TheOneManHerd

Here's a real treat. A parable (yes, a parable) about Knoxville's affiliation switches.

Taking liberties with the "Classic Video" theme, but Keith Olbermann today told a brief and odd story about KCBS management when he was there in the late 80's. That, and he confirmed the existence of the long rumored number 3 pencil.

I think those were just Cuban sandwiches. Here are more Joe Mannion editiorials, all from about 1984 or so: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mQyEb9pKTQ Judging by the clips I've seen, I'm now very sure Frank Gari was behind the theme music. The instrumentation is a dead giveaway. A lot of folks, myself included, thought the defunct Collier Concepts composed the music. I still think they were behind the overall production of the "Newswatching out for you" promos, though.

Thanks for the post. I've been looking for someone to remove this volcano on my front lawn.

Listening to the new This Is Home montage; the second to last cut sounds likes it's incorporating a version of 'The Spirit of Texas' signature, albeit with a new melody. That might be the closest thing WFAA will have left of their classic musical signature.

A (nearly) full WFTV newscast from May of 1981, before Carole Nelson bolted for WCPX.

One other thing about the WCBS promo: They're missing a Darryl! Oh, I get it. Because "It's 2", not three.

Funny, I liked the theme too. It was about the only thing good about it. Though, to be honest, the music sounded more like a campaign for an airline than a TV network.

A very odd WCBS promo from 1988, it's true: It's 2! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Q5TA301iE0 Not odd because of anything in the promo, it's a highly produced, network-level spot; full of CBS stars (Bob Newhart, Dixie Carter, Brent Musburger, the works), not to mention Pat & Vanna. I call it odd because CBS' national campaign was the cheap, unremarkable, and infamous "Television You Can Feel"; all the while CBS put a whole bunch of money and effort towards a promo for just one station. A textbook example of how crazy things were during the Tisch years.

Seeing TVbD was already doing graphics for WGHP, I think it was a facsimile made in-house. A very, very well-made facsimile, mind you.

From what I understand, that company is actually just one guy: E.Q. Vance. According to his LinkedIn profile he's now doing graphics in-house for WVUE.

KOVR open from 1989. Look for longtime Phoenix weatherman Dewey Hopper, and a very young Kim Khazei.

WVIT Connecticut News from 1989. Very interesting open. Part 1: Part 2:

Portion of Channel 3 Reports from 1996 (including some small snippets of their awesome custom theme).

Old promos from KUSA in Denver. Or is that KBTV?

KMGH 1992 open, back in the CBS days, taking a cue from a certain ABC O&O. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOlzODsDklo Clip from KMGH in 1988, including a clip of Midday Colorado with John Lindsey.

Some footage from WKRC in 1983 (with Nick Clooney, Ira Joe Fisher, and some excellent cuts of The News Image by Tuesday Prod.)

Part 1 of a WTSP noon newscast from 1993 (back in their ABC days):