March 2024 Program Guide

Maryland Public Television (MPT) aimed to enhance engagement with its monthly program guide, which serves over 53,000 households. Tasked with the redesign, Novak Birch focused on improving readability by eliminating heavy background colors and incorporating more white space, while maintaining the same content. The new design features a cover that teases a highlighted program and a detailed feature article, alongside channel grids that offer an at-a-glance overview of the primetime line-up. Additionally, 'grid picks' at the top of each grid entice readers to explore further. Since the redesign, MPT's program guide has garnered 18 creative awards, including multiple GD USA and Communicator Awards, while also achieving cost savings through thoughtful design changes.

ABOUT Maryland Public Television (MPT) comprises four stations, broadcast throughout Maryland and Washington, DC, as well as parts of surrounding states. Distributed monthly, MPT’s program guide provides members and partners with schedules for all of its channels and informs them of area events. CHALLENGE MPT sought to update their program guides to better engage and inform members. Novak Birch was tasked with designing, writing, printing, and mailing guides that support MPT’s mission to educate and entertain the public with high-quality programs and services. SOLUTION First, we redesigned the program guide to give it a fresh look-and-feel. To enhance readability, we eliminated heavy background colors. The new guide incorporates more white space yet includes the same content—making it easy for readers to find information they’re looking for and to discover new programs. For example: - The guide’s cover and feature page, of which we’ve submitted images for this entry, highlight one program or initiative, enticing readers to learn about the program and to continue exploring the guide. The cover serves as a teaser, while the feature article provides detailed information on the program. - The channel grids provide an at-a-glance overview of each day’s primetime line-up, while the listings provide more detailed information. - At the top of each channel grid, “grid picks” offer teasers about programs to engage readers. Since 2012, we’ve worked with MPT to design and write the monthly program guide. Working with our printer/ mailhouse partner, we also manage the printing and mailing to 53,000+ households across the region each month. RESULTS - Awards: MPT’s program guide has won 18 creative awards during our tenure, including two 2019 GD USA Awards, 15 Communicator Awards, and the 2013 Silver PromaxBDA Local Award for Off-Air Design. - Cost Savings: We have helped MPT save money by changing paper and by making thoughtful design changes to incorporate new channel grids without adding pages.

From the original award submission.