ORF

Background:

ORF (Österreichischer Rundfunk, English: Austrian Broadcasting Company) is the public Austrian broadcaster, which was founded back in 1955 after several local radio stations merged together. They started broadcasting television in

1st logo (1975?-1987)

Generic Logo: Just the ORF logo at the time (a pair of red ovals with white circles in them inside one another, heavily resembling the CBS Eyemark.) on a cream yellow background.

Station Logo: On a black background, a large abstract numeral is seen on the right side of the screen, made up of a few pieces to represent the channel number:

• FS1: A yellow-colored 1 made up of 2 pieces.
• FS2: A blue-colored 2 made up of 3 pieces.

The logos are slightly transparent, have a colored shadow, and 2 thin white lines border the top and bottom of the screens.

Variants:

• Earlier uses of the logo had different designs but the same general basis:
  • 1975-1980: The logo design is completely different, having the numbers made of 3 thick lines and are contained within a box. The "1" is settled onto the left side of the box, while the "2" is settled onto the right side.
  • 1980-1984: More or less resembles the final variant, but the numbers lack the shadow and transparency, as well as having a section of the logo made with stripes of decreasing volume.
• A looping variant has the logos made into glass models, tinted with the signature colors of the desired channels, and are shown endlessly spinning back while zooming out and constantly gleaming with flares before fading back to the beginning.

FX/SFX: None.

Music/Sounds: None, or sometimes a piece of music is used.

Availability: Extinct. Generally would be seen after programming, startups, and closedowns.

Editor's Note: None.

2nd logo (1987-1992)

Generic Logo: On a black/grey gradient background, we see the top of 2 glass ovals, shining with blue/yellow/white highlights as they start to rotate, the bigger one counterclockwise and the smaller one clockwise, and they move and tilt away from the screen. The inner oval moves at a speed that's double compared to the outer oval's speed and there is also a reflection below them as well. As they zoom out and face the screen, the ovals stop until they are almost completely white as they fade to the ORF logo, along with the "ORF" wordmark in a outlined serif font as the reflection disappears.

Station Logo: On a black background, a blue haze is seen on the horizon near the middle of the screen, lighting up an dim blue floor. Pieces of the channel's logo then fly in and tilt all about before straightening upwards and forming the logo on the right side of the screen. As soon as they settle, the "ORF" wordmark appears in the top right corner of the screen. A reflection can be seen on the floor.

Variants:

• From 1990-1992, the logos were enhanced. The background is changed to be pure black with a glass floor, only illuminated with a light on the left side of it. The logo is also now tinted glass and moves about with more fluid and realistic movements, and the ORF logo appears instead of just the wordmark.
• A still variant exists, used with both idents.

FX/SFX: The pieces flying, the fading.

Music/Sounds: An orchestral piece is used for all 3 idents, although they vary.

• The generic ORF ident uses a portion of Franz Schubert Symphony No. 5.
• ORF FS1 uses a more majestic and cheerful-sounding piece.
• ORF FS2 uses a more fast-paced, but still proud piece. It also ends abruptly as well, right before the "ORF" wordmark fades in.

Availability: Extinct.

Editor's Note: None.

3rd logo (1992-2000)

Logo: On a dark blue background, strange black and white shadows are projected onto the screen as they turn and morph about (which are actually the ORF Eye and channel number in Bonn Caps Bold) before the new logo fades in, a black rectangle with "ORF" in a white Bonn Caps Bold font along with a square containing the channel number (lime green for ORF1, orange for ORF2). The background then slowly fades to a solid blue color.

Variant: From 1992-1995, a general ident was used at startups and closedowns, which lacked the numbers and had the ORF Eye fade in along with the current ORF logo in red. The background then faded to black.

FX/SFX: The shadows, the fading.

Music/Sounds: An orchestral piece with twinkles and violins.

Availability: Extinct.

Editor's Note: None.