WNET IDs

ID (September 16, 1962-October 1, 1970)
Visuals: On a static black background, we see the words "CHANNEL 13" and "WNDT" on the left, and an abstract owl on the right, separated by a large slash. Below the owl are the words "NEWARK, N.J.".

Variant: A white background version exists. Here, the owl is larger and placed to the left of the slash, while the right has a large "13" and "WNDT" is located below it.

Trivia: The owl is currently used as the favicon for WNET's station (not corporate) website.

Technique: None.

Audio: Unknown. The variant uses the closing theme of the show.

Availability: Only used as a local ID. The variant was seen on All in The Game.

1st Logo (1975-February 1984)
Unknown

2nd ID (February 1984-1988)
Visuals: On a green background, the text is Only the Best Thirteen WNET NEWARK, N.J. below.

Technique: None

Audio: Just the announcer.

3rd ID (1988-July 21, 1995)
Unknown

4th ID (Turn That Camera Off) (September 6, 1988-1995)


Visuals: On a greenish-gray background, we see the words "ThiRtEEn WNET NEWARK, NJ" in white on a transparent rectangle protruding from the right. The "ThiRtEEn" is made up of some abstract, combined letter forms upper and lower-case all in its corporate font and the other text is simply in Optima. Later, the bottom text fades to "Keeping what matters in sight" in a compressed white font aligned to the left. Several rectangles appear in the background.

Technique: Motion-controlled animation.

Audio: A relaxing twelve-note piano tune with a few string and flute riffs thrown in.

Availability: It was used only as a local ID.

5th ID (Courtesy) (1993-October 23, 1999)
Visuals: On a blue background reminiscent of TV static, we see the "ThiRtEEn" from the 8th logo, the "wnet" from the 9th logo, and a bullet wipe-in.

Variant: There is a version on a solid black background.

Technique: Motion-controlled animation. The black background variant is still.

Audio: Tom Stewart says "Local broadcast of the NewsHour is made possible courtesy of Thirteen WNET." The variant uses the audio of the clip that plays before this logo.

Availability: Was only used as a local ID.

6th ID (Sugar Rush) (July 21, 1995-October 1, 1999)
Visuals: Tinted with the color scheme from the Public TV For East Tennessee ident, we see various CGI/live-action-related clips (such as a train moving towards us, the window sill from the 8th PBS logo, a compass, a giant white/sea green "N" swinging in front of a running leopard, etc.) as the "ThiRtEEn" from the 8th and 10th logos zooms in very slowly towards us. As all this happens, a violet banner with "WNET NEWARK NJ" (which later changes to "NEW YORK NY") briefly appears below at the lower-right.

Variants: There were at least a couple of variants which use the aforementioned clips:
 * Arts and Entertainment: Known to use both the long and short versions.
 * Nature: Known to use both the long and short versions.
 * Explore: Known to use the short version.
 * Science: Known to use the long version.
 * Depth, Dialogue, Discussion: Known to use both the long and short versions.
 * Biography/Storyteller: Known to use both the long and short versions.

Technique: Unknown.

Audio: A pretty new-age tune with a piano, flutes and violins. For the variants, same as the 1995 PBS bumper variants; the short versions have different voiceovers (done by WNET's staff announcer Tom Stewart).
 * Nature: "Thirteen, celebrating our natural world."
 * Explore: "The world is waiting; explore it with Thirteen."
 * Depth, Dialogue, Discussion: "Thirteen, when you want the whole story." or "Thirteen, making sense of it all."
 * Biography/Storyteller: "Thirteen, where history comes to life." or "Thirteen, America's storyteller."

Availability: Was only used as a station ID.

7th ID (Incidents) (October 1999-2006)
Unknown

8th ID (Thanks To Our Members) (October 1999-May 2009)
Visuals: On a pattern background, we see a globe-like spinning background, which zooms out to reveal a different background and the transparent 1999 Thirteen logos scroll to the center and the globe becomes a red dot on the “I.” and flashes. Then, we run through New York City.

Technique: CGI and live-action.

Audio: A portion of the WNET theme of the time. Announcer Tom Stewart says, “Thanks to our members and the following for their support of Thirteen’s programming today.”

Availability: Was only used as a station ID.

9th ID (Night Time Bubbles) (October 1999-2004)
Visuals: It’s almost night in NY and boats and bubbles are floating about. The 1999 Thirteen logo appears “WNET NEWARK NJ” underneath it. Then, it’s replaced by the text, “WNET NEW YORK.” The URL, www.thirteen.org is seen.

Technique: The live-action and special effects.

Audio: We hear some nice music.

Availability: It was used as a station ID.

10th ID (Technical Difficulties) (October 1999-2004)
Visuals: The 1999 Thirteen logo appears “WNET NEW YORK.” The URL, www.thirteen.org is seen. The background is an overhead view of New York tinted light blue, pink, and purple.

Technique: None.

Audio: Unknown.

Availability: It only appears when the station is having technical difficulties.

11th ID (Kids programming) (October 1999-2004)
Visuals: On a purple background, we see the Thirteen logo superimposed over various objects shaped like kids’ drawings. The clips show kids and/or parents doing various things. The text, “WNET NEWARK NJ” becomes “WNET NEW YORK.” The text soon disappears.

Technique: 2D animation.

Audio: A variation of the usual WNET theme of the time, done with xylophones and upbeat-sounding horns. (This same music was usually heard during bumpers denoting WNET's kids programming funding.)

Availability: Used as a local station ID in mornings.

12th ID (Juggler) (2003-2006)
Visuals: On a lavender-brown gradient background, we see an artist juggling red balls at various camera angles, and underneath the 1999 Thirteen logo. The “I” in “Thirteen” doesn’t have a dot, so they toss a red ball on the “I,” dotting it. The “WNET NEWARK NJ” text changes to “WNET NEW YORK.” They juggle the rest of the balls. A URL appears below. Variants: Technique: Live-action. This was directed by Bobby Chang.
 * Male: A male wearing a red shirt and juggling 4 balls, and ends up with 3, and then a cane pulls him away.
 * Female: A girl wearing a magenta shirt juggling 3 balls and ends up with 2. A bird flies around her, making her disappear.
 * Before 2004, The juggler accidentally stumbles, dropping the balls, and making a face.

Audio: Availability: Used as an ID for WNET-DT2.
 * Male Variant: A silly tune with kazoos and a “boing!” sound when the ball dots the “I.”
 * Female Variant: Sounds of drums and clicking, along with a cymbal sound.

13th Id (Car Scribbles) (2003-2006)
Visuals: On a brightly-colored background, we see a checkerboarded ground with the 1999 Thirteen logo zooming toward us. A crudely-drawn scribble in the shape of a car drives out of the “I,” causing it to flip vertically and the dot to jump. Other car scribbles drive about, and the text, “WNET NEWARK NJ” is seen below. A car drives through the logo, changing the text to “WNET NEW YORK.” A car drives right onto and through the “I,” causing the same thing to happen. After a few seconds, the text disappears.

Technique: 2D animation.

Audio: Silly-sounding music with whistles and tubas, followed by car noises at the very end.

Availability: Same as the previous ID.

14th ID (2003-2006)
Visuals: In a blue pinball machine, we see a red pinball being launched behind a hanging arrow sign that reads, “ZOOM Into Action” with the 1999 ZOOM logo on it. The ball heads rapidly through a set of silver pinball ramps (past a Cyberchase logo in the gap between the ramp sections), towards the flippers; the right flipper activates and sends the ball towards a set of drop targets with Matt, Inez, and Jackie from Cyberchase, hitting them all, sinking them. It then bounces off a bumper (with Matt on it), bounces around a trio of rend, blue and white pop bumpers, rolls through a chute (which causes a triangular sign above the chute with Hacker's face on it to flip up), then through a "habitrail" (the silver wireframe passage) until it rolls out of the habitrail and towards the 1999 Thirteen logo, which is embedded in the playfield. It dots the “I” and the logo lights up. The text “WNET NEWARK NJ” appears underneath it. The text turns into the more familiar “WNET NEW YORK”

Technique: CGI.

Audio: We hear some cool pixelated sounds with dings and loud electronic music. Then, we hear a deep humming sound under a different 15-note synth jingle with a random rolling and crashing sound for the text station change.

Availability: Same as before. This can also be seen on the game Cyberchase: Castleblanca Quest for PC, albeit at an extremely-low frame rate.

15th ID (2004-2009)
IDs: Chroma-keyed over New York City or in Newark, NJ, we see various people doing a certain activity: After a few seconds, a red dot appears as the entire Thirteen logo (at the lower-left (11) or lower-right (9) corner of the screen) pulses in along with the text “WNET NEWARK NJ.” “NEWARK NJ” soon changes to “NEW YORK” animated like a slot machine.
 * Tango 1: A couple doing the tango and getting into a kissing position.
 * Tango 2: The same couple doing the tango again, but spinning to a different position.
 * Martial Arts: A martial artist with make up performing with a stick.
 * Acapella Women: A trio of women singing the "Artist" theme.
 * Wheelie Poppers: A man on a bicycle popping wheelie.
 * Woman and Dog: Near a house, we see a person in silver clothes picking up a chihuahua (with what appears to be a red cup on its head) from a fire hydrant on a sidewalk. We zoom out from it to reveal that the person is a red-haired woman. She smiles at us.
 * Suntan: Near a fountain, we see the same woman from the last ident, wearing sunglasses and relaxing on a chair (with a stage light nearby). Someone comes up to her and gives her a drink.
 * Flames: A fire-eater blowing out flames on a stick and giving us a cool stare.
 * Harp: An unknown girl playing the Artist theme on a harp on a bridge.
 * DJ: A bald DJ remixing the theme (and the background, which seems to be a 2-D image).
 * Ribbons: A girl in heavy costuming spinning ribbons around before stopping.
 * Ribbons 2 : The costumed girl from before spinning ribbons around vertically.
 * Breakdancing: A dark skinned-man with dreadlocks performs a breakdance.
 * Viva La Thirteen: A salsa dancer performing a dance.
 * Lasso: A cowboy twirling a lasso.
 * Tapdancing: A woman performing a tap dance.
 * Acapella Men: A quintet of men singing the theme.
 * Dancer: An Asian girl in a different costume walking on her tiptoes and shooting her arms at us.
 * Chinese Dancers: A Chinese dancer encounters another man dressed as some kind of dragon, and gets dragged off screen by the latter.
 * Unisphere: A possibly-Jamaican man dances in front of the 1964 World's Fair Unisphere.

Variant: When used as a local station ID, the Thirteen logo is bigger, doesn't ripple and the slot machine animation is no longer used, as the text beneath it is omitted.

Technique: Live-action with chroma-key. 13 different backgrounds were used. These were directed by David Chomowicz.

Audio: Audio Variant: Starting in 2006, either a male or female announcer will say that "You’re watching member supported Thirteen."
 * Tango 1: An orchestral, tango rendition of the WNET 2004 theme. Arranged by Charles Strouse.
 * Tango 2: Similar to before, but slightly re-orchestrated. Arranged by Charles Strouse.
 * Martial Arts: A drum-and-percussion version of the theme, arranged by Brendan Cooney.
 * Acapella Women: Just the women singing the theme, along with the lady of the right adding a little alternative.
 * Wheelie Poppers: A hip-hop remix of the theme.
 * Woman And Dog: A synthesized version of the WNET “Artist” theme with the dog barking in sync of the Thirteen logo appearing. Arranged by b. Mossman.
 * Suntan : Same as before, but without the bark.
 * Flames: We hear snippets of the 2004 WNET “Artist” theme and the sound of fire, possibly synced with the artist's movements.
 * Harp: A harp rendition of the theme.
 * DJ: An orchestral version of the theme, mashed up with "F*** tha Police" by N.W.A. Arranged by Russell Velazquez.
 * Ribbons: An Asian version of the theme, arranged in the key of G.
 * Ribbons 2: An alternate take of the theme from before, performed in the key of E.
 * Breakdancing: An electronic/dance cover of the theme.
 * Viva La Thirteen: A Latin salsa cover of the theme.
 * Lasso: A country rendition of the theme.
 * Tapdancing: A low jazz version of the theme.
 * Acapella Men: Just the men singing and snapping.
 * I Put A Spell On You: Another Asian-sounding cover of the theme.
 * Chinese Marriage Dance: A gong sound effect, followed by an Asian-esque version of the theme.
 * Unisphere: A steel drum version of the theme.

Availability: Tacked at the end of several WNET-licensed shows from 2004 to 2008, and used as a station ID until 2009.

Legacy: Very memorable IDs.

15th ID (2006-2009)
Unknown

16th ID (Scenic Views) (May 12, 2009-2011)
Visuals: At night, we see various New York City places. The “I” animation from the WNET.ORG THIRTEEN logo is seen while zooming out with “THiRTEEN” in red (or other colors) and the text “WNET ORG” in white. The text “WNET/WNET-DT NEWARK NJ” appears below, and after a few seconds is replaced by “WNET/WNET-DT NEW YORK.” Sometimes “WNET.ORG” doesn’t appear at all.

Variant: A half-length variant exists.

Technique: Live-action.

Audio: An extended version of the WNET “Painter” Theme, composed by Niccolo Athens. The theme plays 2 octaves higher, then 2 octaves lower, and then at its normal pitch. There are two sets:


 * Version 1: A version starts off with percussions, has lots of bass notes and ends with a single note.
 * Version 2: Same as before, but there are hardly any bass notes and the song ends with a 6-note piano tune.
 * Version 3: A much shorter version that ends on a simple C note after the “Painter” theme plays.

17th ID (Marching Robots) (2006-2019)
Visuals: On a gold background, see some toy robots marching one-by-one in a line. Some of them wave at us after looking at us. The “I” animation from the WNET.ORG THIRTEEN logo is seen while zooming out with “THiRTEEN” in red and the text “WNET ORG” in white. The text “WNET/WNET-DT NEWARK NJ” appears above the robots, and after a few seconds is replaced by “WNET/WNET-DT NEW YORK.”

Variants:
 * Starting in 2012, only “THIRTEEN” appears after a flash. The “I” animation is no longer used, and the text, “WNET NEWARK” appears under it, becomes “WNET NEW YORK,” and disappears.
 * Prior to 2009, the HD version, used the 1999 Thirteen logo with the red dot and a white square with the text “HD” in it. The Newark-New York animation appears under the text, “WNET/WNET-DT,” which is underneath the logo.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: A special Delfino xylophone tune, which is apparently "Marionettes" by Stephan Diez.

18th ID (Crustless Bread) (2011-2014)
Visuals: We see a painter holding a poster. He holds it up close to us so we can see it and it shows the left side view of another painter over a BG. Footage can be seen in his/her head. The Thirteen logo in all caps is seen at the bottom left in gray. The text, “THIRTEEN.ORG” is seen below. The text, “WNET NEWARK,” which soon changes to “WNET NEW YORK” is seen to the right. A comet flies towards the person’s nose and an explosion is seen.


 * Arts: Jamie Foxx holds up a poster board with a painter in it.
 * History: A painter holds up a poster board with Lou Gossett Jr.
 * News: A painter with sunglasses holds up a poster board with Cody Cameron.
 * Nature: A man holds up a poster board with a young artist. She starts smiling and laughing, before turning her head toward us.

Trivia: One variant has an artist superimposed over the BG for the 2009 WNET.ORG THIRTEEN logo.

Technique: Live action and chroma-key.

Audio: Various genres of music.

Availability: Used as a local station ID.

Legacy: Depends on the variant.

ID (19th ID) (Illusion!) (2014-2016)
Unknown

20th ID (Where’s 13?) (2016- )
Unknown