NewsNation is the national cable news network operated by Nexstar Media Group. The network’s visual identity centers on a wordmark with the words “News” and “Nation” enclosed in square brackets, a design that has carried through the brand’s on-air graphics, show logos and studio sets since its launch.
Design and History
NewsNation began as a three-hour primetime newscast that debuted September 1, 2020, on WGN America, Nexstar’s cable network.[1] Nexstar announced in January 2021 that WGN America would rebrand entirely as NewsNation, with expanded news programming beginning March 1, 2021.[2]
The broadcast design for the original NewsNation program was created by Troika, a Hollywood-based branding agency, whose work was built around the concept of the “bracket” featured in the logo along with a flat, clean design style.[1] The bracket motif was described as providing “a strong, structural shape” for the brand’s visual system.[3]
When the network expanded its programming on March 1, 2021, the signature primetime newscast was reworked with a new open that introduced light burst elements. For the new name, the network modified the “NewsNation” logo with the word “Prime” below and extended the lower “arm” of each bracket, which were colored in one of the brighter shades of blue in the graphics package palette.[4]
On June 21, 2021, the logo was slightly amended with the “NewsNation” text spaced out further and the brackets made smaller.[5]
Meaning and Symbolism
The bracket element is the defining feature of the NewsNation identity. It appears in the network’s primary logo and is alluded to on its sets, and it has been carried into the logos of individual programs, including “Cuomo” and “Elizabeth Vargas Reports.”[6][7] The squared-off bracket shape has also been referenced in the graphics of related programs, such as “The Hill.”[8]
The network describes itself as “America’s source for engaging and unbiased news, which reflects the full range of perspectives across the country.”[9] The visual identity was developed alongside a sonic identity created by Stephen Arnold Music, which was inspired by the network’s commitment to delivering “fact-based news.”[10]
Typography and Design
According to the trademark registration filed by Nexstar Media Inc., the mark consists of the words “NewsNation” enclosed in brackets, set in a sans serif typeface with “News” in bold typeface and “Nation” in a non-bold typeface.[11] A separate trademark application describes the mark as “News Nation” arranged with “News” located above “Nation,” with both words enclosed in brackets to the right and left.[12]
NewsNation’s on-air graphics have typically used the Proxima typeface, though individual show logos have sometimes deviated from this standard.[6] The network’s color palette skews toward a bold bright blue with lighter blue accents blended with white, as seen in the “NewsNation Live” graphics package.[13]
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