CT USSR Programme One

Background

The Central Television of the USSR was the state television broadcaster of the Soviet Union, established on March 9, 1938 and closed down on December 27, 1991.

1st (known) Logo (1950s)

Logo: On a dark background, we see a gray square with a black broadcast tower that generates radio waves (represented by white circle outlines). The letters "Ц" and "Т" are displayed (inside the gray square) to the left and right of the tower (respectively) in a black, bold, and tall font that takes up the entire height of the square. The white words "ЦЕНТРАЛЬНОЕ ТЕЛЕВИДЕНИЕ СССР" (each on its own line), standing for "Central Television of the USSR", appear below the square. Six seconds in, the entire ident fades out and quickly reappears.

FX/SFX: The tower generating radio waves and the ident fading out and quickly reappearing.

Music/Sounds: An orchestral fanfare, with an announcer speaking in Russian.

Avaiability: Extinct.

Editor's Note: A bit simple, but okay for the time.

2nd Logo (1977?-1982?)

The state emblem of the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic as shown in the ident

Logo: On a dark background, the emblems of the fifteen (at the time) constituent republics of the Soviet Union are shown one by one. Then, the screen cuts to a picture of Vladimir Lenin, then to a gray background with a white silhouette of the Soviet Union's entire territory with the flags of the union republics (arranged in a 5×3 grid) superimposed on the left side and the Spasskaya Tower on the right. Then, we see two flags as the camera pans down to reveal that they are standing atop a sign written in Russian that says "Курсом мира и разрядки" ("The Course of Peace and Detenté").

Trivia: In the scene with the silhouette of the Soviet Union's territory, flags, and the Spasskaya Tower, the flags of the union republics are sorted in the order in which the corresponding republics are mentioned in Article 71 of the 1977 Constitution of the Soviet Union. Conversely, the emblems (which appear earlier) are shown in the reverse order of the republics being mentioned (in this case, the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic's emblem appears first, and the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic's emblem appears last).

FX/SFX: The scene with the two flags atop the sign is live-action.

Music/Sounds: An orchestral fanfare, with an announcer speaking in Russian.

Avaiability: Extinct.

Editor's Note: None.

3rd Logo (1987-1990?)

Logo: On a white/light blue background, we see a red star that has a tall top, followed by the Russian text "TB CCCP" (lit. "TV USSR") with "TB" in white and "CCCP" in red. Then, white rings (representing radio waves) come out from the star.

FX/SFX: The rings expanding.

Music/Sounds: A trumpet fanfare.

Availability: Extinct. It was only used as a sign-off sequence, specifically for the end of the company (which became Channel 1 Russia later on).

Editor's Note: None.