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bbplot is an R package developed by the BBC visual journalism team aimed at helping data journalists and analysts produce chart styles consistent with BBC aesthetics. It provides functions and themes that make it easier to adopt BBC’s visual style (fonts, colors, annotations, layout) in ggplot2 plots. The package includes helper functions for axis labels, captions, legends, branding (e.g. BBC red lines or accents), and common chart types styled for editorial presentation. It offers templates and defaults that reduce styling overhead so users can focus on data and storytelling rather than aesthetic minutiae. Because visual consistency is important in media, bbplot helps non-designers build plots that align with professional publication standards. The repository includes documentation, vignettes, example plots, and guidelines for customization (e.g. switching colors, modifying typography).
Features
- ggplot2 themes styled to BBC visual journalism standards
- Helper functions for axis labels, captions, and legends tailored to editorial layout
- Styling accents / branding elements (e.g. BBC red lines, separators, branding bars)
- Default settings for typography, spacing, colors to reduce custom theming labor
- Vignettes and example plots to demonstrate usage and customization
- Open source license allowing adaptation or white-label use for other media styles
Project Samples
