Austin PBS

Background

KLRU (known on-air as Austin PBS) is a PBS affiliate located in Austin, Texas.

KLRU

1st Logo (1984-1993)

Visuals: On a Dallas blue background, there is a 2D image of the top of the Texas Capitol Dome with a giant star in the middle. "KLRU/AUSTIN" in yellow zooms out below.

Variants:

• There is a slightly shortened version towards the end the animation.
• A longer version exists as a local ID. The text "KLRU TV-18" swings into view, rendered in shiny silver 3D. While swinging into place, the Capital Dome and the text "AUSTIN", which is smaller in print, zoom in and a yellow star outline spins and zooms out. Then they all come into place, and the star gets filled.

Technique: "KLRU/AUSTIN" zooming out.

Audio: A cymbal sounder. The local ID had a proud piano tune, with other instruments in there.

Availability: It was seen on late 1980's to early 1990's episodes of Austin City Limits, after the Southwest Texas Public Broadcasting Council split into two.

2nd Logo (1993?-1998)

• 

Visuals: There is the Austin skyline under the night sky (from the ACL Season 18 intro). A comet comes in from the right, and when it gets to the middle, it flashes a giant KLRU logo on top, with a small "AUSTIN" below it.

Variant: A local version exists, with either a greenish starfield, blue-gradient, or orange-gradient background, and the KLRU logo spins in and below. "AUSTIN" fades in below, before fading out, with "Join us" in a script font writing itself in its place. That text shines. It also has a still version.

Technique: The comet shooting and unveiling the logo. All CGI.

Audio: Same as the previous logo. On one occasion, this was mixed with the closing theme. The local version is the same as before.

Availability: It was seen on 90s episodes of Austin City Limits.

3rd Logo (1998-2005)

Visuals: Over a TV static background, there is a static red KLRU logo in a much thinner font zoom in. "AUSTIN" fades in below, and the static background moves below, making the background black. The logo shines.

Technique: The TV static moving down.

Audio: A buzzing noise.

Availability: Found on early 2000s episodes of Austin City Limits. This was used in tandem with the next logo until 2005.

4th Logo (2003-2007?)

Visuals: Over a black/gray gradient background, the logo starts with "KLRU" in the same font as the previous logo zooming out and spinning clockwise flipping letter by letter, as well as the PBS logo. Below the logo, the words "Austin Texas" stretch in. All of this is colored red.

Variant: An early variant removed the text "Austin Texas".

Technique: The spinning and stretching.

Audio: A string is heard at the beginning followed by a downward three note chime arpeggio, then five piano notes that repeat again, but are played on bells.

Availability: Likely seen on Austin City Limits and was seen on Public Strategies Inc. Also used as a local ident.

5th Logo (2007?-2008?)

• 

Visuals: Unknown

Technique: Unknown

Audio: An excerpt of "Eple" by Röyksopp. A shimmering sound plays when the PBS logo is formed.

Availability: Spotted on an episode of Austin City Limits. Also used as a local ident.

6th Logo (2008?-December 21, 2019)

Visuals: On a black or light gray background, there are the letters "klru" in azure with the PBS Circle P-Head logo on the right sliding in. An aurora surrounds the logo as "austin, texas" appears under it.

Trivia: The P-Head animation is used by other PBS logos.

Variants:

• On one episode of Arts In Context, "austin, texas" is missing.
• On another episode of said show, "austin," appears first, followed by "texas".
• A short version fades into the logo without the sliding, one of them which has "austin," already there, and "texas" fades in.
• Another version has a copyright stamp that reads "A production of KLRU-TV Capital of Texas Public Telecommunications Council © (YEAR)".

Technique: Just the aurora and the text appearing.

Audio: A soothing chime sounder.

Audio Variants:

• On the short version, a synth electric guitar tune is used.
• On Austin City Limits, both the chime and the guitar play simultaneously.
• There is also a silent version.
• Some episodes have the show's end theme play during the logo.

Availability: Seen on episodes of Austin City Limits from 2008 to 2019. Last seen on the annual rebroadcast of the Tom Waits episode in 2019. Also used as a local ident.

7th Logo (2012)

Visuals:On a black background, there is a group of circles explode from the center, revealing the KLRU logo. Below is a "50" in a circle next to "years". Below that is "austin, texas". The circles move in different directions.

Technique: The circles.

Audio: The synth electric guitar tune from the short version of the previous logo.

Availability: Seen as a 50th anniversary logo.

Austin PBS

Logo (November 6, 2019-)

Visuals: On a blue background, the PBS logo fades in white. The PBS logo moves to the right, while the word "Austin" fades in. After that, the words "KLRU-TV Austin, Texas" wipes left.

Technique: Unknown

Audio: Unknown

Availability: Seen on Overheard with Evan Smith and new episodes of Austin City Limits beginning on December 28, 2019. Also used as a local ident.