TV Guide Channel

From the Audiovisual Identity Database, the motion graphics museum


Background

Pop (formerly known as Electronic Program Guide, Prevue Guide, Prevue Channel, TV Guide Channel, and TV Guide Network) is a pay television channel owned by Paramount Global. It was launched in 1981 as Electronic Program Guide and a barker channel service. Over the next few decades, the channel rebranded a few times to said former names. When United Video Satellite Group, Prevue Channel's then-parent company, acquired TV Guide in 1998, the channel became TV Guide Channel. Before the rebrand they broadcasted interstitial segments alongside their on-screen guide. At this point, they began broadcasting full-length entertainment-related programs. When Lionsgate acquired the channel in 2009, their programming shifted towards general entertainment. CBS Corporation acquired a 50% stake in the channel in 2013, followed by the remaining half from Lionsgate six years later.

ID (February 1, 1999-2001)


Visuals: Starting off on a gold-purple background, footage of a black boy is on the left, eleven dot cut-outs in a 4x3 order (one dot is missing on the center) containing streetlights are on the top right section and on top of a scrolling horizontal gold bar, a white circle is in the center, multi-colored bokeh lights are on the bottom left, and a white male reaching for a white outline of a circle containing a "U" is on the right, obscured by the bokeh lights. As the bokeh lights scroll to the right, the boy footage moves towards the right and the "U" inside the circle is replaced with an "I" with the man's hands. The dots on the top section also disappear randomly and the circle zooms out with a pixelated copy of the white male shown underneath. The boy suddenly gives a surprised look on his face and the male on the right reaches for the "I" in the white circle.

After the dots disappear, the white circle expands and rests on the bottom right while a picture of a mom and her two kids in a small, white circle pops in. At the same time, the "I" in the circle on the top right is replaced with a "D" and multiple small particles form. The boy footage on the left is replaced with a light blue bar with pink outlines on the top left section against purple-white gradient half background. After said footage change, the white circle on the bottom half moves towards the top center and the "D" in the top right circle is replaced with an "E", all while two halves of a silver, 3D tube outline zoom out and connect to each other. The particles form "TV GUIDE" in white and against a red tube, the left circle containing the mom and two kids is replaced with a black girl with her legs apart and the right half changes to an extended half of the left one where six dots in a 2x3 order appear, one of which contains a man. When the fourth dot on the right appears, "TV" in white and a large format appears behind the man. A thick green stripe with several patterns consisting of four red lights on the top and bottom fade in.

When the large "TV" copy scrolls to the left, the bottom stripe changes to blue-dark red patterns, a white bar from the right absorbs the right background, the dots on said section start disappearing (excluding the one with the man), rotating size-changing black dots are scrolling in the right background, and "CHANNEL" types in underneath the logo. Meanwhile, as the dots on the right reappear, the girl on the left circle jumps up in the air with her arms spread out, leaving the hole and falling down behind a scrolling dark blue bar on the bottom. This causes the left circle to shrink and disappear. Simultaneously, "TV" scrolls to the right and the right dots disappear again. A cyan tube with three moving blue bars can be seen peeking at the left while the left half, now turned dark blue after a Sun-like object with light blue rays absorbs most of the half, slightly shifts towards the right, being shown with a circle cut out on its right half. While the bottom dark blue bar scrolls to the right, the patterned bar, now in the same style as it was before starting over, disappears, the cyan tube is seen turning to static and turns off in a fast sequence, and a red tube peeks in on the right.

Variant: An extended variant exists.

Technique: A mix of 2D animation and CGI as well as live-action, done by Pittard Sullivan.

Audio: A fast-paced guitar/drums soundtrack.

Audio Variant: Sometimes, a male announcer voices over the logo, reading "This is the TV Guide Channel".

Prevue Channel
TV Guide Channel