France Télévisions

Credits

Descriptions by
SnowflakesOmega & Oranim

Captures by
RedheadXilamGuy, Institut National de l'Audiovisuel (INA) & Le Nodal

Video captures courtesy of
LeBazarVidéos, valentin89000, Habillage TV - Français-France, ARCHIVES MEDIAS TV & Rapido Ratz 49 Fan Fun Radio

Background

France Télévisions SA is the public national broadcaster of France. Currently, the main channels owned by the company include France 2 (formerly Antenne 2), France 3 (formerly France Régions 3), France 4 (formerly Festival) and France 5 (formerly La Cinquième). A fifth main channel, France Ô (formerly RFO Sat), was also part of the company but shut down in August 2020. France Télévisions also co-owns several other channels, namely France Info (co-owned by France TV along with Radio France, the INA and France Médias Monde) which serves as their news channel. In addition, France Télévisions provides an extensive regional output through France 3 in metropolitan France, but also in overseas islands through the La 1ère network.

1st Logo (1992-2000)

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  Cross-promotion
• 
  Regular ident

Logo: The sequence begins with the 2 and 3 of France 2 and France 3 (without the word "France") at their initial spots, with the "rendez-vous" text in-between them. The numbers then fly in opposite directions, revealing the program being promoted. The sequence is then reversed at the end, now showing the "France Télévision" text, with the number of the channel being promoted quickly getting back into place before both fly away from the viewer, once more in opposite directions.

Technique: 2D animation.

Music/Sounds: A drum and techno piece.

Availability: Extinct. However, parts of this branding remain available on archival websites.

2nd Logo (2000-2002)

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Logo : On a white background, we see the "France Télévision" text from before, now with France 2, France 3 and La Cinquième's logos underneath. The logo of the corresponding channel flashes 3 times before the entire logo fades out, revealing the program being promoted for said channel.

Trivia : This logo, while not tied to a specific branding per se, was made once La Cinquième was integrated into France Télévision. This was also when a law requiring the group to create a holding was passed in August 2000.

Technique: 2D animation.

Music/Sounds: A 4-note melody on a piano with three beatboxing sounds, along with 3 dings when one of the channel's logos flashes.

Availability: Extinct. Archival websites have both La Cinquième and France 2's versions of the cross-promotion.

3rd Logo (January 7th, 2002-April 7th, 2008)

• 
  Regular version
• 
  Black and white version
• 
  Branding showcase

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  Children programming promo
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  News promo
• 
  Sport promo

• 
  2002 general cross-promotion
• 
  2005 general cross-promotion
• 
  Singular cross-promotion

Logo : On a white background, we see the france télévisions logo, comprised of 4 blue screens and the text francetélévisions in the Heldustry font underneath. The text quickly fades out as the screens flip, moving closer to the viewer, before cutting to various arrangements with different footage at each cut. Near the end, France 2, France 3 and France 5's logos are showcased, with France 2's moving from right to left, France 3's and France 5's moving from left to right. The four screens then flip back into place as the francetélévisions text fades back in.

Variants:

• The logo sequence described above is used for three promos: news, sports and children's programming. Each version uses footage corresponding to the theme.
• A white version of the logo exists, most often used on a black background. This variant is notably used for cross-promotions or sport-related events.
• Cross promotions have two variants with different animations. They also come in general and singular cross-promos.
  • In 2002, cross-promos featuring France 2, France 3 and France 5 had the channels's programs showcased within three screens, one for each channel. At the end, the screens flip out of our view before the four screens from france télévisions's logo spin around into place, with the text fading in shortly after.
  • In 2005, following the launches of France 4 and France Ô, cross-promos now began with the france télévisions logo before the screens flip to become each channel's logo (a fifth one being added for France Ô). Each channel was now lined up, a single screen flipping across all five to showcase their respective programs for the night. After the logos and the screen flip away, it cuts to a recap with a screen for each program, their name and genre on the right, with the channel's logo next to it. All logos then line up, with a text below them saying "ce soir, vous avez tous les choix" ("tonight, the choice is yours"), before flipping back into the france télévisions logo. This version is sometimes shortened by omitting the recap.
  • Singular cross promos begin with the france télévisions logo flipping into view, before the screens zoom in and converge into a single one, showcasing the program being promoted. The corresponding channel's logo is on the right, with the name of the program as well as its day and time of airing on the bottom. At the end, the screen is then moved to the right, with the program's name now showcased on the left in a larger size. The screens then flip and fade away, with the text "france [number/letter], une chaîne du groupe francetélévisions" ("france [number/letter], a francetélévisions channel") appearing in a wipe effect under the channel's logo. In later years, this was replaced by the final part of general cross-promos, with the channels's logos flipping into the group's logo. Instead of using the text visually, a voiceover now reads it.

Technique: CGI.

Music/Sounds: Synth sounds, accompanied by beeps and a woman's voice singing at different intervals.

Music/Sounds Variants: What is described above is what is considered to be the main theme of the branding. However, there are different soundtracks using the same kinds of sounds (except the woman's voice), namely for cross-promotions.

Availability: Extinct. Archival websites cover a large portion of this branding, however.

4th Logo (April 7, 2008-September 5, 2011)

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Logo: Various colors shoot in, stop from a distance and become squares. These squares then flip to their corporate directions. Once they're placed, they're revealed to be red (representing France 2), blue (representing France 3), purple (representing France 4), green (representing France 5) and orange (representing France Ô). The squares stop into their position, zoom in slightly, and the wordmark "francetélévisions" fades in below.

Variant: In around 2010/2011, this branding was updated with newer animations and soundtrack.

Technique: The squares shooting in and flipping.

Music/Sounds: An ascending string note with an air fizz, a 2-note chime, and a gated synth.

Trivia : The music used for cross-promotions before the branding was updated is a remix of the 2002 branding's theme.

Availability: Currently rare. May be seen on France Télévisions shows from the time.

5th Logo (January 29, 2018-)

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Logo: A dot appears in the middle of the screen before disappearing as a circle of dots is made around it. A singular dot then settles in as the word "france" fades in letter-by-letter to its left, while "tv" fades in to its right.

Variants: During cross-promotions for a single channel (for example, France 5), the same circle of dots appears from the dot between the "france" and "tv" text before settling back next to "france" with the number (or letter in France Ô's case) of the corresponding channel to the right of the dot. The color of dot will also change to correspond to the channel's own color: red for France 2, blue for France 3, purple for France 4, green for France 5 and yellow for France Ô (which it now shares with the La 1ère network).

Technique: CGI.

Music/Sounds: Beeping noises.

Availability: Current. Seen most commonly during cross-promotions and other promos involving France Télévisions's channels or its websites. Also seen when a video begins to play on their websites.