bmasters1 403 Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 I was just wondering-- have you ever heard of hidden lyrics within news themes (by which I mean, those that can be deciphered by listening closely to the beat/music of the theme)? One I discovered is from KSTP Channel 5 (ABC in the Twin Cities) from way back in the day; the opening had a sound that went something like this: "K-S-T-P, Eye-wit-ness News, K-S-T-P, Eye-wit-ness News, Up-date!" (This could presumably be used for the other dayparts as well.) Or this, from WPLG Channel 10 (ABC in Miami, in the Eyewitness News days of that station): "One-and-only, Channel 10!" (Or possibly "Eye-wit-ness News, Five-thirty!" [or "Five-o'clock" or "Six-o'clock," even]). Have you ever listened closely to a news theme to try to decipher hidden lyrics? Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/16318-hidden-lyrics-in-news-themes/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
Info Junkie 1286 Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 That KSTP signature was actually taken from KGTV, who commissioned The News Image, though KSTP did commission their own version in 1985. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/16318-hidden-lyrics-in-news-themes/#findComment-197847 Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmasters1 403 Posted February 27, 2018 Author Share Posted February 27, 2018 That KSTP signature was actually taken from KGTV, who commissioned The News Image, though KSTP did commission their own version in 1985. Did not know that (that KGTV had that signature before that)! Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/16318-hidden-lyrics-in-news-themes/#findComment-197848 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ntropolis 596 Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 We actually had a thread on this many years ago... some of these come from accompanying image campaigns which are a no-brainer, but others are total hunches: https://forums.tvnewstalk.net/index.php?threads/news-music-signatures-and-station-slogans.89/ Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/16318-hidden-lyrics-in-news-themes/#findComment-197849 Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmasters1 403 Posted February 27, 2018 Author Share Posted February 27, 2018 We actually had a thread on this many years ago... some of these come from accompanying image campaigns which are a no-brainer, but others are total hunches: https://forums.tvnewstalk.net/index.php?threads/news-music-signatures-and-station-slogans.89/ Thanks for bringing that up-- I neglected to look within this forum for that thread, but thanks for the heads-up. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/16318-hidden-lyrics-in-news-themes/#findComment-197850 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ntropolis 596 Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 Thanks for bringing that up-- I neglected to look within this forum for that thread, but thanks for the heads-up. Oh no, it's okay! Not everyone would think to look for a thread from 2006, haha. I remembered it and thought it could aid in discussion. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/16318-hidden-lyrics-in-news-themes/#findComment-197851 Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmasters1 403 Posted February 27, 2018 Author Share Posted February 27, 2018 Oh no, it's okay! Not everyone would think to look for a thread from 2006, haha. I remembered it and thought it could aid in discussion. It is-- there's a lot on there I didn't know about! One thing-- who was it who made the WPLG theme song of the early-90s? Was that Frank Gari (just guessing)? Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/16318-hidden-lyrics-in-news-themes/#findComment-197853 Share on other sites More sharing options...
TVLurker 198 Posted March 1, 2018 Share Posted March 1, 2018 Sinclair's Glass/Curve's theme has hidden lyrics but it's only two words. A-me-ri-ca, A-me-ri-ca, Sin-clair!. If only we knew how grossly "patriotic" Sinclair was back in 2012. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/16318-hidden-lyrics-in-news-themes/#findComment-197968 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Country News 435 Posted March 1, 2018 Share Posted March 1, 2018 Oh boy! I wonder what the hidden lyrics are in the "KNTV ''Do You Know The Way To San Jose'' News Theme" Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/16318-hidden-lyrics-in-news-themes/#findComment-197970 Share on other sites More sharing options...
TennTV1983 804 Posted March 1, 2018 Share Posted March 1, 2018 Sinclair's Glass/Curve's theme has hidden lyrics but it's only two words. A-me-ri-ca, A-me-ri-ca, Sin-clair!. If only we knew how grossly "patriotic" Sinclair was back in 2012. That patriotism you speak of has existed since the News Central days. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/16318-hidden-lyrics-in-news-themes/#findComment-197989 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan 24 Posted June 13, 2018 Share Posted June 13, 2018 I was told that the CBS Enforcer has lyrics as well, is that true? Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/16318-hidden-lyrics-in-news-themes/#findComment-205583 Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRolyPoly 2416 Posted June 13, 2018 Share Posted June 13, 2018 I was told that the CBS Enforcer has lyrics as well, is that true? Its just mainly based off the WBBM theme of "I Love Chicago, Chicago My Home." Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/16318-hidden-lyrics-in-news-themes/#findComment-205584 Share on other sites More sharing options...
bixpchiphead 105 Posted June 13, 2018 Share Posted June 13, 2018 Its just mainly based off the WBBM theme of "I Love Chicago, Chicago My Home." Which itself was a folk song sung in the Chicago Public Schools in the 50's and sixties. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/16318-hidden-lyrics-in-news-themes/#findComment-205586 Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonDonP1 118 Posted June 13, 2018 Share Posted June 13, 2018 Sinclair's Glass/Curve's theme has hidden lyrics but it's only two words. A-me-ri-ca, A-me-ri-ca, Sin-clair!. If only we knew how grossly "patriotic" Sinclair was back in 2012. Hello, When WBFF Fox 45 was the first to use the current Sinclair graphics and theme music. It did have hiddens, but it went: "Fox Forty-Five, Double-you Bee Eff Eff!" If Seattle's KPLZ Star 101.5 uses the music as its lyrical audio logo it would go: "Kay Pea El Zee, Star One Oh One Point Five!" Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/16318-hidden-lyrics-in-news-themes/#findComment-205590 Share on other sites More sharing options...
cxd7346 232 Posted June 18, 2018 Share Posted June 18, 2018 Most themes from the 70’s-80’s where built around a “song” or image campaign, not necessarily a “hidden message” I recall in a Frank Gari interview he talked about how this became, after his successful production of the WEWS “Catch 5” image, Ch. 5 management approached him wanting an instrumental package of recordings for news and for it to sound like Catch 5. He also talked about how he pioneered not only an image campaign with corresponding theme package but also syndication. If I can find that interview, I will post it, it is very informative and interesting! Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/16318-hidden-lyrics-in-news-themes/#findComment-205892 Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToriElectra 292 Posted June 19, 2018 Share Posted June 19, 2018 There's also WGCL's theme from when they changed their call letters to go with their ill-fated Clear News format-- it was directly based on the song "I Can See Clearly Now" (that song that's been in Claritin commercials in the past few years): Did anybody else like Clear News? I think that if WGCL had stuck with it it could've developed a following, as something different compared to the other stations. (I would've swapped out that weird orange color for blue though, it made it look like they were on Nickelodeon.) Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/16318-hidden-lyrics-in-news-themes/#findComment-205896 Share on other sites More sharing options...
SFTV 526 Posted June 22, 2018 Share Posted June 22, 2018 Who designed those graphics for WGCL? It looks like the spinoff of KTLA’s 98-04 gfx by Linda Kane Design Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/16318-hidden-lyrics-in-news-themes/#findComment-206063 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Webovision 202 Posted June 22, 2018 Share Posted June 22, 2018 lots of creative people in this thread... but all wrong... those little melodies are actually cries for help from the composers... hidden in plain sight... the signature for "impact"??? "help! i hate my job! i want to leave!" image news?? "someone come help me get out of here!" power news??? "this place blows. they don't pay me enough" the list just goes on... terrible!!! someone help these poor people!! ok... so not all of them are cries for help... some are just vanity from the composers... "the mission"? "my name's John Williams and this song is cool." or just plain laziness... the fox o&o theme? "fox paid me to write this song" i hope this shows you can put anything to music if you put your mind to it!! Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/16318-hidden-lyrics-in-news-themes/#findComment-206067 Share on other sites More sharing options...
newsn8te 200 Posted June 24, 2018 Share Posted June 24, 2018 lots of creative people in this thread... but all wrong... those little melodies are actually cries for help from the composers... hidden in plain sight... the signature for "impact"??? "help! i hate my job! i want to leave!" image news?? "someone come help me get out of here!" power news??? "this place blows. they don't pay me enough" the list just goes on... terrible!!! someone help these poor people!! ok... so not all of them are cries for help... some are just vanity from the composers... "the mission"? "my name's John Williams and this song is cool." or just plain laziness... the fox o&o theme? "fox paid me to write this song" i hope this shows you can put anything to music if you put your mind to it!! I seriously read each one to the tune of each theme mention.... Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/16318-hidden-lyrics-in-news-themes/#findComment-206142 Share on other sites More sharing options...
10Viewer 334 Posted June 29, 2018 Share Posted June 29, 2018 Impact was commissioned for WTVT. I'm pretty sure the composer sat down and hummed this: "Chan-nel - 13 - NEWS" hmmm.... Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/16318-hidden-lyrics-in-news-themes/#findComment-206581 Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThatSowislander 52 Posted June 29, 2018 Share Posted June 29, 2018 Impact was commissioned for WTVT. I'm pretty sure the composer sat down and hummed this: "Chan-nel - 13 - NEWS" hmmm.... Or maybe TVT - 13. That's what I always thought...they used the branding for non-news type stuff back then in the later years of their CBS days. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/16318-hidden-lyrics-in-news-themes/#findComment-206600 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Info Junkie 1286 Posted June 29, 2018 Share Posted June 29, 2018 There's also WGCL's theme from when they changed their call letters to go with their ill-fated Clear News format-- it was directly based on the song "I Can See Clearly Now" (that song that's been in Claritin commercials in the past few years): Did anybody else like Clear News? I think that if WGCL had stuck with it it could've developed a following, as something different compared to the other stations. (I would've swapped out that weird orange color for blue though, it made it look like they were on Nickelodeon.) I liked the color scheme, but the news? Ughhhhhh.... I’m personally on the line to replace the orange with yellow or purple than blue. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/16318-hidden-lyrics-in-news-themes/#findComment-206619 Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMassMediaGeek 98 Posted June 30, 2018 Share Posted June 30, 2018 Since WRAL commissioned In-Sink, I think the lyrics are... T-V-5 - W-R-A-L Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/16318-hidden-lyrics-in-news-themes/#findComment-206624 Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChesapeakeTV 311 Posted July 9, 2018 Share Posted July 9, 2018 Something to consider here is the inherent flexibility of a set of notes without vocals to go with them. For instance, Advantage can very easily spell W-F-S-B, Eye-wit-ness News, but it also works as W-T-H-I, Ac-tion 10 News, W-A-P-T, Chan-nel 16, K-F-D-X-T-V, NewsCenter 3...just to name a few off the top of my head. It's especially subjective when you consider packages that weren't commissioned by any one specific station - many of the various group packages come to mind there. There are exceptions, of course - there are several cuts in Seize The Day that actually have a female vocal over the logo of "WSMV, Working 4 You!", and as mentioned, an image campaign tends to make it very obvious. But I'd say it's widespread enough to be a rule of thumb. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/16318-hidden-lyrics-in-news-themes/#findComment-207031 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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