The CW

Background
The CW is an American TV network that is a joint venture between CBS Corporation (now the CBS Entertainment Group division of ViacomCBS (now Paramount Global)), which owned UPN, and Warner Bros. Entertainment, a subsidiary of Time Warner (then WarnerMedia, now Warner Bros. Discovery), which owned The WB. The CW launched on September 18, 2006.

On January 5, 2022, The Wall Street Journal reported that WarnerMedia and ViacomCBS (now Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount) were exploring a possible sale of either a majority stake or all of The CW, and that Nexstar Media Group (which became The CW's largest affiliate group when it acquired and absorbed former The WB network co-owner Tribune Broadcasting in 2019). The sale was announced on August 15, 2022 and was completed on October 3, 2022.

1st ID (Dare to Defy) (2017-2021)
Visuals: There is a close-up of an object emerging from the floor. As we cut to another shot of the object is that it is the letters in The CW logo that are emerging. The screen cuts to another close-up of the logo before finally cutting to the fully formed logo.

Variants:
 * This ID's background can be dark green, light blue, purple or.
 * For shows by DC Entertainment, after the main animation finishes, there is a transition with the letters "CW" into that show's DC logo.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: Sparkling sounds, and a 4-note synth jingle accompanied by 3 low string notes (this later became the new mnemonic of The CW). Composed by David Gamson.

Audio Variants:
 * Sometimes, the synth jingle plays earlier than usual.
 * For DC shows, the sound effects from the DC logo's variant are heard on the DC logo while The CW jingle plays over.

Availability: Seen before the start of programming on The CW from 2017 to October 2021 and as a pre-roll bumper on streaming prints of The CW content.

2nd ID (Dare to Love, Defy Hate) (October 10, 2021-2024)
Visuals: On a, white and background is several  layers flip to the left like a book (a la the 2011 TV Land logo), until they form The CW logo, with the word "THE" appearing inside letter-by-letter.

Variants:
 * Starting in 2022, the colors are different.
 * A version exists where a slogan "DARE TO LOVE, DEFY HATE" is seen at the bottom.

Technique: CGI by John Northway.

Audio: Same as the previous ID, but with a whoosh sound.

Audio Variant: Sometimes, a snippet of Stevie Wonder's "Where Is Our Love Song" can be heard instead.

Availability: Seen before the start of programming on The CW from October 10, 2021 to January 2024 and as a pre-roll bumper on online streaming prints of The CW content.

3rd ID (January 14, 2024-)
Visuals: On a dark green background, the red-orange light is flickering a bit, then it stretches into a line with a bright light, before it crashes into the modified The CW logo (without the "THE" word).

Trivia:
 * The red-orange color of this logo is internally nicknamed "hot sauce".
 * The logo's symbol called "The Stage", which formed by extending the C lettering from the logo.

Variant: On original shows, the word "ORIGINAL" is seen below.

Technique: Computer animation by DixonBaxi.

Audio: A sound of the amplifier being turned on, followed by a synth choir and the striking of a match.

Audio Trivia: According to Chris Spadaccini (the chief marketing officer of The CW), the match-striking sound symbolized The CW's programming would "spark" viewers' emotions and curiosity.

Availability: Seen before the start of programming on The CW since January 14, 2024 and as a pre-roll bumper on streaming prints of The CW content.