New Jersey Network

Logo descriptions by Jonathan Hendricks and LARDLOGORETURNS Editions by Phillip Hatfield

Background: New Jersey Network (NJN) was a statewide PBS affiliate for New Jersey. Due to budget cuts made by the New Jersey government, NJN ceased to exist on July 30, 2011, and was succeeded by NJTV, owned and operated by WNET.

1st (known) logo (1980-1986)

Logo: On a dark blue background, a glossy version of the 1970s NJN logo is seen. Parts of the logo light up. Suddenly, a sparkle appears.

FX/SFX: The sparkling of the logo.

Music/Sounds: A quiet whoosh sound and then a loud ding.

Availability:Extinct on television. Mostly used as a station ident. Could have also been used as a production logo.

Editor's Note: Many would be scared of the loud ding.

2nd logo (1986-1992)

Logo: On a CGI/2D setting that looks like a beach, a shadow pans over the screen. Then, the letters "NjN" (actually colored gold with shadows) fly down towards us in the Thorowgood font. As they land, the shadow settles between the logo and it straightens out. Then, "AN" and "PRESENTATION", in a white France font, fades in, above and below, respectively.

FX/SFX: The logo flying down. Other than that, it's live-action.

Music/Sounds: A 10-note horn fanfare.

Availability: Extinct. Check those old tapes.

Editor's Note: None.

3rd logo (Late 2000s)

Logo: We fade into a live action shot of a Merry-Go-Round and Dizzy Bear ride with information on the NJN stations appearing on the bottom of the screen. After a few seconds, the scene fades to a live action shot of two roller coasters. We then fade to a live action shot of an elevated swing ride. A blue gradient square fades in and the "NjN" slides down from the top of the square to the middle as "D I G I T A L" fades in underneath the "NjN". "D I G I T A L" fades out and is replaced by the words "HIGH DEFINITION."

FX/SFX: A combination of live action and computer animation.

Music/Sounds: Audio from the live action scenes including carnival noises, people screaming, and the roller coaster operating.

Availability: Extinct.

Editor's Note: None.

4th logo (2010- June 30, 2011) New Jersey Network (2010?)

Nickname: "PBS Taught Me"

Logo: We begin on a white tabletop surface with a notepad on the right hand side. The text "www.pbs.org" can be seen on the bottom left hand corner of the screen. A right hand holding a Sharpie writes out "PBS TAUGHT ME..." on the pad before tearing it off, crumpling the paper, and throwing it above the pad. The hand places an unknown object on the left side of the screen before writing "THIS OLD THING IS WORTH $$$$!" on the pad. The writer crosses out "OLD" and writes "AWESOME" to the right of "O̶L̶D̶." The hand crumples the paper and places it above the pad before removing the object. The hand places a frying pan on the left side of the screen with the handle partially obscuring the pad. The hand writes "CAST IRON MAKES THE BESTCORNBREAD" before removing and crumpling the paper. The hand removes the frying pan and writes "THE WORLD IS A BIG PLACE" on the pad before drawing the Earth below. The hand crosses out the text and tears off the paper setting it next to the pad. The hand draws the Earth next to a giant Sun with a small object (presumably the Earth's Moon) in between. The hand crumples the sheet to the left of the pad before tearing off and crumpling the other sheet on the pad. The hand draws arrows pointing to the crumpled up sheets and writes "PAPER SHOULD BE RECYCLED" with a recycle symbol underneath. The hand removes and crumples this sheet. The hand draws a PBS logo in a circle with the "PBS" block letters below and "BE MORE" below. As the hand draws out "BE MORE," the "NjN" logo in blue pops in. After the hand finishes, it moves to the right off screen.

FX/SFX: Stop motion animation.

Music/Sounds: An acoustic guitar with beatboxing and kazoos in the background.

Availability: Sadly extinct. Last seen on June 30, 2011 shortly before the transition to NJTV.

Editor's Note: This is a very creative logo.

5th logo (2010- June 30, 2011) New Jersey Network (2010?)New Jersey Network (2010?)

Nicknames: "Transparent NjN", "NjN at Sunset", "NjN on the Farm" (for the variant), "The final NjN", "NjN Says Goodbye."

Logo: We see the shot of the Atlantic Ocean at sunset with the sun setting over a boat. The "NjN" logo with a transparent blue backdrop sweeps in and positions itself over the center of the screen as station info zooms in below. The boat continues to the right-center of the screen before we fade to black.

Variant: A variant exists where an old farmhouse with the phrase "W M 1 7 3 6" on the facade is seen surrounded by trees and flowers. The camera slowly zooms in.

FX/SFX: The "NjN" tube sweeping in and the station info zooming in. The live action shot of either the boat or farmhouse. A nice combination of live action and CGI.

Music/Sounds: The sounds of waves crashing. The variant features the sounds of birds chirping and the wind blowing.

Availability: Sadly extinct. Last seen on June 30, 2011 shortly before the transition to NJTV.

Editor's Note: None.