Favorite custom packages

[Samantha 2878]

Many of the best news packages on TV were created for one station but never syndicated out.

 

For instance, five of what I consider to be TV news' best sounds were made for Denver stations but never used outside of their original clients. KUSA had two: "There's No Substitute" and their Third Street Music news package (the first one lasted only three years, but the second came with their NBC switch and stuck it out into the Gannett standardized era). KCNC went through a veritable parade of them, all by Denver-based Newsmusic Central. Some made it to other stations. Others, like the symphonic Image X, Spirit News, and XTreme News, did not. (Speaking of which, that Image X sample is the longest in existence for any one TV news music package at 11:44. The NMSA does not have it. Its longest is 10:26 (PNP). Images VIII-X, Urban/KQCA, XTreme, Impact/KSAZ, Spirit, the normal Prime News, and the H-A theme are available this way. My plugin screws up if I don't manually change the .html to .mp3 on these.)

 

I also have a bunch of other favorites, like the Prime News "Spirit of Arizona" version and KARE's Third Street package. Too many to list. I'd count the WKYT News Theme as a custom package despite having some use outside of WKYT (sister stations don't count!).

[C Block 1488]

^^^The KUSA theme, while not really my taste, was a classic. I still think it was a poor, poor decision to drop it in favor of the apocalyptic Gannett theme.

 

One of my favorite custom themes is the KTLA 2005 theme. It was modern yet still fit the purpose of news music well, and it screamed Los Angeles. Also a shame that they dropped it in favor of an inferior package.

 

The new KDVR theme is also very good. I can't wait to hear more of it when KWGN gets the new look.

[Evening Magazine 18]

I'd count the WKYT News Theme as a custom package despite having some use outside of WKYT (sister stations don't count!).

 

I love the WKYT News Theme. Both were done by Phil Copeland (copelandmusic.com). Great guy and Kentuckian himself. They are using HOC now, unfortunately.

[SFTV 484]

KXTV 2005 - 2008 Theme starts at :29 secs. heres a resynch vid i found

 

 

KTLA 2005 Theme

[Oprah 10]

http://southernmedia...media=theme,772

WMAQ '97. Love love love this one. Very tabloidy and cheesy but it has a nice sound to it.

 

WTVJ '88....how could anyone not like this one? So sexy and Miami.

 

WTVJ Metro Music pack....OK, not the greatest music piece ever composed, but it worked so well and was VERY Miami.

 

http://www.dailymoti...and-talent_news

http://southernmedia...ia=opens,2990,0

WMAR '93....very sexy and jazzy. Too bad the station itself sucks now. (Particularly since Mary Beth Marsden left!)

 

http://southernmedia...media=opens,639

KRON '93....love love love this (speaking of stations that now suck horribly)

[Oprah 10]

WFOR '95....fantastic, high-energy. Love it!

 

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=LvVlobJChdA

WCSC late 80s-early 90's. So sexy.

 

WFAA 92. So grand and Texas-y.

 

WBBM 1992, so intense and tabloidy. Love love love it.

 

http://southernmedia...media=opens,148

KCRA 1990s. Love it! (Dave and Lois were such pros!)

 

WFSB 1990s.

 

http://southernmedia-nmsa.com/audioplayer.php?media=theme,826

WBRZ 1996. Love this, such a "bayou" sound. Shame on them for dropping it.

 

Not sure if custom versions of established packs count, but if they do, KYW's Enforcer and New Millennium have to be included (excuse the presence of Mrs. Mendte in these vids):

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=yO907fmicOE

[Samantha 2878]

Actually, the answer to the last question is a yes. (I mentioned the KSAZ version of "Prime News" among my favorites; KSDK ordered the original package.)

 

-Speaking of WTVJ, how about their "Watch Our Teamwork" package? It was "so Miami" too. For about a solid decade, WTVJ was making really good theme commissions.

-Agreed, that WFOR package is pretty nicely. I really like the "4" logo from this era.

-WCSC? That's mind-blowing if it really is 1989, and still good if it is 1991. They had a penchant for jazzy cuts. Compare to their 11pm open when they had Stravinsky.

-WFAA 1992: Agreed. This was a very interesting update to the Spirit theme that was probably needed by late 1991.

-KYW Enforcer is a strange package, largely because the way the signature is rendered makes it very...downbeat.

-WBRZ: Yeah, should not have been dropped. Then again, they probably needed to update their sound, and Extreme is OK for that if nothing else. I guess they don't want to be too KPLC-y (used the Everyday Music Package probably as long as the other five stations that used it did COMBINED, then 615's already dated Working For You, then...Good News!? When they picked it up in 2007, there was only one other station using it, WLBZ, and that had been the case since 1996. WLBZ has since forcibly dropped it for "Malfunctioning Fax Machine"® (ColeK) Gannett News Music Package.)

 

There's one other case of odd use that I know, and I have a feeling it hasn't been this way in several years. KYMA may or may not still be using the Great News Package, which would make them the last station to do so. However, given Sunbelt's pretty uniform music choice (NBC Collection, which has been used in tandem with Great News at least from 2000-05), I don't think they are.

 

There are two more to add: the mysterious WYFF 1993 theme coupled with John Christopher Burns' graphics, plus the KWCH 1993 News Theme (I call it "Cowboy News" – one listen and you'll see why).

[10Viewer 319]

I hope the NMSA updates the database. I've sent a bunch of great vintage finds from YouTube (KCRA, KXAS, WTSP, WCMH) to name a few since December and nothing.

 

Also the KFMB listing is wrong as the "TV 8 News Theme" and the "KFMB 1988" theme are the same.

 

I understand he is busy but a short acknowledgment or something would be a step in the right direction.

[Ntropolis 593]

I do notice the updates are being "themed" now, for example each batch of new opens are all Gari themes, or all Arnold, or all themes from smaller composers, etc.

[10Viewer 319]

It seems like the NMSA is less interested in vintage themes than they used to be. It seems like the focus is more on current (post 2000) themes.

 

I don't want to come off as critical of what they do, because I appreciate what the NMSA does, but it has been disappointing.

[10Viewer 319]

Sounds like the next update might be some of the stuff I sent months ago.

[10Viewer 319]

The NMSA finally updated today with several new themes and opens!

[jerseyfla 196]

It seems like the NMSA is less interested in vintage themes than they used to be. It seems like the focus is more on current (post 2000) themes.

 

I don't want to come off as critical of what they do, because I appreciate what the NMSA does, but it has been disappointing.

 

I think the biggest omission in the NMSA is him not acknowledging WTVF's "We Share Our Spirit" Package which they only used for a year (1985-1986). I think he's counting that as part of the Spirit 84 package which they used after that for a few years.

 

My favorite custom package is WFLA's "The Spirit of Tampa Bay" Package which they used from 1983-1985 by an unknown composer. I would like to bet it was the same composer who produced then-sister station WJKS' "17 and You" package since they used both themes around the same time.

[seriouslythough 0]

KCBS licensed a package from a smaller station in NY in the early 90s and I think it fit them pretty well. Especially with the morning cuts.

Also, WBZ was going through package roulette from 1993-98 and most of them were good, up until the cheesy '98 theme.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFnQxRObAOU

[Samantha 2878]

Speaking of missing NMSA packages, we've known of the image campaign song for the KPNX 1986 News Theme ("We're Going Where You're Going") for more than a year, but nothing done on it.

 

I know of some other serious NMSA errors, too:

 

*The WJSU 1985 News Theme is actually the CBS 1988 Affiliate Package, a date error and misclassification.

*WJSU has that theme and another theme out of order.

*KSAZ didn't stop using the original Impact News in 1996. It helps when you have a sample bumper that talks about the Diamondbacks. (1999 is my guess for that changeover.)

*Too many VO errors to count. I could do a better job at that.

[sfomspphl 453]

Anyone have the story on the WMAQ 1982-1985 theme?

 

 

 

It sounds like a derivative of the WNBC 1980s music, but stands on its own as if it were composed separately. I like it, has a nice funk to it. Is it the work of the WNBC composer?

[10Viewer 319]

The WNBC and WMAQ themes have to be related.

[Jess 1110]

I think you can count this as a custom theme... but I am REALLY digging the new Stephen Arnold NBC music - at least the versions that WCAU is using. Very strong hook and composition, very catchy and hummable. If one thing can be salvaged from the mess that is the aborted rebranding, I sure as hell hope it's this music.

[ThatSowislander 52]

* KHON 1994/95 (jump to 3:17)

 

 

*CityTV Toronto's Rocky-esque themes (1990s)

 

(from the Colombian version)

[10Viewer 319]

Here's the full version of the "Spirit of Tampa Bay" theme used by WFLA/WXFL from 1982-1985 with lyrics:

 

[nycdude 0]

my favorite custom pacakges are ,the enforcer new generation and the wnbc 2003 news music pacakage and fox's 2002 package.

[10Viewer 319]

Anybody else believe that WSB-TV stopped using "News People" in 1979 and started using a custom theme that year?? All the 1979 clips on YT feature the custom theme and I have not heard a clip of "News People" from that year.

 

Here is a 1979 clip with the theme at the end:

[10Viewer 319]

Anyone familiar with the Toledo market?

 

I found vintage Toledo TV http://vintagetoledotv.squarespace.com/

 

Great site! It appears that WTOL used "News People" based on the heavy promotion in print ads between 1978 and the early 80's. I know that WIS, a sister station, also used the theme.

 

Can anyone back that up?

[Ntropolis 593]

Anyone familiar with the Toledo market?

 

I found vintage Toledo TV http://vintagetoledo...quarespace.com/

 

Great site! It appears that WTOL used "News People" based on the heavy promotion in print ads between 1978 and the early 80's. I know that WIS, a sister station, also used the theme.

 

Can anyone back that up?

 

That's kinda like WRAL... they used the "News People" image but I don't know if they ever used it as a news theme.

[10Viewer 319]

The classic and popular Mayoham slogans such as "Move Closer to Your World", "Part of Your Life", "Bringing It Home to You" I know are trademarked.and were used with the music package of the same title as the stations had to buy the rights to the slogan and theme.

 

Gari had the same arrangement with most of their packages. It's a big more vague with Tuesday but I am pretty confident that they also had the same arrangement.