Global Television

From the Audiovisual Identity Database, the motion graphics museum



Background

The Global Television Network (more commonly called Global) is an English-language privately owned TV network in Canada, which was a subsidiary of Canwest. Beginning in 1974 as a regional television system serving Southern Ontario, the network gradually expanded its national reach in the subsequent decades, and currently has 11 owned-and-operated stations in the country. Following Canwest's bankruptcy in late 2009, Shaw Communications took over Canwest's broadcasting assets on October 27, 2010. 6 years later, on April 1, 2016, Shaw Media was acquired by Corus Entertainment. Around the mid '90s, the company also helped produce and fund original programming.



1st Logo (March 26, 1995-1999)


Visuals: On a dark blue background with the text "CANWEST GLOBAL SYSTEM" shown on it in many different fonts and arrangements, as well as them being tilted at a slight angle, there's a red "G" made up of 4 twisting ribbons, blending together at the left and right ends. To the right of it is "CANWEST GLOBAL SYSTEM" stacked up in a 3D white Impact font, and below it is the same text but in a silver Helvetica font. There's black gradients lining the top and bottom of the screen.

Variants:

  • Sometimes, "Produced In Association With" is seen above it.
  • Usually, it's shown as an in-credit logo, either in a solid color or with the "G" in the signature red color.

Technique: None. [possible misuse]

Audio: None or the end theme of the show.

Availability: The original version can be found on season 4 episodes of The Outer Limits, while the in-credit version can be found on Jake and the Kid (1995). Ironically, this would be used until 1999 on that show, though that might be because of delays.

2nd Logo (1997-May 13, 2005)

Visuals: On a black background, a red-glowing Earth emerges from the darkness via a waxing wipe effect as it zooms out and rotates to the left. The globe displays yellow continents and focuses on North America. As the globe begins to start waning, the globe suddenly develops a eclipse-like globe, leaving a red crescent shape. Finally, "Global" in a white Frutiger fades in above the crescent, and the byline "A CANWEST COMPANY", in the same typeface, fades in below it.

Variants:

  • Normally, the logo would be cut short to either the globe glowing, halfway through the logo's animation, or even just having the text fade in.
  • This was also used as a national ID from 1997-2001, where it lacked the Canwest byline. Very rarely, it would have "Global Television Network" appear just below the crescent's lowest point.
  • On the third and final season of both Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's BeastMaster and Mutant X, the logo is zoomed to widescreen.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: A techno theme followed by a whoosh (which are usually cut out) with a satellite beeping sound then a majestic six-note orchestra fanfare, which was the Global network's theme of the era.

Audio Variants:

  • Sometimes, the ending theme of the show is used instead.
  • Sometimes, the music was shortened to five notes.
  • As an ID, it used a completely different piano theme.

Availability: Seen on various shows, most notably Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda (last two seasons), the third and final season of both Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's BeastMaster and Mutant X, and Popular Mechanics For Kids.

3rd Logo (December 6, 2003-July 16, 2005)

Visuals: On a black background, there's a white crescent moon forming and changing to reveal a shining red circle with a white border, that contains the Global logo from before, all colored in white. When the animation finishes, the byline "A CanWest Company" appears below in a bigger font.

Technique: Computer animation.

Audio: Same as the previous logo.

Availability: Seen on Wild Card starting with "Bullet Proof" and on Train 48 episodes from 122 onwards. It was also seen on certain international prints of later Season 5 episodes of Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda.

4th Logo (January 5-February 1, 2006)

Visuals: Unknown

Technique: Unknown

Audio: The end theme of the show.

Availability: Seen on the first 5 episodes of Falcon Beach, during their original airings. However, current prints have this logo plastered with the next one.

5th Logo (2006-2010?)


Visuals: On a complicated background, there is the black word "Global" next to a red folded ribbon, or a 90-degree turned check-sign. Below, there is a copyright byline, reading:

Global Television,
a division of CanWest MediaWorks, Inc.

Technique: CGI.

Variants:

  • A still version exists, and there is also the text "Produced in Association with" on top of the logo.
  • The logo exists in both dark and light variants.
  • Sometimes, both the still and animated variants are used for some reason.

Audio: A electro fanfare, used from one of Global's of the time, or the ending theme of the show.

Availability: It was seen on original programming until CanWest became Shaw Media.

6th Logo (2016)

Visuals: Unknown.

Byline: "A Corus. COMPANY"

Technique: CGI.

Audio: The ending theme of the show.

Availability: Only seen on 2016 episodes of Border Security. This (as well as the sister YTV, ABC Spark, Teletoon, Treehouse, CMT, HGTV, Food Network and W Network logos) began being replaced by the Corus logo in 2017.

Global Television
Corus Entertainment (logo)
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