Hearst Media Production Group

Credits

Compiled by
BenIsRandom

Video captures courtesy of
Logo Central, Pepsi9072, and ENunn

Background

Hearst Media Production Group (formerly known as Litton Entertainment) was founded in 1988 by Dave Morgan as Litton Syndications. The company started out syndicating sports-related specials, however in the 1990s, due to the Children's Television Act requiring television stations to air a weekly quota of educational programs, the company began to syndicate Jack Hanna's Animal Adventures. In 2007, the company bought syndication rights to 85 movies from the Castle Hill library from Peace Arch Entertainment. In 2009, the company began to produce original shows starting with Street Court. Over the years, with the decline in children's television blocks on Saturday mornings, Litton began enacting deals with networks for blocks of educational live-action programming, gradually replacing all known blocks. This began in 2011 with a deal with ABC to syndicate Litton's Weekend Adventure, replacing ABC Kids. In 2013, Litton introduced their second Saturday morning programming block, CBS Dream Team, for CBS. It would replace Cookie Jar TV. In 2014, Litton introduced their third Saturday morning programming block, One Magnificent Morning, for The CW. It replaced the Vortexx block (run by Saban Brands). On February 24, 2016, Litton introduced another Saturday morning programming block, The More You Know, for NBC. In January 2017, Hearst Communications acquired a stake in Litton. In late 2021, it was announced that Litton would rebrand into Hearst Media Production Group, and this occurred in January of 2022.

Litton Entertainment

1st Logo (1995-2005)

Logo: On a cloudy gray background, a diagonal blue square with a rough line at the bottom is seen, mostly being grey while a paintbrush fills out the rest in a zigzag path. The words "LITTON SYNDICATIONS" in a Impact font is embossed into the square. When the paintbrush leaves the square, the box flashes white, turning the text white and solid as well. The text shines with a few gray lines and the square shines with a ping at the top left.

Variant: There's a short version that starts when the name flashes.

FX/SFX: The appearance of the box, the shine.

Music/Sounds: The last part of the Watercourse Road Productions theme, or a nice guitar tune.

Availability: Rare. The short version was seen on Critter Gitters in syndication, but has been plastered with the Creative Television Marketing logo on recent airings. It also appeared on Jack Hanna's Animal Adventures. Can likely be seen on VHS tapes of both series.

2nd Logo (2005-2014)

Logo: On a black background, the word "LITTON" is formed, letter by letter. Then, two bright trails of light collide and create a flash, which reveals the word "ENTERTAINMENT" below that, and then the trails of light emerge from the flash and leave the screen.

Variants:

• On some shows from 2005 to 2007, a stylized "L" made of two navy blue blocks and a sea blue wave forms at the top, then the company name is formed as usual, albeit with "ENTERTAINMENT" being formed by various sparkles. The text is also glossier.
• Some shows with the 2005 variant have the stacked text "STUDIOS", "WORLDWIDE DISTRIBUTION" and "CORPORATE DIRECT" flashing in line-by-line at the bottom of the screen.

FX/SFX: The forming of the text.

Music/Sounds: We only hear a synthesized whoosh as the word "ENTERTAINMENT" forms. Otherwise, it's the closing theme of the show. On NASCAR Angels, the first half of the MagicDust Television theme is heard over the logo.

Availability: Was seen on 2005-2014 shows produced by Litton Entertainment. Although those shows no longer air, making this logo extinct on TV, you can see this logo on Born to Explore with Richard Wiese and possibly other Litton shows from the era on Netflix.

Editor's Note: A rather infamous logo, not so much for its content (which is simple, but effective) but more so for the company itself.

3rd Logo (2014-2022)

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Logo: On a black background, a spark flies across the screen from left to right, then flies closer to the screen, turns, and flies from right to left, revealing a dark cloudy/sunset background as well as the word "LITTON", which is tilted to the side a bit but turns around to face the viewer. "ENTERTAINMENT" fades in below, and the logo shines. We then fade out.

Variants:

• Starting in 2017, the Hearst Television logo fades in below "ENTERTAINMENT".
• There is a version that is cropped to 4:3.

FX/SFX: CGI animation.

Music/Sounds:

• 2014-2016: A deep synth note is heard through the entire logo, and we hear a sword slashing sound when the logo shines. The synth is in the key of C.
• 2016-2022: A different deep synth note is held (in the key of D) with a 5-note orchestra tune.

Availability: Very common. Seen on all shows produced by Litton Entertainment from 2014 to 2022. Also appears tacked onto airings of Jack Hanna's Animal Adventures on Laff, despite the rebrand, do NOT expect this logo to immediately go out of use!

Editor's Note: Like before, this logo isn't well-liked by some due to Litton "killing" Saturday morning blocks. That said, this really isn't a bad logo, and it has good animation and music.

Hearst Media Production Group

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