Oregon Public Broadcasting

From the Audiovisual Identity Database, the motion graphics museum


Background

Oregon Public Broadcasting is a PBS affiliate which serves much of Oregon. Despite its name, OPB does not serve Southern Oregon, which is instead served by Southern Oregon Public Television (SOPTV).



1st ID (1977-1986, 1989)


Visuals: On a yellow background, an arrow-like tree rises from the middle of the screen, followed by 2 more beside it, then 2 more beside them. The left side lifts up and suspends itself in a strange form, which is followed by the right side, and they form a star out of negative space. "oepbs" in a rounded orange-ish font zooms out, one letter at a time, forming a dip in the text. A white light appears in the centre of the trees.

Variants: A still variant where the background is blue and the logo and text is white exists.

Technique: Early Scanimate.

Audio: A slowed-down version of the first few seconds of Toccata by Mannheim Steamroller, along with the announcer saying "From the Oregon network.".

Availability: This can be seen at closedowns at the time, as well as an opening ident for local programs, but those programs are long gone. This did, however, show up after the 4th logo on the final episode of Front Street Weekly.

2nd ID (1980?-1980s)


Visuals: On a blue background, the tree-star from before, but in white, appears and spins at a rapid rate. The star then zooms out, which stutters in the process, and the "oepbs" text materializes below the star and it shifts up, eventually stopping. A rounded box outline then draws around the logo from the bottom to the top.

Variant: There is a short version starting with the logo stopping spinning.

Technique: 2D computer animation.

Audio: An announcer says "From the Oregon Network."

Availability: See the 1st logo. It was preserved in some programs.

3rd ID (1984?-19??)

Unknown

4th ID (1986-2002)

Visuals: Against a grey/black gradient background, a black/grey gradient square can be seen with the text "OREGON PUBLIC BROADCASTING" below in orange. A letter "O" then rotates around in the square as the text shines.

Variants:

  • A longer version of the regular logo exists as a station ID. On a black/grey gradient background, the "O" slowly rotates around, all while it zooms out. The background then changes around it, leaving a square enclosure, as "OREGON PUBLIC BROADCASTING" wipes in below while shining.
  • A variant exists of the station ID, but it's at the tail end of the logo and the text doesn't appear. Instead, a golden model of Oregon slides down, and the square zooms out, splitting off to their spots of broadcast. The text then wipes in below and the squares shine.

Technique: Shining effects.

Audio: A synth choir tune with a 4-note "twinkling" sound. The variants used an extended version of the theme, with the choir held out for a while before a horn theme is heard. The twinkling still happens.

Availability: Appears on Front Street Weekly, and possibly a Rick Steves travel show on PBS around that time. It also may have shown up on The Oregon Story.

5th ID (1999-2002)


Visuals: Over a moving indigo-tinted background of transparent satin is the "O Square" from the previous logo, but "OPB", in the same font as the previous logo, is below it. In the background, there is a film strip moving upward, along with some gears moving in all directions, that later fade out and are replaced by waveforms. Signals emit from the square.

Technique: 2D computer animation.

Audio: None.

Availability: Seen on Oregon's Memorable Century.

6th ID (2002-2007)


Visuals: There is a white crescent turning into place against a black background, along with the letters "OPB", also in white, zooming out slightly. "OREGON PUBLIC BROADCASTING" appears below.

Variant: There is a version with a dark blue background.

Technique: 2D computer animation.

Audio: A 5-note cello tune.

Availability: Seen on Rick Steves' Europe.

7th ID (2007-2014?)

Visuals: On a light blue wall/floor background, a white "O" in a blue square, a white "P" in a green square, and a white "B" in a brown square form the OPB logo one-by-one, in sync with the audio. We later zoom out very fast to see the text "Oregon Public Broadcasting" in a blue font below the logo.

Variant: Later on in the logo's usage is the logo simply zoom in.

Technique:

  • Original variant: The squares forming the OPB logo, the zooming.
  • Later variant: The zooming of the logo.

Audio: A xylophone/drum tune or a new-age electronic tune.

Availability: Same as before. It can be seen on Rick Steves' Europe, Mustard Pancakes, and Seemore's Playhouse episodes from the era.