WCNY Productions

Background

WCNY (abbreviated Central New York) is a PBS affiliate located in Syracuse, New York that was established in 1965 as an affiliate of NET. It became a PBS affiliate in 1970. It was founded by the Onondaga County School Board Association under a charter by the New York State Department of Education. The station was originally assigned the call letters WHTV, but switched to WCNY-TV on September 23, 1965, after the station now known as WWNY-TV in Watertown gave up the call letters. WCNY went on the air on December 20, 1965.

1st Logo (198?-1991)

Visuals: The logo opens with a black/blue/salmon gradient background and a dark orb in the center of the screen. The orb shines with an indigo color, exposing a hidden hollyhock symbol in the middle of the orb. The symbol shines bright as the indigo shining fills the orb, and white shining occurs over top. This happens twice until the orb is completely indigo and the hollyhock symbol's leaves glow red, orange, yellow, and yellow-green. The background gradient fades from vertical to circular, surrounding the orb. The leaves glow brighter and brighter, as yellow background flares start to shine behind the orb. Glowing streaks form from the leaves, as a bright flash causes the orb to disappear. In its place, the WCNY wordmark of the era in an indigo/baby blue with an orange glow appears, with "SYRACUSE" subtext below in the font Eurostile Light. The background fades to black. After a few seconds, a red/orange/yellow flash transitions the WCNY text to similar looking text that says "PRESENTS" in the Eurostile Black Extended font. After a few seconds, the logo fades to black.

Variants:

The first version of the logo cuts out the hollyhock animation and only shows the WCNY text transitioning to the Presents text. This version also simply fades between the two texts rather than using a transitional flash, implying that the regular version of the logo was animated around this early variant. This was used until 1985
A closing version exists. The print logo of the time, affixed with vibrant colors, is animated or "drawn" in. The symbol then moves to the left, as the WCNY wordmark is drawn in next to it.

Technique: Traditional back-lit cel animation, likely animated by long-time art director Steve Meltzer himself. The closing variant was likely made with primitive chyron technology.

Audio: Two whooshes play in sync with the shining of the orb. This happens in tandem with a repeating synth arpeggio in the key of E minor. A 10-note synth melody plays over the continuous synth arpeggio. After the melody is finished, a cymbal clash ushers in lush synth pads in the key of C. 3 more synth notes are added to the melody after a measure of the synth pads, after which the key is changed to A and the cymbal is clashed once more. 3 more high-octave synth synth notes play as the synth pads ease the jingle to its end.

Audio Variants:

A classical, harpsichord rendition of the normal music was used on Winter's Eve.
The closing variant features the closing theme of the program.

Availability: It can be seen on WCNY programs from the mid to late 80s, though they are very hard to come across. Don't expect this to appear on episodes of the TV adaptation of Bluegrass Ramble. The early variant has only been spotted on Now Tell Us About To War currently, though it's likely to be found on other WCNY programs from 1984. The closing variant is only known to appear on Henry Gernhart: A Natural Process, though there is a chance it could appear on other 80s WCNY programs.

2nd Logo (1995?-2000)

Visuals: Against a red and gray marble background that moves upwards, there is a shiny, bevelled metallic version of the updated WCNY wordmark that flips up. "SYRACUSE" zooms in below, in a white spaced out font and the logo sparkles and shines.

Variant: A version exists where the text "SYRACUSE" is replaced with "PRESENTS".

Technique: CGI.

Audio: Usually silent. However, there is a version with a dark synth chord that gets higher in pitch as the logo progresses. This version has been seen more than once.

Availability: Can be seen on most content WCNY produced during the 90s. The earliest it's been seen is from 1995, but might be seen on programs from the early 90s. Select rereleases of Pappyland include the logo.

3rd Logo (2000-2001?)

Visuals: There is a yellow light that moves into the screen, revealing the WCNY logo in a metal texture. Another light does the same actions to reveal the word "SYRACUSE" in Arial.

Technique: 2D computer animation.

Audio: A simple synth chime.

Availability: Only used for a year.

4th Logo (2001?-2007)

Visuals: On a black background, there is "WCNY", with a few multicolored flames coming out of the Y. It zooms out. "presents" fades in below.

Variant: On HD programs, it would start out the same as the main variant, but then an HD symbol flips in next to it with some blue trails. Text that shows WCNY's website appears letter by letter at the same time. "PRESENTS" text appears similarly at the bottom of the screen.

Technique: A zoom effect. The variant uses 2D computer animation.

Audio: A segment of what seems to be a redone version of the previous logo's music, with a synth orchestra.

Availability: Seen on Facing HIV/AIDS In Central New York, as well as other WCNY programs of the time.

5th (known) Logo (2022-)

Visuals: Unknown

Technique: Toon-Boom animation.

Audio: Unknown

Availability: Seen on Ivory Towers.