Two Types: The Faces of Britain

We are surrounded by types, the words on signs, buses, shops and documents which guide us through our lives. Two types in particular are regarded as the faces of Britain - Johnston and Gill Sans. Their story is told by typeface expert Mark Ovenden.

Watch it here for 29 days
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0903ppd/two-types-the-faces-of-britain

Comments

  • "BBC iPlayer only works in the UK. Sorry, it’s due to rights issues."
    (Firing up "Hide My IP"...)
  • I could suggest other methods, but some may not be happy. — Maybe someone will upload to youtube
  • Nick ShinnNick Shinn Posts: 2,131
    Dear me, whatever happened to poor old Caslon?!
  • I think I spotted Bruno Maag in the BBC Sans section.
  • Try as I might I can't get around BBC's IP snooping... It seems they adamantly don't want to spread the cultural wealth, even if it costs them nothing.

    Being an Armenian who grew up in Lebanon I've already paid the UK the equivalent of way more than TV licensing fees :-/ so I wouldn't at all mind watching an "unauthorized" recording. Maybe host it in Beqaa Valley.
  • Gah! Where did the Fell types go?
  • So thanks to a kind digital guerrilla warrior I was able to watch it.
    Nick Shinn said:
    Dear me, whatever happened to poor old Caslon?!
    Actually Caslon is in the show!
  • KP MawhoodKP Mawhood Posts: 294
    Try as I might I can't get around BBC's IP snooping... It seems they adamantly don't want to spread the cultural wealth, even if it costs them nothing.
    It's a pretty recent thing isn't it? They're mostly targeting UK TV Licensing, following funding cuts. But, agreed – they ought to figure something out for other counties.
  • Oh, I suppose funding cuts could justify font piracy too than.
  • KP MawhoodKP Mawhood Posts: 294
    Who doesn't want to be a kind guerrilla warrior? It just sounds so philanthropic.
  • Oh, I suppose funding cuts could justify font piracy too than.
    Sure. It depends to how much protectionism the recipient of the funding cut stoops. It's all give-and-take, and Legal and Moral are not really friends. The French Revolution was illegal too.
  • Nick CookeNick Cooke Posts: 181
    Funding cuts? We all pay a license fee. You know, like a subscription. 
  • KP MawhoodKP Mawhood Posts: 294
    2016 White Paper on the BBC's future, w/ three main issues:
    • Money: will the licence fee continue and how much will it be?
    • Governance: who runs the BBC?
    • Distinctiveness
    2016 Government white paper
    BBC's response to Government white paper
Sign In or Register to comment.