BNN

From the Audiovisual Identity Database, the motion graphics museum



Background

BNN (Bart's Neverending Network, formerly Bart's News Network) was a Dutch public broadcasting association supported by the Netherlands Public Broadcasting. It was founded in 1997 by Bart de Graaff, Gerard Timmer and Frank Timmer and targeted teenagers and young adults. It produced entertainment and information television programming, radio programming, and feature films. Some of BNN's programming dealt with controversial subject matter, including most famously, a hoax reality special made to help raise awareness of the shortage of organ donors in the Netherlands. On January 1, 2014, BNN was merged with VARA to form BNNVARA.


Bart's News Network

ID (1997-1998)

Visuals: On a space background with blue aura, there is a blue-light blue colored Earth with a round silver grid orbiting. The initials "BNN" (similar to the CNN logo) sweep from the right as it settles from the middle, casting white trails.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: A news-themed synth theme with a synth whoosh/thud.

Bart's Neverending Network

1st ID (1999-2001)

Visuals: On a stormy, cloudy blue-black background, the tri-dimensional BNN logo from the era sweeps in, revealing five stone frames with four pictures of people in black and white, and a live-action clip of a person speaking. Various randomized words in white are seen in a vertical angle, sliding down. Then, the BNN logo from before sweeps back in, standing in the middle.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: A whoosh, leading to a synth theme with the speaking person, then a man saying the initials.

2nd ID (October 12-November 22, 2006)

Visuals: On a sky blue background, there is a black opal. Inside it involves the content category icons from Kijkwijzer which have actions depending on each corresponding ident. After the action, the BNN logo from the era quickly slides down thru the middle and stands still.

Technique: Computer animation.

Audio: The corresponding sounds from each ident, then a woman saying the initials and a 4-note guitar riff, which later became BNN's signature jingle from 2006-2009.

3rd ID (April 19, 2010-2017)


Visuals:

  • Opening: On a white backdrop, it involves with a BNN personality (Filemon Wesselink, Sophie Hilbrand, Nicolette Kluijver, Valerio Zeno, etc.) standing behind transparent glass. It then 'punches' the screen with a 'high five', which breaks the glass and reveals the sticker version of the BNN logo.
  • Closing: Another action is involved behind the glass, which depends on each ident. The screen then zooms closer to the top of the opal which has the words "BNN. LAAT NIET LOS!" over it.

Variant: In 2015, the BNN personalities were replaced by the simple idents featuring several BNN logos to break the screen.

Technique: Live-action with computer animation by NEP. The 2015 variants were done by Wouw.

Audio: The person speaking, then the sounds of shattering glass. For the closing part, a techno piece plays over, with a woman saying the initials, then the sounds of the corresponding action.

Audio Variant: The 2015 version uses a slightly take of the techno piece, with some different voices saying the initials, which depends on each ident.

BNN
BNNVARA