Top-of-the-hour tones

[Kurt Toy]

I remember hearing CBS' and NBC's top-of-the-hour tones [but not ABC's], and thought they were equally cool. When did the TV networks stop using them?

 

[SteveRichards]

CBS phased-out its top-of-the-hour tone in the early '80s. I, personally, have no memory of the tones on ABC and NBC.

 

[Joseph_Gallant]

CBS still has a top-of-the-hour tone on it's radio network that many affiliates carry just before the hourly newscast.

 

[bpatrick]

CBS's has always sounded like someone striking a key on a piano;
NBC used a beeping sound. I've heard a short beep on ABC radio
in the past but can't recall ever hearing a tone on ABC television.

 

[oldiesfan6479]

CBS still has a top-of-the-hour tone on it's radio network that many affiliates carry just before the hourly newscast.

The CBS TOH tone at :00 is AKA "the bong." And if the affiliate pots up the net early enough, preceding "the bong" is "the chirp." Or at least it used to be.

 

[boiseengineer]

The "chirp" was a couple short tones that triggered a relay at the affiliate station. Same thing as the Mutual "bee-doop".

 

[Wright County Guy]

A little unofficial research narrows down the end of the CBS tone on the TV side in late 80 or early 81, as shown in these "Price is Right" clips:
November 3, 1980: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSNqHqVONKI (Tone in place at :31)
March 16, 1981 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSNqHqVONKI (no tone)

And the chirp was retired in 2009: http://www.cnyradio.com/2009/07/13/cbs-news-radio-goes-chirpless/

 

[SteveRichards]

I think the tone on CBS-TV made some sporadic, perhaps accidental, appearances into the mid-'80s. I specifically remember the last time I heard the CBS "bong" on the TV network...it was in 1985 at 2PM CT just before the start of "Guiding Light." I didn't normally watch GL, just happened to have it on that day. I remember being very surprised to hear the bong and I never heard it again.

 

[Tim-In-Houston]

At one point, a TV news open collector had posted a KCBS-TV open from the mid-80s that worked the "Bong" in as part of the theme. It was weird hearing it anywhere outside radio as I'm (just barely) to young to remember they're use on the network.

 

[rnigma1]

When CBS ran a movie at 9 pm (Eastern), they would play the "bong" at 10 on the nose in the middle of a scene.

 

[EJM]

At one point, a TV news open collector had posted a KCBS-TV open from the mid-80s that worked the "Bong" in as part of the theme.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1P7IBaOG90

 

[easttxtv]

Found a CBS chirp and bong together, on this aircheck (a TOH ID from WCBS 880), at :33
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ihaBhZuBZU