All pre-recorded network programmes for BBC One, Two, Three, and Four delivered on or after Friday 1st June 2007 should conform to the new guidelines.

End Credits should run over visually interesting graphics or live action but the content must not be editorially critical to the integrity of the programme or include speech as they may be squeezed to accommodate promotional messages. Programme trails, solicits or helplines edited by production into their end credits are no longer allowed and should wherever possible be accommodated within the programme.

These guidelines do not currently apply to Sport, Live Entertainment shows, or Children's programmes.

The end credit architecture will be applied to some programmes at playout from Monday June 4th 2007.

End Credits should be delivered justified to the centre and may be either cards or a vertical scroller.

End Credits will be reduced to 60% of their original size when squeezed and cropped. Production are advised to test percentage reduction in an edit suite to ensure maximum readability.

NB all programmes return to full screen for the closing end board at the end of the credit squeeze process.

End Credits must not be justified left, justified right, or be horizontal scrollers.

End credits should now be 25 to 30 seconds in duration across all genres and channels. Exceptions are Live Sport and Entertainment shows where credits can be shorter, and Childrens programmes where they should be 20". Full details here.

The new duration parameters mean we will need to stick rigidly to our credit guidelines, in particular:

This type of end credit allows a promotion or publicity still to be placed at the top of the screen.

Once the programme credits roll the programme is reduced in size and cropped into a space in the bottom of the screen.

This type of end credit uses captions within coloured boxes that build during the end credit sequence.

This type of end credit uses the caption template for helpline information where it cannot be incorporated editorially into the programme.

End Credits should be typed within the orange space and justified to the centre.

This space is slightly narrower than 4:3 text safe to allow for a margin when reduced in size.

Layout showing end credit grid after reduction in size and cropping.

End Credits should be typed within the orange space and justified to the centre.

This space is slightly narrower and not as high as 4:3 text safe to allow for a margin when reduced in size.

Layout showing end credit grid after reduction in size and cropping.

End Credits may be any typeface but where possible the x-height should not be less than 20 pixels. This is to guarantee legibility after the end credits are reduced in size.

All credits should be located within the graphics safe area (also known as the caption safe area).

Example CBeebies End Credit.

Page last updated 10 December 2008