PBS Red Book  Policies & Specifications  Promotion   Print Version

PROMOTION
 

The following promotional deliverables are required for all shows distributed by PBS. For questions, please see the contact information at the end of this section or contact PBS Brand Management and Promotion at (703) 739-5102.

USER'S GUIDE TO THE PBS BRANDS

All promotional deliverables must be produced in accordance with the User's Guide to the PBS Brands. This guide addresses branding elements, program promotion guidelines and logo use rules for PBS, PBS KIDS and PBS KIDS GO! and covers on-air, print and online media.

A copy of the User's Guide to the PBS Brands is sent to each executive producer for shows distributed by PBS. Electronic copies are available on PBS Connect (PBS Resources, Brand Management & Promotion, User's Guide to the PBS Brands). If you would like to request additional copies, please see the contact information at the end of this section.

PBS LOGO USE RULES & GUIDELINES

We need to deliver the best possible creative, paired with clear and consistent brand identification, for the greatest possible impact. When promoting a program, the PBS logo represents the viewing destination, or source of the content. It sends a clear message: "watch this show on your PBS station." Therefore, whenever a program logo or title appears in your creative, the PBS logo must also be included.

The following paragraphs provide a brief introduction to our logo use rules and guidelines. However, as outlined above, you are responsible for producing all deliverables in accordance with the complete guidelines provided in the User's Guide to the PBS Brands.

The PBS Logo

The PBS logo contains three elements including 1) a circle (the "Circle") with three profiles inside (sometimes referred to as the "everyone symbol"); 2) the letters PBS (the "word mark"); and 3) a legal registration symbol (®). These three elements combined make the logo and should always appear as one.

Logo Use Rules

• Use only logo files you download from PBS Connect or receive directly from PBS. Do not recreate the logo.
• The PBS logo may not be altered, modified or obscured in any way. It must be used without disturbing or distorting its proportions or otherwise altering the impression it creates.
• The PBS logo is black and white. There are two versions: a black-and-white version and a white-and-black version. They look almost identical, but they are not interchangeable. Please begin with the version best suited for your design. Background colors or patterns should never show through the profiles.
• The PBS logo cannot be physically incorporated into or graphically connected to any other graphic element - it must stand on its own.

Additional Design Considerations

• Start with the logo version created especially for the designated application/medium. Choose the most appropriate size logo for your project. You may resize the logo only in its entirety so that it is always legible, clear and without distortion.
• The Circle element of the PBS logo must measure at least .5" in diameter for print applications and 30 pixels for an online environment. Additionally, in print executions the PBS logo should be surrounded with a minimum horizontal and vertical space that equals the diameter of the Circle. Online, it should be surrounded by space equaling at least 20 pixels.
• The PBS logo, when used online, must incorporate a direct hyperlink to http://pbs.org.
• The legal line "The PBS logo is a registered trademark of PBS and is used with permission." must appear in all consumer-targeted off-air creative and in creative where other entities' legal lines appear.

Using the PBS logo on program-related product requires a trademark licensing agreement from PBS. For information, please see the contact information at the end of this section.

PROMOTION DELIVERY REQUIREMENTS

On-Air Promotional Spots

A 30-second and 20-second on-air promotional spot for each program/episode is due to PBS Creative Services 6 weeks prior to broadcast. On-air promotion spots feed to stations three times a week. If your program is delivered in high-definition (HD) or standard definition widescreen, you must also provide on-air promos in HD or standard definition widescreen, respectively, in addition to standard NTSC promos. All promos must arrive on a drop-frame tape with unbroken timecode.

All promotional spots must be cleared for streaming on pbs.org and station Web sites. Please provide Windows Media and QuickTime files of the promo.

For questions, please see the contact information at the end of this section.

Program Listings

Producers must provide to PBS a program listing (brief program/episode description for each program) with firm title[s], producer and promotion contact information. For series, please provide a listing that overviews the entire series as well as a listing for each episode within a series. Listings are due 10 weeks before the first day of the month of a program's distribution. PBS will distribute listings to stations and TV listings services each month. For questions, please see the contact information at the end of this section.

Program Release

Producers must provide to PBS a program press release, written in standard news release style, for each program/series. The release is due 10 weeks before the first day of the month of a program's distribution and will be made available online to national press and member stations on PBS PressRoom®. For questions, please see the contact information at the end of this section.

Photographic Images

Producers must provide PBS with high-quality, high-resolution (at least 300 dpi) digital photography (jpeg format preferred; tif acceptable). Images may be submitted via email, disc or FTP site and must contain full identification and photo credit. Costs for production of photos are the financial responsibility of the producer. Images provided to PBS will be made available online to national press and member stations on PBS PressRoom®. Program images are due approximately 10 weeks before the first day of the month of a program's distribution. For questions, please see the contact information at the end of this section.

Screening Cassettes (clean)

Producers must provide one Beta SP or Digibeta and one VHS or DVD without burned-in time code to PBS Media Relations six to eight weeks prior to air or at the same time tapes are sent to national press. For questions, please see the contact information at the end of this section.

Program Press Announcements

In order to alert PBS member stations and to ensure a coordinated promotion effort, PBS Media Relations must be consulted in advance of any press announcement made by a producer of any program distributed by PBS. For questions, please see the contact information at the end of this section.

Summary of Producer PR and Outreach Efforts

Producers must provide PBS with a summary of any public relations efforts or campaigns, and any outreach undertaken. Written plans are due to PBS 12 weeks in advance. Summary should be delivered according to the contact information at the end of this section.

Special Event Notification

Producers must provide PBS with advance notification - ideally 12 weeks - of any program/series special events to be held in Washington, DC, New York City and Los Angeles so that PBS can discuss with producers possible collaborations, track events for possible conflicts with other programming events, disseminate information to stations, and be aware of events targeted to Capitol Hill and possible legislative activities. We would appreciate knowing about any nationwide events as well. For questions, please see the contact information at the end of this section.

ADDITIONAL PROMOTION SERVICES

PBS can help coordinate additional promotion services if requested by the producer within a reasonable amount of time. PBS staff will assist producers in writing and/or editing print materials, selecting and cropping photos, and advising on other promotional matters. The following services are also available:

National Press

The PBS Media Relations department provides program information in its national program highlights; provides PR counseling (primarily regarding press in NY and LA markets); facilitates screening cassette requests, either by providing them directly or by referring requests to individual production entities; and disseminates program material upon request. PBS also provides stations with press preview feeds for virtually all new primetime programs approximately two weeks before the national air date, allowing station program information directors to offer cassettes for local press review.

Distributing Releases, Feature Articles, Bios, Etc.

PBS will distribute (via PBS PressRoom ) program-related, producer-prepared feature articles, host/cast biographies, interviews, Q&A, fact sheets, etc., to stations for use in their monthly program guides or for release to local media. Material should be sent to your PBS Media Relations contact via e-mail. For timely distribution of these materials, it is recommended that materials be delivered to PBS 10 weeks before the first day of the month of a program's distribution.

Advertising Assistance

In the event that you (or your program underwriter) are planning national or selected market advertising for your program, please contact PBS Brand Management and Promotion using the contact information at the end of this section.

PBS Videos Clips Highlighted on YouTube

We are actively working with more producers to gain a broader audience for our programming by putting promotional and program excerpt clips on PBS' area of YouTube (youtube.com/pbs). Currently, PBS offers a variety of clips on YouTube, including lengthy reports from "NOW," as well as segments from "NATURE," "Jean-Michel Cousteau: Ocean Adventures," "Bill Moyers on Faith & Reason," "Moyers on America" and "P.O.V." We also are providing these promotional clips to Google Video and IFILM. For more information and specs, please see the contact information at the end of this section.

Station Promotion Contact Information

Producers may request contact information for station communications directors from Brand Management and Promotion. Producers who choose to distribute promotional print materials via mail can use this information to create mailing labels. To request this information, please see the contact information at the end of this section.

REQUIREMENTS FOR PBS-DISTRIBUTED SPOTS

BRAND REQUIREMENTS

The following elements must appear in all on-air promotion spots produced for distribution by PBS

Like all promotional deliverables, on-air promos must be produced in accordance with the User's Guide to PBS Brands

• Spots must either open with the PBS logo animation and/or contain the PBS logo in the body of the spot. For feed information and for independent producers needing these elements, please use the contact information at the end of this section.
• All spots must include space for local customization.
• The PBS logo must always be clear and legible when it appears in a spot.

VISUAL REQUIREMENTS

Keep graphics out of the lower third of the screen during the promo tag time

During the tag time, the show title graphic should be clearly visible; however, the title font must occupy no more than the upper two-thirds of the screen. Stations use the lower third of the screen to superimpose local tune-in information. During the tag time, keep all critical imagery and graphics (such as show title and closed captioning bugs) out of the lower third.

DON'T

DO

Keep the lower right corner clean the entire time

In addition to the lower third requirement, keep the lower right corner of the screen free of critical content for the entire duration of the promo. Many stations use a bug throughout their station breaks. For example, imagine a bug in the corner when you edit, and make sure no other elements are included in this space.

DON'T

DO

No shrinkbacks

Instead of using a lower third graphic to add local tune-in information, some stations tag their promos by shrinking back the entire promo image over a graphic background. For this reason, avoid using a shrinkback effect of your own in the title treatment of the promos you produce.

DON'T

DO

Cut to black

The head of the promo may cut or fade in at the producer's discretion, but must cut to black at the end.

CONTENT REQUIREMENTS

Narration Don'ts

Do not include language that refers to any of the following in a promo:

	The producer
	The presenting station
	The funder (unless the funder is included in the legal name of the program)
	Medical claims of any kind
	Mention of a contest, auction or sale of goods or services

Use the word "NEXT" with caution

Do not use the word "NEXT" by itself. This implies that the show being promoted will immediately follow the station break. If you use the word, make sure it is part of a tune-in phrase such as "next time on..." or "on the next episode of..."

Avoid specific airtime language.

Do not specify or imply any specific air date, including the word "LIVE." If you wish to acknowledge an air date for a special program with wide common carriage, provide these spots in addition to the non-dated versions.

Additional elements may be required

You should be prepared to deliver additional production elements at PBS' request. With these elements, your show can be more easily incorporated with other productions such as PBS Preview Reels or member stations' local promos for your show. If asked, include these elements on the same reel as your promos. These elements may include:

	Title graphics. Whether static or animated, provide the graphic of the show title you used in the promo, along with a matte.
	Theme music. This should be the full and clean version of the show's theme music, along with any existing variations.
	Program Bugs. PBS may request that producers add a program/PBS/program bug to their programs. If you are asked to do so, placement and style guidelines will be provided by PBS Brand Management and Promotion. For questions, please contact PBS using the information listed at the end of this section.
	Embedded Promotion and Embedded Promotion Bump PBS may request that producers place embedded promotion for the next PBS promotional priority directly after content and before all other material (credits, offers, etc.). If embedded promotion is included, producer must create a bumper ("stay tuned for more info on THIS PROGRAM. But first…") to be placed directly after content and prior to embedded promotion. For questions, please contact PBS using the information listed at the end of this section.

DELIVERY REQUIREMENTS

Deliver six weeks before show broadcast

You must deliver promos 6 weeks before the program's air date. Please communicate the importance of this deadline to any production staff involved in delivering materials to PBS.

LATE DELIVERY OF PROMOS WILL RESULT IN A FINE. SEE FEE SCHEDULE SCHEDULE OUTLINED IN THE "DELIVERABLES" SECTION OF THIS MANUAL.

Media Inventory and Barcodes

A completed Spot Media Inventory form must be submitted in ORION, and the associated barcode must be included with each promo reel tape delivered to PBS.

:30 and :20

For a single episode special, provide a :30 and a :20 promo. For a multi-part series, provide :30 and :20 generic spots that promote the series, and a :30 and :20 for each episode of the series. This is the minimum requirement.

Note: A :20 promo is a promo length that stations use quite often. It doesn't have to be a cutdown of the :30; a spot this short sometimes demands a different approach. Ensure that the :20 can stand on its own merits.

Additional lengths

If you are able to provide more than the minimum number of spots required, provide shorter or longer spots (:10, :15, :60, for example). Making shorter promos, while not adding much additional cost, may increase the visibility of your program. And because stations always need fresh longer-length elements, :60 spots and fillers (2-5 minutes) are always welcome.

No odd lengths

All spot lengths must end with a 0, except for :15. This does not apply to fillers longer than two minutes. For all promos and fillers, frame accuracy is required.

Formats

If your program is produced in high-definition (HD) or standard definition widescreen, you must provide on-air promos in HD or standard definition widescreen, respectively, in addition to NTSC versions of your promo.

Five second requirement

Make sure your narration ends :05 before the end of the promo to allow stations to add local day and time information. During this time your title graphic should be clearly visible (see "Visual Requirements" above). :10 promos are not required to accommodate a :05 tag time.

Keep the music/sfx at bed level during tag time

The last :05, or the tag time, of a promo is used for local tune-in voiceover. During this time, keep any existing audio effects at bed level. Bed level is generally 50% of the normal audio level.

Image promos

Contact PBS Brand Management and Promotion if you are interested in creating an image promo for your program.

While some program subject matter is inherently provocative to encourage tune-in, apply discretion to ensure your promos adhere to prevailing standards of decency. For example, replace overtly sexual shots with less explicit material or replace violent scenes with shots that are less literal. Do your best to make compelling, provocative promos without using shots or language which some people might find offensive.

Flags

A flag is a warning to PBS member stations that a promo has sensitive content. Flags are noted on the promo reel rundowns that accompany promo reel feeds. The flag categories are "sex," "violence," and "language." There is an additional distinction between real and dramatic violence. Examples of flags are:

Sex:
	EXPLICIT SEXUAL CONTENT
	SEXUAL SITUATIONS
	NUDITY

Violence:
	DRAMATIC VIOLENCE
	REAL VIOLENCE
	DRAMATIC DEAD BODY
	REAL DEAD BODY

Language:
	OFFENSIVE LANGUAGE
	RACIAL/HATE CRIME SLURS
	THREATS OF VIOLENCE
	SEXUAL INNUENDO

A few considerations for promos with potential to be flagged:

Many of these promos are harmless for certain age groups. We discourage the production of spots so watered down that they don't get flagged, especially if the show has adult content that is integral to the promo. For continuity and traffic purposes, flags ensure proper scheduling/placement of the promos.

Provide alternate version(s) if you wish

For programs of an adult nature, you may create an edgier version of a promo, in addition to your standard promo, if you think it makes a compelling case for tune-in. Stations can then choose which version(s) to use in appropriate time slots.

NOTE: Promos with blatantly offensive language will not be distributed via the promo reel.

PROGRAM DESIGNATION REQUIREMENTS (for selected programs)

PBS designates program promotion priorities ("Pop-outs," "Keys," "Programs of Note" and select affinity programs) to receive heightened promotion support. Pop-out programs are the biggest events in the PBS schedule and are supported through paid media, on-air promotion and national publicity. Key programs receive on-air and publicity support, while Programs of Note receive publicity support.

PBS will notify producers of these program designations and will discuss the additional requirements on a campaign-by-campaign basis. Some of these additional requirements could include:

1. Station print materials - Producers of programs designated "Pop-out" must provide a vertical image, preferably focusing on subject/talent, suitable for cover reproduction. Producers must provide additional background materials (feature, bios, Q&A, interview, fact sheet, etc.) as requested.
2. On-air materials - Footage for PBS-created spots is required three to four months prior to the program's first airdate. PBS reserves the right to produce, in collaboration with the producer, the on-air campaign for Pop-out and Key programs only, and PBS retains the right of final approval of all spots. Footage for seasonal preview reels may be requested and required as many as six to eight months prior to the program's air date. Broadcast quality tapes, screening tapes with matching burned-in time code (split audio tracks are preferable) and program descriptions should be sent to the appropriate PBS contact.

Send PBS the first generation master

	Send PBS the master tape and keep a broadcast quality clone or dub of each tape for your files.
	Include one copy of each promo (not two, as required for programs).
	To simplify storage and retrieval, put all promos for a program or series on one tape if possible. Promos for multi-episode programs may be delivered on separate tapes as the promos become available.

Deliver promos to:
PBS Creative Services
2100 Crystal Drive
Arlington, VA 22202-3785
Telephone: (703) 739-5072

Slate each cut

On the tape you deliver to PBS, slate each cut with:
	Cut number
	Program title/NOLA code (if known)
	Episode number or the word "Generic"
	Length of spot/tag time (example: :30/:05)
	Producing entity
	Promo producer's name and phone number
	Ten-second countdown

Also include any additional information that helps us sort through your reel, such as variations of the same spot (dated or clean, etc.).

Deliver on a PBS broadcast format

Acceptable tape formats (in order of preference) are Digital Beta and Beta SP. Do not deliver the promos on the same reel as the program. Radio spots should be delivered on CD, or may be delivered on the same format as your video promo.

Clearly label the tape(s) and tape box(es)

	Clearly label the tape(s) and tape box(es) with "PROMOS" to help distinguish it from program tapes.
	Include the program title and episode number (if applicable).
	For tapes with many cuts, it helps to include a paper rundown of all cuts on the reel.

Include a Media Inventory barcode with each tape

Producers must complete a Spot Media Inventory form in ORION and must include the associated barcode with each tape delivered to PBS.<

Include a VHS or DVD screener

Please provide a copy of your submission on VHS or DVD for screening purposes.<

BRAND MANAGEMENT AND PROMOTION CONTACT INFORMATION

General Program Promotion Questions
(703) 739-5102

User's Guide to the PBS Brands, PBS Logo Use and Animation Package Information
(703) 739-5294

Using the Logo on Program-Related Product
(703) 739-5765

Image Spots/Promotion
(703) 739-5789

Program Promotion and Designation Requirements
(703) 739-5102

On-air Promotion
(703) 739-5072

Communications, Press & Special Events
(PBS Press Tour, PBS conferences, DC events, PR and outreach)
(703) 739-5129

Print Promotion
(Program press releases, program listings and photos)
(703) 739-5364

 
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