Annenberg Media

From the Audiovisual Identity Database, the motion graphics museum


Background

Annenberg/CPB, originally known as The Annenberg/CPB Project, was a joint venture of the Annenberg Foundation and the Corporation of Public Broadcasting, formed in 1981 through a gift from Walter Annenberg, founder of the Annenberg Foundation. In 2006, the Annenberg Foundation (and the Annenberg Channel) withdrew their partnership from CPB, and renamed its channel to Annenberg Media. Despite that, the Dish Network channel University House Channel continued to rerun pre-2006 programs of the former Annenberg/CPB library until October 2008, when UHC permanently discontinued its satellite stations. However, Annenberg Media remains active as Annenberg Learner; their website, www.learner.org, still exists, and one can check it out to find information on their programs, FAQ, email, and much more.


Annenberg Media/Annenberg/CPB/The Annenberg/CPB Project

1st Logo (January 5, 1983-2004)


Visuals: On a black-shady blue gradient background, a tall bracket-like bar folds up from the ground, followed by a shorter one and then a trapezoid, all colored blue and casting a long shadow across the ground. The final result of this resembles a stylized lowercase "a". Then, a star wipes in the text "The Annenberg/CPB Project", in the Optima font, from left-to-right, and then the shadow disappears.

Variants:

  • A filmed version exists.
  • Starting in 1999, the logo is revised with smoother animation and a slightly redesigned "a". The text now reads "Annenberg/CPB" in Arial, and the byline "Annenberg Foundation-Corporation for Public Broadcasting" fades in when the shadow disappears.
    • A version exists where the byline just reads "Annenberg Foundation"
  • A version exists where the entire logo is remade with 3D CGI, with a dark green "a" and the text reading "The Annenberg/CPB Math and Science Project" instead.

Technique: Computer animation (2D on most versions, 3D on the Math and Science variant).

Audio: 3 synth notes with a "wah" effect as the "a" unfolds, then 8 higher synth notes as the star reveals the text, with the 8th note longer. Then, an announcer (typically a male announcer) would be heard (during the 8th note of the jingle), announcing the above channel's name. Composed in F major.

  • Overall, there have been a couple changes between the announcing. Here are a couple variants:
    • From 1983 to 1999, the announcer would say "(Major) Funding for this program (or the name of the show) was provided by The Annenberg/CPB Project."
    • From 1999 onward, along with its revised logo, a different announcer would say "Funding for this program is provided by Annenberg/CPB. To advance excellent teaching."

Availability:

  • It can be found on re-runs of shows such as The Arts of Every Classroom and Biography of America (the later version) on local PBS stations such as UNC-TV and UNC-ED.
  • It was also preserved on certain Annenberg shows on the Learner on Demand website and maybe some other Annenberg shows if one's local PBS station still shows them.
  • Its first appearance was on a series of four previews of The Constitution: That Delicate Balance, beginning with "National Security versus Freedom of the Press", broadcast on January 5, 1983.

2nd Logo (2004-October 2008)


Visuals: On a black-shady blue gradient background, a tall bracket-like bar folds up from the ground, followed by a shorter one and then a trapezoid, all colored blue and casting a long shadow across the ground. The final result of this resembles a stylized lowercase "a". Then, "Annenberg Media" wipes in with a sparkle effect below, from left to right. The entire logo's color scheme is more saturated than the Annenberg/CPB logo.

Variant: From 2004 to 2006, the logo would fade out to make room for the following text:

Funding for this program provided by
Annenberg/CPB

"Funding for this program provided by" is aligned to the left.

Technique: Modern computer effects.

Audio: A redone version of the Annenberg/CPB logo's music done with pianos, strings and modern synths. A female announcer says "Annenberg Media." Composed in C major.

Audio Variant: In 2006, the announcement was changed to say "Funding for this program is provided by Annenberg Media."

Availability:

  • It was mostly preserved on shows on the Learner on Demand website. [Examples?]
  • This may also be preserved if, like the last logo, one's local PBS station still broadcasts Annenberg programs.
  • It was also seen on almost all programs shown on the defunct University House Channel (sans American Cinema, which had the Annenberg/CPB logo).

Annenberg Learner

Logo (Late 2008?-)


Visuals: On a black-shady blue gradient background, a tall bracket-like bar folds up from the ground, followed by a shorter one and then a trapezoid, all colored blue and casting a long shadow across the ground. The final result of this resembles a stylized lowercase "a". Then, "ANNENBERG LEARNER", in a spaced out font, wipes in with a less vibrant sparkle effect than the Annenberg Media logo, from left to right. The "a" zooms out after the text wipes in. The color scheme matches that of the Annenberg/CPB logo.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: The music from the Annenberg Media logo. The announcer says "Funding for this program was provided by Annenberg Learner."

Availability: It can be seen on newer on-demand programs from Annenberg's website, including Against All Odds.

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