Best/Worst/Most Interesting TV Station Logos

[Bill-in-CT]

On first view, the logo is confusing. The arrow subjugates the "5" so that the main purpose is fuzzy at best.

The WCVB logo was introduced when Boston Broadcasters, Inc took over the frequency on March 19, 1992, when the Herald Traveler lost its right to be a television operator on channel 5. Here is that history. WCVB History

 

[IM42A]

I was thinking the Ron Burgundy Look which is a reference to how Harold Greene looked in the 1970's in San Diego and Los Angeles. Had no idea it was a style back then.

Harold Greene is Ron Burgundy made over, at least in terms of appearance.

That was a fairly common look for men in general in the 1970s.

 

[Y2kTheNewOldies]

Here are some of the Tegna stations using the Nexstar Productions ID because of the merger as of March 2026.

However there are states like California that filed a lawsuit to stop the merger because of antitrust concerns.

Attorney General Bonta Files Lawsuit Seeking to Block $6.2 Billion Nexstar/Tegna Broadcasting Merger

Merger would create a media giant covering 80% of U.S. television households OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today, alongside a coalition of eight attorneys general, filed a lawsuit to block the acquisition of Tegna Inc. (Tegna) by Nexstar Media Group, Inc. (Nexstar). Tegna and...

oag.ca.gov

“Today, my office has filed a lawsuit to block the proposed merger of broadcasting giants Nexstar and Tegna. This merger would cause incredibly high levels of concentration in local TV markets and is expected to raise cable and satellite prices across the country, causing irreparable harm to local news and consumers who rely on their reporting as a critical source of information,” said Attorney General Bonta. “If approved, this multibillion-dollar deal would combine the nation’s largest and third-largest television-station conglomerates, creating a behemoth covering 80% of U.S. television households. This merger is illegal, plain and simple, running contrary to federal antitrust laws that protect consumers. When broadcast media is owned by a handful of companies, we get fewer voices, less competition, and communities lose the critical check on power that local journalism delivers.”

The lawsuit, filed today in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California, alleges that the merger clearly violates Section 7 of the Clayton Act, which holds that mergers that substantially lessen competition or tend to create a monopoly are illegal. If the Nexstar/Tegna merger is allowed to proceed, local markets will immediately see a lessening of competition, including both the Sacramento and San Diego markets.

 

[bmasters1981]

I hate to say it, but IMO, this hostile takeover of Tegna by Nexstar (where all former Tegna stations had to become Nexstar's) is the TV equivalent of when Gannett (now USA Today Co.) bought out Gatehouse; some of the papers that were of Gatehouse were very interesting newspapers, also IMO, but when Gannett took 'em over (thereby bringing papers like The Oklahoman of Oklahoma City and The Gainesville Sun under that control, not to leave out the Columbus Dispatch and Akron Beacon Journal), that was just as much the death of newspapers as this Nexstar hostile takeover of Tegna is of television news.

 

[fybush]

As has been noted on other threads, it was Gatehouse that bought out Gannett, not the other way around. Gatehouse assumed the Gannett name (which has now largely been phased out in favor of USA Today) but kept its existing management and dismantled most of what was left of local content and print production at the legacy Gannett papers.

 

[ixnay]

Love this 1970s psychedelic animation from WPVI followed by aerial footage from a helicopter - did they have drones back then? - chasing various people and one whitetail deer around the countryside.

That looks more like the logo for the local power company.

At about 0m23s you can see what looks like the Commodore Barry Bridge (US 322 from Chester, PA to Bridgeport NJ) under construction. It opened in early 1974. I was 12 and 1/2 years old. My dad and I drove across it the day after it opened. It replaced a ferry that had been operating since before WW2.

 

[ixnay]

At about 0m23s you can see what looks like the Commodore Barry Bridge (US 322 from Chester, PA to Bridgeport NJ) under construction. It opened in early 1974. I was 12 and 1/2 years old. My dad and I drove across it the day after it opened. It replaced a ferry that had been operating since before WW2.

And I want to apologize for not editing out Ed Nielson's quote in the previous post (due to technical difficulties).

Up thread was mentioned NBC 4 America. I actually got to sample it (with news from WNBC, complete with Chuck Scarborough) on my 1997 vacation in Stowe, VT. IIRC those condos couldn't get WPTZ-5 Plattsburgh because of topography.

 

[IM42A]

And I want to apologize for not editing out Ed Nielson's quote in the previous post (due to technical difficulties).

Up thread was mentioned NBC 4 America. I actually got to sample it (with news from WNBC, complete with Chuck Scarborough) on my 1997 vacation in Stowe, VT. IIRC those condos couldn't get WPTZ-5 Plattsburgh because of topography.

I saw NBC4 America on the hotel cable (Motel 6) in Asheville NC in the late 1990s, alongside in-market WLOS and WSPA. Evidently they couldn't get WYFF or any of its translators on their antenna system. TV reception can be challenging in the mountains up there.

 

[ixnay]

I saw NBC4 America on the hotel cable (Motel 6) in Asheville NC in the late 1990s, alongside in-market WLOS and WSPA. Evidently they couldn't get WYFF or any of its translators on their antenna system. TV reception can be challenging in the mountains up there.

Yeah, I don't think anyone in Stowe, Montpelier, Barre etc. could get WPTZ back in the day because they were on the wrong side of the Greens. OTOH WCAX-3 Burlington's stick was right atop Mt. Mansfield IIRC. Has WPTZ's reception capability improved in that part of Vermont since '97?

 

[IM42A]

Yeah, I don't think anyone in Stowe, Montpelier, Barre etc. could get WPTZ back in the day because they were on the wrong side of the Greens. OTOH WCAX-3 Burlington's stick was right atop Mt. Mansfield IIRC. Has WPTZ's reception capability improved in that part of Vermont since '97?

I had to give myself a crash course in Vermont geography here right now, and I see on RabbitEars that WPTZ is now atop Mt Mansfield. They get into the towns you mentioned just fine now. There is a wedge of sorts to the north (blocked by the Sterling Range?) where WPTZ can't reach, even though it's fairly nearby. That's unfortunate.

I've only been to Vermont once, and that was flying into Burlington (and back out again) on my way to (and from) Montreal. Sadly, I didn't have TV equipment with me.

 

[ixnay]

I'm surprised nobody mentiond WUSA's late '80s intro (accompanied by what I called the "WUSA Philharmonic").

(FF to 5:18)

Anybody know the name of "the one and only Channel 9"'s announcer from that era?

 

[newsmark]

I'm surprised nobody mentiond WUSA's late '80s intro (accompanied by what I called the "WUSA Philharmonic").

(FF to 5:18)

Anybody know the name of "the one and only Channel 9"'s announcer from that era?

KVUE in Austin used that open. At the competition, we really to it as “news gods flying over the city.”

 

[IM42A]

I'm surprised nobody mentiond WUSA's late '80s intro (accompanied by what I called the "WUSA Philharmonic").

(FF to 5:18)

Anybody know the name of "the one and only Channel 9"'s announcer from that era?

That was indeed a very robust, inspiring intro, I lived in the DC area at that time and remember it well.

I don't know who the announcer was.

 

[Y2kTheNewOldies]

Mike Lewis was on WUSA in the Late 80’s open. He is also known as the VO for WABC-TV in the early 2000’s.

 

[crainbebo]

Just uploaded some NBC America breaks from May 1998 (Dateline on Frank Sinatra's death, Daytime Emmys). Just like WSEE, PT24 inserted 800 numbers and direct advertising into the WNBC local breaks. So instead of Bell Atlantic ads, you saw ads for the Contour Pillow or some random food processor.

Speaking of logos you CAN'T go wrong with Sir Seven and WSAW Wausau. The medievel logo doesn't exist anymore, but Sir Seven lives on.


Also one of the more interesting logos was the uniform '70s-era design of the MTN stations in Montana. They all had the same design, with different calls and channel numbers. Here's KXLF Butte for example. The stations used these logos until around 1990.

 

[bmasters1981]

WTLV Channel 12 Jacksonville, FL 1985 (when that was ABC in that Northern Florida coastal area)

 

[TVWorldwide]

Here's the story behind one of the most famous audio logos in broadcasting history--the NBC chimes:

 

[Y2kTheNewOldies]

Abridged KVIE Sacramento. This is the news site for PBS affiliate KVIE Sacramento which as launched in September 2025. Yes its like how other public media outlets have their news sites under their brand name like WBEZ-FM Chicago is Chicago Sun-Times, KPCC-FM Los Angeles is LAist, WNYC is Gothamist, KCTS-TV as Cascade PBS.

* Note KVIE was originally proposed to merge with the areas NPR affiliate CapRadio until California State University, Sacramento board ordered an Audit on CapRadio's books and its been revealed that their former GM misused their funds for questionable reasons. Abridged was initially going to have the CapRadio Team join KVIE prior to the fallout at their radio operations surrounding their former manager.

CapRadio, KVIE, endowment announce settlement in tower ownership dispute

The NPR and PBS member stations had been in a legal battle for more than a year after the Capital Public Radio Endowment donated CapRadio’s Elverta broadcasting tower to KVIE in March 2024.

www.capradio.org

Joint Statement Regarding Settlement of News Radio Tower Dispute

Sacramento’s two premier public media organizations, Capital Public Radio, Inc. ("CapRadio") and KVIE, Inc. ("KVIE"), along with the Capital Public Radio Endowment ("Endowment"), have entered into a comprehensive settlement agreement.

www.kvie.org

Former CapRadio GM’s next court appearance set for June, judge approves family vacation travel

Former General Manager Jun Reina did not make an appearance during Wednesday’s hearing in downtown Sacramento. His attorney requested the case be continued until June 17 and to allow Reina to travel for a family vacation, which were granted.

www.capradio.org

Former CapRadio GM Charged With Embezzlement.

Fidias “Jun” Reina Jr., former General Manager and CFO of Capital Public Radio’s NPR stations in Sacramento, CA, has been criminally charged with multiple felony counts of embezzlement, grand theft

www.insideradio.com

 

[Y2kTheNewOldies]

KMUV/KRBK Sacramento late 1970's to mid 1980's in these clips this was when the station was in its first stint as an independent station.

Currently KMAX-TV an independent TV station and secondary CBS affiliate managed by Paramount.

 

[IM42A]

For some reason, when I saw the beginning of this video, I thought of the old WTVR sign-on that always seemed dated and just a little creepy:



Yes, I know, trees instead of pioneer vehicles, but...