CBS

From the Audiovisual Identity Database, the motion graphics museum


Background

CBS is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network. The name was originally an abbreviation for Columbia Broadcasting System, its former legal name used from 1928 to 1974. CBS is also sometimes referred to as the Eye Network, in reference to the company's trademark symbol, in use since 1951.












Edit section

1st Ident (August 2, 1946-October 19, 1951)


Visuals: The blocky letters "CBS" are illuminated by a spotlight against a dark background.

Variant: A version with an overlay featuring some farm plants and a house exists. There are also different variants, where they are farther or closer to the text.

Technique: A still, printed image.

Audio: None or the ending theme of the show, which may be coupled with an announcer saying, "This is CBS, the Columbia Broadcasting System." or "This is the CBS Television Network."

Availability: It may be found on kinescope recordings of period CBS programming or archives of it on home media. The variant was featured on an episode of "Inside USA" from November 24, 1949, and was likely used because it aired during the Fall of 1949. It's unknown if this version appears has different seasons or appearances. Preserved on Fremantle's kinescope of the February 2, 1950 premiere of What's My Line?

2nd Ident (October 20, 1951-1960?)


Visuals: The familiar CBS "Eyemark" is presented against a cloudy sky. Inside the center of the eye are the words "CBS TELEVISION NETWORK", with "CBS" in a tall font.

Variants:

  • Sometimes, the clouds in the background move from left to right.
  • Usually, the logo is completely still.
  • On rare occasions, a shutter may open up in the center to reveal the text, like the other ID CBS used at the time.
  • There is a sepia-toned variant.

Technique: Camera-controlled animation.

Audio: Either silence or the ending theme of the program. However, most of the time, it is accompanied by an announcer, either identifying CBS ("This is the CBS Television Network") or giving information on upcoming programming (e.g. "Stay tuned for Toast of the Town on the CBS Television Network"). Sometimes, someone will tell the viewer to "Keep your eye on this eye."

Availability: As this was mainly used as an ident, it's unlikely to see this on prints distributed by CBS. However, it is possible to find it on prints that are either not distributed or owned by CBS. Some examples include a public domain VHS of The Jack Benny Show and some mid-2000's DVDs of The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show. Currently, the latest known use of this logo is on a 1960 episode of GE College Bowl.

Legacy: This is the earliest known CBS ident with the "Eyemark".

3rd Ident (Late 1950s)


Visuals: On a white background is a blue CBS eyemark with a ring of red and blue circles inside. In the ring, there's a "sun-like" shape with the following text in the middle:

CBS
TELEVISION

Technique: A still, printed image.

Audio: An announcer saying "This is the CBS Television Network."

4th Ident (1950s-1960s)

Visuals: The following words appear on a psychedelic background:

CBS
TELEVISION
NETWORK

Technique: A still, printed image.

Audio: Likely an announcer saying "This is the CBS Television Network."

5th Ident (Late 1960s)


Visuals: On a blue background, the CBS eye mark is seen, along with a yellow "CBS" in the middle.

Technique: A still, printed image.

Audio: An announcer saying "This is CBS."

6th Ident (We've Got It All Together) (1970-1971)


Visuals: On a black background is a white CBS eye. In the middle is a red "CBS" in a stylish font.

Technique: A still, printed image.

Audio: An announcer saying "This is CBS."

7th Ident (Where the Good Times Are) (1971-1972)


Visuals: On a black background is a dark green or dark blue CBS eye. In the middle is a white "CBS".

Technique: A still, printed image.

Audio: An announcer (Harry Kramer) saying "This is CBS."

8th Ident (Have We Got a Fall for You) (1972-1973)

Visuals: Essentially just a cream-outline of the CBS eye with "CBS" in the middle on a black background.

Technique: A still, printed image.

Audio: Likely an announcer saying "This is CBS."

9th Ident (1972-1980)


Visuals: Essentially just a still of the CBS eye (in green, blue, orange, or red) with "CBS" in the middle of it.

Variant: An animated version exists, where on a black background, there is an outline of the CBS eye in blue. A flash of lightning strikes on the logo, then the whole eye slowly turns blue. The letters "CBS" appear in white.

Technique: A still, printed image.

Audio: An announcer saying "This is CBS."

Audio Variants:

  • The announcer might vary, but they say the same thing.
  • The animated variant has a catastrophic theme's ending playing, there is a thunderclap and an announcer saying " *insert show* is next on CBS."

10th Ident (The Best Is Right Here) (1973-1974)


Visuals: On a black background is the CBS Eyemark in red and a white circle bouncing to the theme. The circle bounces on the last three notes of the music left to right, revealing the letters "CBS" in white.

Variant: A different version was used, where on a black background, the white circle reveals the letters "CBS" in blue. There is no eyemark in this variant.

Technique: Cel animation by Edstan Studio.

Audio: The end of the promo.

11th Ident (See the Best... CBS) (1974-1975)


Visuals: Essentially just a white outline of the CBS Eyemark with "CBS" in the middle on a black background.

Technique: A still, printed image.

Audio: An announcer says "This is CBS."

12th Ident (Catch the Brightest Stars) (1975-1976)


Visuals: On a black background is a white CBS eyemark, with the letters "CBS" in orange in the middle.

Variants:

  • The color of the text might vary.
  • An animated variant exists, where on a starry background, the text "CATCH THE BRIGHTEST STARS" in a white glowing font zooms away from a distance then stops. The other letters disappear except "C B S". They come together, making the starry background disappear. When the letters "CBS" have formed, a bright glow appears for a second then fades out, revealing the eyemark.

Technique: None for the regular variant. For the "CATCH THE BRIGHTEST STARS" variant, backlit animation by Edstan Studio.

Audio: An announcer says "This is CBS."

Audio Variants:

  • The announcer may say ".. on CBS."
  • The "CATCH THE BRIGHTEST STARS" variant has a loud flute that fades when the letters merge. There is an announcer that says "Try and reach the Seven Central on CBS!" Windy sounds are heard when the letters "CBS" merge.
  • The second animated variant has a sparky sound accompanied with an announcer saying "Tomorrow, starting at 9 at central on CBS."

13th Ident (The Hot Ones) (1976-1977)


Visuals: On a black background, a spark draws the circle of the CBS eye. As the spark has drawn 1/4 of the circle, another line is drawing up, drawing the eye. When the line that draws the eyes has drawn 3/4 of the eye, a smaller circle is drawn, representing the pupil. The eye is now finished, but the lines go a second lap. The letters "CBS" suddenly spark up from nowhere.

Technique: 2D animation by Edstan Studio.

Audio: A sparky sound accompanied with an announcer saying "Tomorrow, starting at 9/8 central on CBS."

14th Ident (There's Something in the Air) (1977-1978)


Visuals: As with the 10th ident, this is essentially just a still of the CBS eye in a color that varies, with "CBS" in the middle.

Technique: A still, printed image.

Audio: An announcer says "This is CBS."

15th Ident (Turn Us On, We'll Turn You On) (1978-1979)


Visuals: On a pink/blue gradient background, the CBS logo appears and comes to a dot clock. The logo zooms in to the television on the left of the dot clock.

Technique: CGI by Triple-I (Information International Inc.) on a Foonly F1 supercomputer with TRANEW software.

Audio: The campaign's song "Turn Us On" by an unknown composer.

16th Ident (Looking Good) (1979-1980)


Visuals: On a blue gradient background is one of the following:

  • The CBS eyemark outlined in gold, with "CBS" in gold in the middle.
  • The words "LOOKING GOOD", in gold with red lines and swirls that have stars cut into them. Fireworks explode behind the text. Here, the CBS eye doesn't appear.

Technique: None for the regular variant. For the "LOOKING GOOD" variant, camera controlled animation designed by Jane Simpson at Triplane Film + Video, Inc. in Los Angeles, CA, and animated by Tony Valdez at Lumeni Productions, Inc. in Glendale, CA on an Oxberry Animation Stand.

Audio: The campaign's song "Looking Good", composed by Karen Snow and recorded at a studio in New York, NY.

17th Ident (Looking Good Together) (1980-1981)


Visuals: On the same background as before is one of the following:

  • The CBS eye outlined in gold or blue, with "CBS" in the middle.
  • The campaign's logo, which is a light blue-purple gradient five-pointed star with a circle of the same colors. A red and white striped flag-like ribbon resembling the American flag, albeit without the stars, is seen over the ring, and this is seen over the flag:
LOOKING
GOOD

Below that is a purple rounded rectangle with "T O G E T H E R" on it. Everything has a gold outline. A small blue CBS eye is near the bottom-left.

Technique: A still, computerized graphic.

Audio: A rerecorded version of "Looking Good".

18th Ident (Reach for the Stars) (1981-1982)


Visuals: On a blue-black gradient background is the CBS eyemark with a blue outline, along with a white "CBS" in the middle.

Variant: In this variant, set on a red-black gradient background is a silver ring with the text "R E A C H F O R T H E S T A R S" on it and a stylized USA flag inside it. Two circles are placed in the center of either side of the ring. After a few seconds, a few flares fly up from the bottom of the screen, transforming the ring into the CBS eyemark in blue.

Technique: None for the regular variant. The "REACH FOR THE STARS" variant has live action and motion-controlled animation. Designed by Jay Teitzell, John LePrevost, and Lewis Hall, animated by Dream Quest Images, and produced by Sheryl Gold.

Audio: In the regular variant, an announcer says "This is CBS."

Audio Variant: The "REACH FOR THE STARS" variant has the end of the campaign's song "Reach for the Stars", composed and performed by an unknown jingle writer.

19th Ident (Great Moments) (1982-1983)


Visuals: One of the following was used:

  • The campaign's logo zooms out on a black-brown background. The logo consists of a gold diamond outline with gold, thick searchlight-like lines. Over it is this:
GREAT
MOMENTS

Below that is a gold bar with "CBS", with two circles on either side, engraved into it. The logo stops at a comfortable distance and shines.

  • A black-purple gradient, blue-outlined CBS eye appears on a black background.

Technique: CGI for the first variant. None for the second variant.

Audio: The campaign's song "Great Moments", composed by Jake Holmes.

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