Rhode Island’s PBS and NPR stations have merged and officially rebranded as Ocean State Media, a multi-year effort to create a single, unified nonprofit public media entity for the state.
Dropping the 'public': The new brand makes a statement by dropping "public" from its name, a decision driven by audience feedback suggesting the term could be a barrier. In an interview, CEO Pam Johnston explained, "Lots of people felt as though they didn’t feel invited into an organization with public in their name." The change followed an in-depth six-month research process involving over a thousand local residents.
A fresh coat of paint: The visual identity gets a similar overhaul. A new combined 'O' and 'S' icon and the typeface Carbona replace the previous geometric sans-serifs for what one analysis calls a friendlier aesthetic.
In a statement, Board Co-chair Dave Laverty said, "Now more than ever, Rhode Island needs a public media home that informs, connects, and represents us all." The new organization will build that home with multiplatform content and community-centered storytelling. The new entity is already shaping its journalistic focus. Recent stories on the Ocean State Media homepage tackle the fallout from the Washington Bridge audit, Brown University naming its first AI Provost, and Pawtucket's ongoing reinvention.
