Fonts you love and hate

[Viper550 292]

NBC Artworks' use of typefaces have gotten a lot of acclaim from us recently, especially with the distinct looks the recent Look F package gains with its use of distinct typefaces.

 

Given that we've all criticized a look for using cheap or generic typography at least once here, what kind of fonts do you

think an on-air appearance should incorporate more ... or just throw in the garbage bin for good?

 

For me, fonts I'd like to see more, surprisingly, are fonts I've seen used in the designs of recent operating systems. And I don't mean Windows however, I'm talking more Linux-based stuff. All of these fonts are actually free and open source too, by the way.

 

Firstly, there's Roboto.

 

My phone (Galaxy Nexus, by the way) uses this font everywhere, and its nice and clean too. It kinda has Helvetica/Arial-type vibes, but still manages to look distinct.

 

Then, there's Cantarell

 

Am I the only one who thinks that something in the Look F-style would look great with a font like this? Its slick, kinda has that good "display" look as well, but works just as well elsewhere.

 

So, your opinions?

[Ntropolis 599]

Comic Sans is the worst font ever

[bmasters1 413]

I was wondering if Serif Gothic would be a good one. I always thought that NBC was good with it back in the day for sports, so I don't see why not.

[Samantha 2902]

The problem is that Serif Gothic oozes 1980.

 

Both Roboto and Cantarell look nice. I'm sorta sick of Cantarell (I had a LONG design period two years ago where it was my font of choice), but they would both be solid for L3s, especially Roboto. Should be noted that Cantarell doesn't have an italic.

[bmasters1 413]

The problem is that Serif Gothic oozes 1980.

 

Ah, got ya! I just thought I'd throw it out there.

[Viper550 292]

Both Roboto and Cantarell look nice. I'm sorta sick of Cantarell (I had a LONG design period two years ago where it was my font of choice), but they would both be solid for L3s, especially Roboto. Should be noted that Cantarell doesn't have an italic.

 

It calls it "Oblique" though

[T.L. Hughes 903]

Avenir and The Sans are both good-looking fonts. If newscast graphics went a little more out of the box with the typefaces they use, I think that those two could be executed well with the right graphics (I'm well aware that WLS-TV/Chicago uses The Sans, it looks decent on their graphics; I don't know if any stations use Avenir as their graphic font though).

[qunewsguy 378]

Proxima Nova is great. It's the current CBS network font family and works equally well for news branding. It's similar to Avenir but has much more variation and holds up better at smaller sizes.

 

As for hates: Futura, TheSans, Arial, and I could go on and on.

[Viper550 292]

Proxima Nova is great. It's the current CBS network font family and works equally well for news branding. It's similar to Avenir but has much more variation and holds up better at smaller sizes.

 

If its so nice, why don't the O&O graphics use them?

 

Arial, stock Windows fonts (yeah, WCBS. We know you used Trebuchet MS at one point. Didn't they?), ugh.

 

And also, Bank Gothic. Sometimes it leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

[caliwxdude 254]

...I don't know if any stations use Avenir as their graphic font though).

 

XETV uses it in San Diego. Their look is fast becoming a bit dated, though...

[PTVNews 196]

I can't remember the name but the font in the KGW logo is used for most of their on screen text and it's pretty unique.

 

[qunewsguy 378]

FF Din. That's a pretty good looking font family if it's used properly. It wound up looking really bland on the NBC O&O's back in the mid-2000's.

[PTVNews 196]

I think it's similar to that but not quite.

[channel2 982]

It's FF DIN Condensed, specifically its Black Italic.

 

I have an interest in design, and I'm wondering: would Knockout work well on a newscast? It's a bit out of the ordinary in newscast design, though.

[WAVY 10 Fan 233]

The problem is that Serif Gothic oozes 1980.

 

 

Well, considering NBC's not in any better shape than when they were using that typeface...

 

Seriously, even though this font screams 1980s (specifically 1989) as well, I've always been partial to the Korinna typeface for some reason.

[Chief-O 34]

Favorites: Futura [WFRV implements it quite well], Gill Sans. I wonder if Myriad is used much for news graphics [as a Mac guy, I hang around that font a lot].

OK: Helvetica. WLUK's implementation of it is kind of blah. I believe WGBA is using it too, and like everything else they do, it doesn't look great. Otherwise, it's usually a pretty safe bet. Same with Franklin Gothic [looking at you, WBAY!]

Dislikes: Any Windows stock font.

 

even though this font screams 1980s (specifically 1989) as well, I've always been partial to the Korinna typeface for some reason.

 

It ain't a bad font at all [it still works for "Jeopardy!"], but the problem is that it was so overused at that time. Can't speak for newscasts, but it seemed every other game show back in the 80s used it extensively. Makes you think if it was one of the stock fonts on the Chyron 4100s......

[Viper550 292]

It ain't a bad font at all [it still works for "Jeopardy!"], but the problem is that it was so overused at that time. Can't speak for newscasts, but it seemed every other game show back in the 80s used it extensively. Makes you think if it was one of the stock fonts on the Chyron 4100s......

 

WENY-TV in Elmira uses it for their logos

[qunewsguy 378]

It ain't a bad font at all [it still works for "Jeopardy!"], but the problem is that it was so overused at that time. Can't speak for newscasts, but it seemed every other game show back in the 80s used it extensively. Makes you think if it was one of the stock fonts on the Chyron 4100s......

 

Not sure if you were being facetious, but it was indeed the standard font on Chyron 4100's. I was still using one of those units back in 2002.

[Weeters 1969]

I believe WGBA is using it too, and like everything else they do, it doesn't look great.

 

Helvetica is indeed the font in the Journal Broadcast Group package.

 

I don't get how WGBA can have such horrible on-air presentation when they are the closest to the corporate headquarters(obviously not counting WTMJ) out of all of Journal's portfolio. They are the poster child for why graphics hubbing is a good thing.

[Sam Horn 78]

Two of the fonts named here, Knockout and Avenir, look great in print.

 

I think Avenir could work for TV. 2K uses Avenir (or something very, very similar to it) for its on-screen presentation in the MLB2K series. It looks sharp; it's clear, and it works well with the animated elements, and this is just on a game.

 

Knockout, though, no. There are too many quirks that would make it bad for broadcast -- the featherweights, heavies, and sumos would be almost completely unusable. The middleweights would look too indistinct.