JORX-DTV (TBS Television)

From the Audiovisual Identity Database, the motion graphics museum





Background

Tokyo Broadcasting System Television, Inc. (callsign JORX-DTV) is a Japanese television station based in Tokyo serving the Kantō region as the flagship station of Japan News Network, and launched on April 1, 1955 as "KRT Radio Tokyo" with the callsigns "JOKR-TV". The network changed its name to the current one on November 29, 1960, and changed its TV callsign to "'JORX-TV'" in 2001 after TBS went into a restructuring. In 2009, TBS became a holding company and as a result, the television operations were taken over by TBS Television.

JOKR-TV (Radio Tokyo TV)

ID (1955-March 31, 1961)

Visuals: At the bottom, on a black background, there is a text that says "JOKR-TV ラジオ東京" ("JOKR-TV Radio Tokyo").

Technique: A printed card.

Audio: An announcer says "第6チャンネルで, JOKR-TV" ("Channel 6, JOKR-TV")

JOKR-TV/JORX-TV/DTV (Tokyo Broadcasting System/TBS Television)

1st ID (Startup and Closedown, April 1, 1961-December 31, 1962)

Visuals: A circular object that resembles the sun fades in then spins clockwise, then a model of TBS's then headquarters shows up against the circular object, spinning counter-clockwise. The circular object darkens, then brightens up, then fades away, replaced by multiple backgrounds of clouds. The model of the headquarters fades away, then after a while, a pattern that resembles a lake fades in and out, after which the text "TBS / 東京放送 / 映像周波数: 183.25メガサイクル / 映像出力: 50キロワット / 音声周波数: 187.75メガサイクル / 音声出力 12.5キロワット / 第6チャンネル / 6 JOKR-TV" ("TBS / Tokyo Broadcasting Video frequency: 183.25 megacycles / Video outpuL" 50 kilowatts / Audio frequency: 187.75 megacycles / Audio output: 12.5 kilowatts / Channel 6 / 6 JOKR-TV") scrolls into the cloud background.

Technique: Live-action models combined with cel animation.

Audio: A powerful fanfare. There is another announcer who said: "TBS, 第6チャンネル, JOKR-TV" ("TBS, channel 6, JOKR-TV")

2nd ID (Startup and Closedown, January 1, 1963-October 4, 1987 for startup, January 1, 1963-September 29, 1991 for closedown)


Visuals:

  • Startup: On a background with glass sheets and bars, one glass bar slides diagonally to the bottom-right, and another horizontally to the left. The video then fades to two other glass bars horizontally sliding at opposite directions then outwards. Two other glass bars then slide to the bottom, one sliding deeper than the other. After that, two glass sheets horizontally slide at opposite directions, going past each other. It then fades to a lot of vertical glass bars shining, then to two glass bars sliding outwards. Another two glass bars slide inside a box with green walls, orange ceiling and blue floors. Then, the box is shown in a different angle, with glass bars on top of it. Four glass bars then slide onto each other, forming a square. At this point, the following text starts to scroll into the video: "TBS 東京放送 映像周波数 183.25メガヘルツ 映像出力 50キロワット 音声周波数 187.75メガヘルツ 音声出力 12.5キロワット 第6チャンネル 6 JOKR-TV" ("TBS Tokyo Broadcasting Video frequency 183.25 megahertz Video output 50 kilowatts Audio frequency 187.75 megahertz Audio output 12.5 kilowatts Channel 6 6 JOKR-TV"). While those text were scrolling, the video fades to one glass bar sliding to the right, and one glass bar and sheet sliding to the left. Multiple glass bars then rapidly move top to bottom. In the back ground is a large number "6" It then fades to a rainbow "6" amongst a bunch of glass bars, which then switches to a bunch of towers overlooking it. A white "6" shows up. Then in the next clip, the camera moves down, first showing the white "six", then the rainbow "6". After that, it fades to three "6" bars, with (in order from left to right) the colors being yellow, blue and red rotating counter-clockwise until the number "6" is clearly visible.

Variants: From 1963 to 1973, this ID was in black and white. In 1972, "メガサイクル" ("megacycles") was replaced by "メガヘルツ" ("megahertz"). On October 4, 1987, when TBS began 24-hour broadcasting, the startup was no longer being used and the closedown was shortened to 30 seconds at the end, and was also used for startup.

Technique: Live-action models combined with cel animation.

Audio:

  • Startup: Same as the 1961-1963 ident.
  • Closedown: A more somber version of the startup's music.

Audio Variants: The startup and closedown IDs share an announcer. What the announcer said has changed over time. They all start with "TBS, 東京放送" ("TBS, Tokyo Broadcasting") and end with "第6チャンネル, JOKR-TV" ("Channel 6, JOKR-TV"). The middle part is as follows:

  • 1963-1972: "映像: 183.25メガサイクル, 50キロワット, 音声: 187.75メガサイクル, 12.5キロワット." ("Video: 183.25 megacycles, 50 kilowatts, audio: 187.75 megacycles, 12.5 kilowatts.")
  • 1972-1978: "映像: 183.25メガヘルツ, 50キロワット, 音声: 187.75メガヘルツ, 12.5キロワット." ("Video: 183.25 megahertz, 50 kilowatts, audio: 187.75 megahertz, 12.5 kilowatts")
  • 1978-1991: "映像周波数: 183.25メガヘルツ, 映像出力: 50キロワット. 音声周波数: 187.75メガヘルツ, 音声出力: 12.5キロワット." ("Video frequency: 183.25 megahertz, video output: 50 kilowatts. Audio frequency: 187.75 megahertz, audio output 12.5 kilowatts.")

3rd ID (September 30, 1991-January 17, 1994)


Visuals: There is a glass orb on a black background as its spins around before zooming out to reveal the 1991 TBS "Micro Cosmos" symbol, consisting of the words "TBS" in purple with particle-like shapes on a white background. After that, the camera cuts to a kaleidoscope where it gradually zooms out as the station information is played. After that, the TBS logo animation from before plays before fading to black.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: A gentle orchestrated theme accompanied by an announcer (Yoshio Hayami) narrating out the station details..

4th ID (January 18, 1994-January 31, 2000)


Visuals: On a multicolored background, there is a glass orb that transitions into Earth. During the sequence, the station information can be seen. After that the Earth zooms out and the letters "TBS" in Times New Roman appear as it locks into place. After that, the wordmark turns into white while the background changes to blue.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: The 1991 TBS theme.

5th ID (February 1, 2000-November 30, 2003)

Visuals:

Variant: Around 2003, the callsign was changed to JORX-TV following TBS spinning off its radio division into a separate company, known as TBS Radio & Communications.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: A gentle soft guitar theme, accompanied by an announcer (Kei Grant) narrating out the callsigns and the station name.

Audio Variant: When TBS renamed itself to TBS Television in 2003, the announcer was replaced by Yoshio Hayashi.

6th ID (December 1, 2003-December 31, 2009)

Visuals: On a cloudy sky, there are the words "JORX-TV" and "TBSテレビ" (TBS Television) stacked onto each other as it zooms out when the sky turns bright. After that, the 1994 TBS logo, with the Kanji person symbol (now in a red square) atop of it appears on a white background with the words "Tokyo Broadcasting System" on the bottom of it.

Variant: On the digital feed, the callsign and station name are replaced with "JORX-DTV" and "TBSデジタルテレビジョン" (TBS Digital Television) and the shot of the clouds are different.

Technique: A mix of live-action footage and CGI.

Audio: Silent.

7th ID (January 1, 2010-March 31, 2020)


Visuals:

Trivia: This logo took 150 frames in total, each displayed for about 1/10 of a second.

Technique: A mix of live-action footage with 2D stop-motion animation.

Audio: A classy string soundtrack.

8th ID (April 1, 2020-)


Visuals: On a white background, there is the 2020 TBS symbol, now consisting of the words "TBS" in a futuristic blue font as it forms itself, surrounded by a sky background. Below it are the words, "JORX-DTV TBSデジタルテレビジョン". After that, a white light appears as the TBS symbol appears on a white background from a blue ray.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: An electronic pop synth theme.

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