, Frontline, Masterpiece and Sesame Street to member stations across the country.
The PBS logo has one of the best documented design histories in American television. Its human profile P, known internally as Everyman and by many viewers as the P Head, has run through every version since 1971. PBS publishes a brand page with downloadable logos and color values for print and screen.
Logo history
- 1970 to 1971: A sans serif all caps bumper reading Public Broadcasting Service is used.
- 1971: Herb Lubalin and Ernie Smith of Lubalin Smith Carnase design the first P Head logo.
- 1984: Tom Geismar of Chermayeff and Geismar redesigns the logo.
- 1998: The Geismar logo starts appearing in white on a circle.
- November 4, 2019: PBS announces a refreshed logo with Lippincott: a new PBS Blue, a custom typeface and an illustration style, rolled out through 2020 for the 50th anniversary.
This timeline lists only changes that a cited source confirms. Earlier or minor variants of the PBS mark that could not be dated from a primary or reputable source are left out rather than guessed.
Logo colors
| Color | HEX | RGB | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| PBS Blue | #2638C4 | 38, 56, 196 | Official PBS brand page and Commons PBS logo 2019 SVG |
| Navy Blue | #0A145A | 10, 20, 90 | Official PBS brand page |
The PBS palette in this draft has 2 recorded values. PBS Blue is #2638C4, which is RGB 38, 56, 196. Navy Blue is #0A145A, which is RGB 10, 20, 90. Where a value comes from a redrawn vector rather than the owner’s own guide, check it against official files before using it in design work.
The main image should use the standard blue or white logo. The red version of July 1 to 6, 2025, belongs in the history only.
Typography
PBS Sans, a custom sans serif commissioned for the refresh.
Design context and usage rules
PBS says the logo is made of the Shield, the Profiles and the PBS wordmark, and these cannot be separated. There are blue and white versions, used interchangeably: blue on light backgrounds, white on dark ones. The guidelines forbid recreating the wordmark in any font, including PBS Sans, as well as stretching, recoloring, adding effects or putting the logo in a box.
PBS states that its logo, PBS Blue and PBS Sans are trademarks that need permission, with requests to its brand team. Lippincott’s global creative director Connie Birdsall said the identity was built to be flexible for broadcast and digital, and PBS expected nearly 70 percent of member stations to adopt it within a year.
FAQ
Who designed the PBS logo?
Herb Lubalin and Ernie Smith in 1971; Tom Geismar redesigned it in 1984.
What is PBS Blue?
2638C4 per the official brand page.
What font does PBS use?
PBS Sans.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PBS
- https://www.pbs.org/brand
- https://www.pbs.org/about/about-pbs/blogs/news/pbs-unveils-new-look-on-eve-of-50th-anniversary/
- https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:PBS_logo_2019.svg
Logos shown are trademarks of their owners and are provided for identification and reference. To request removal, contact [email protected].