Maine Public Broadcasting Network

Credits

Descriptions by
The_Username_15, and Nightspears

Captures by
Nightspears and RarityLand

Video captures courtesy of
TheIridiumic 138

Background

Maine Public Broadcasting Network is a PBS affiliate that serves the entire state of Maine. It was founded in 1961.

1st Logo (1971-1975)

Logo: We see the words "A Production of Maine Public Broadcasting Network", with an abstract "mpbn" logo below it.

Technique: None.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Extremely rare. Seen on In and Out of Maine.

Legacy: The logo for the network looks rather ugly. This logo would be used for the next twenty years (though not in the fashion described above).

2nd Logo (1975-1981)

Logo: We see the words "Maine Public Broadcasting Network" on a black screen. They move up to make room for an abstract "mpbn" logo in a multicolored font.

Technique: The sliding of the words, which is pretty choppy.

Music/Sounds: An announcer saying "A production of the Maine Public Broadcasting Network". There also exists a French version of this.

Availability: Extremely rare. Seen on shows from the time, such as Woods and Waters, which can be viewed in the American Archive of Public Broadcasting.

3rd Logo (1979-1985)

Logo: We see a live action shot of the Atlantic Ocean on a foggy day. There are some islands and a lighthouse in the background. The name "Maine Public Broadcasting Network" with "Network" underneath is seen in a white slim Helvetica font. The "mpbn" logo is on the bottom of the screen in a shiny dark blue color.

Technique: All live action.

Music/Sounds: A somewhat relaxing ocean soundtrack, with a foghorn.

Availability: Extremely rare. Was seen on In the Kitchen and Maine Arts Magazine.

4th Logo (1981-1990)

Logo: We see the abstract "mpbn" logo (in orange this time) zoom in towards us. The logo flashes, and the words "Maine Public Broadcasting Network" slide down from the logo and flash in the same fashion.

Technique: The zooming in of the logo and the sliding of the words.

Music/Sounds: An analog synth arpeggio played twice, the second time in a slightly different fashion. Sometimes, a male announcer saying: "A production of the Maine Public Broadcasting Network".

Availability: Very rare. Seen on Field Trip and MPBN 20th Birthday Scrapbook, both videos can also be viewed in the American Archive of Public Broadcasting. The announcer variant was spotted on Maine Stream Jazz.

5th Logo (1990-1992)

Logo: On a gray gradient background, the same logo from the previous logos, but in blue, flips in. "Maine Public Broadcasting Network" fades in below.

Technique: Slightly better animation, but it's too simple.

Music/Sounds: A short piano ditty.

Availability: Very rare. Seen on later episodes of Woods and Waters. Which also can be viewed in the American Archive of Public Broadcasting.

6th Logo (1997-2001)

Logo: On a black background, a gray-blue abstract "M" with light turquoise edges sweeps back and turns around 90 degrees stopping in the center. At the same time, the text "Maine Public Television" in a 3D gray Arial font comes in from the left at a 45 degree angle and positions itself below.

Technique: The logo sweeping back and turning. The text sliding in place.

Music/Sounds: A short piano ditty.

Availability: Extinct. Was seen on the 1999 Inauguration of Maine Governor Angus King, and True North, which can be found on the MPBN's official YouTube channel.

7th Logo (2001-2006)

Logo: Against a black background, we see three 3D objects. The first one rotates 90 degrees to reveal the abstract "m" from the last logo in a blue-lavender shade. The second object is the word "maine", colored light gray and rotating in 180 degrees. The third object is the PBS circle logo of the time, with the circle and eye also being gray and the head and split being black, rotating in 180 degrees while shifting slightly to the left.

Technique: The objects rotating.

Music/Sounds: Same as the last logo, except that it has an extra violin piece at the end.

Availability: Seen on Maine Watch.

8th Logo (2006-2016)

Logo: Against a black background, we see the text "MPBN". The text is colored aqua on the top half and green on the bottom half with the middle being white. The colors are also "warped." Underneath is the phrase "Maine Public Broadcasting Network" in white. The "MPBN'" text shines from left to right.

Technique: Apart from the fading and wiping, it's a still logo.

Music/Sounds: Same as the last logo, but recomposed with the final note trailing out. The logo also has a female announcer saying "the following is a production of the Maine Public Broadcasting Network."

Availability: Can be seen on HOME: The Story of Maine.

9th Logo (2016-)

Logo: On a black background, two curves on each side of the screen wipe in and come together to form an abstract octagon-like shape. The logo flashes white causing parts of the logo to overlap each other. The top and bottom curves are dark blue and turquoise while the sides are dark and light green. The text "maine public" is below the logo, with "TELEVISION" below it.

Technique: The shapes merging, the flash.

Music/Sounds: A humming like synthesized theme with chimes. Towards the end, there is a "WHOOSH".

Availability: Current.