WHYY-TV

Background

WHYY-TV is a PBS affiliate located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It also serves Wilmington, Delaware.

1st Logo (1964-1974)

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Logo: On a black background, we see a large number "12" in red with the words "WHYY-TV WILMINGTON" in blue.

Technique: None.

Audio: Possibly none.

2nd Logo (1974-1978)

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Logo: On a light blue background, a grainy drawing of the Liberty Bell is seen in the center of the screen before it move to the left, swinging the clapper to the right and creating the crack. Red, white, and blue striped stars then emerge from the crack and fly around to the right side of the screen, which form the words "FROM" in an Arial font, and "W H Y Y" in a much bolder, fake 3D font with a red, white, and blue color scheme.

Technique: Cel animation.

Audio: A single bell ring.

Availability: Seen on a few national shows from WHYY during this time, such as rock concerts, and early episodes of Hometime. Might have also appeared on Mark of Jazz.

3rd Logo (1978-1984)

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Logo: On a black background, a tan monolith zooms in as brown lines start to fly out from the center of the screen. The monolith then rotates to the left, revealing it to be the letters "WHYY" in a large bold font. After they face the screen, the letters tilt up and the text "PHILADELPHIA - WILMINGTON" zooms in below the logo. The lines continue to shoot out until the logo freezes or fades out.

Technique: CGI by Dolphin Productions.

Audio: A Moog synthesizer theme, with a voiceover saying "The following is a presentation of WHYY, Philadelphia-Wilmington"

Availability: It has been seen on Terrorism: The World at Bay, Philadelphia Presents, and episodes of Black Perspectives from the time.

4th Logo (October 24, 1982?)

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Logo: On a black background with lots of multicolored video feedback zooming in, we see a white "12" with the small, white, shadowed text "WHYY-TV" slowly move down as it zooms in and more video feedback radiates from it, eventually stopping at the center of the screen. Small, white text reading "Wilmington-Philadelphia" then fades in.

Technique: Video feedback effects.

Audio: Same as before, except a different male announcer is also heard saying, "In the Delaware Valley, this is Channel 12".

Availability: It was seen on The Shock of The New.

Legacy: This logo has gained some infamy within the logo community for the copious amount of video feedback used, which might be hard on the eyes for some.

5th Logo (1982-1984)

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Logo: On a black background, we see a gigantic yellow "12" with the words "WHYY TV/WILMINGTON" in yellow below. It's basically 2D at first, but the perspective changes to 3D. Behind it we see an olive-bordered photograph lens.

Technique: None, or CGI.

Audio: Just a male announcer saying the station's name and number.

Availability: So far the only known use of this was as a local ID during that time.

6th Logo (1984-1985)

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Logo: On a purple background with black lines, we see the text "FROM PHILADELPHIA" wipes in with a shine effect before turning completely purple. The text "TV 12" writes in, followed by the letters "whyy", which draws in with a star drawing at the end of the "y" letter. The text "PRESENTS..." appear below.

Variant: As a local ID, the text above is missing and the text below reads "WILMINGTON" fades in below.

Technique: A mix of computer and 2D animation.

Audio: A series of electronic drones.

Availability: Seen on several TV shows, like Muse and Spotlight.

7th Logo (1985-1986)

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Logo: On a black background, we see a 3D oblong that turns into the letters, reading either "TV 12" or "WHYY". The logo flashes and it turns silver, while the "WHYY" text (only on the "TV 12" version) appears. The logo sparkles, and a flash forms the text "WILMINGTON" and "PHILADELPHIA" appears below, with a line separating the two city names.

Variants:

• A short version exists.
• The logo sometimes take place on a wallpaper of Liberty Bells on a blue background.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: None or the opening theme of the show. On Verdi: Requiem, we hear an announcer (Peter Thomas) saying the name "WHYY, Philadelphia".

Availability: Seen on old shows from the era, like Verdi: Requiem and Life in the Dust.

8th Logo (1986-1997)

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Logo: On a black background, blue flares flash down the screen, revealing the WHYY logo of the period, which consists of the letters "WHYY", colored blue, and having the "W" and second "Y" connected by a line forming an oblong shape, like in the Turner and Nintendo logos. The word "FROM" fades in above the logo, and "PHILADELPHIA", colored golden brown, flies up to position itself underneath the logo.

Variants:

• On local programming, "WILMINGTON" (in the same font as "PHILADELPHIA") would also appear in the logo; it would slide up with "PHILADELPHIA" with a white line separating the two words. Compared to the regular variant, the animation matches the logo's framerate rather than the smoother "PHILADELPHIA" text. This might have a copyright stamp.
• There were three (or four if counted altogether) superimposed versions, all with a drop shadow effect:
  • A version with a gray background was seen on The Bombing of Osage Avenue.
  • A version seen on a red/black gradient background exists.
  • Another version was superimposed into the closing part of the show:
    • Usually, the normal version of the logo is used.
    • On Spotlight and The Making of Super Sloppy Double Dare, as mentioned above, it had the WILMINGTON/PHILADELPHIA byline with a copyright stamp reading "©WHYY, INC. (year)".
• A later variant exists where the logo has a visible gray drop shadow behind it and "PHILADELPHIA" looking more illegible.

Technique:' CGI most likely done on a Thomson-CSF Vidifont V.

Audio: A downward piano jingle after a laser zap sound, followed by a rising synth bass-piano jingle, which was composed on a Yamaha DX7.

Audio Variant:

• An extended version exists of the music, where one final synth bass-piano note plays as a twinkle.
• On Hometime, Spotlight and The Making of Super Sloppy Double Dare, the logo would have the show's theme song playing over it.
• The 2nd variant was silent.
• On The Dinosaurs, there is no laser zap.

Availability: Notably seen on Hometime episodes of this era. This can also be found on PBS Video/PBS Home Video releases of David Macaulay's Castle and Cathedral, at the end (as opposed to having the "skyline" logo for WTVS in Detroit and the "Flash of Doom" for WGBH in Boston, respectively, at the beginning).

9th Logo (1987?)

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Logo: On a dark background, the WHYY logo (in gold) appears. Under it, we see the words "WILMINGTON" and "PHILADELPHIA". Both words are separated with a red line.

Technique: None.

Audio: An announcer saying "This is WHYY Wilmington".

Availability: This was used as a sign-off logo and may have been used as a station ID.

10th Logo (1992?)

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Logo: On a granite background, the WHYY logo fades in. The bottom text reads "Wilmington" and then flips under to reveal the text "Philadelphia". Some gloss then shines over the WHYY logo. Then the logo fades out.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: An announcer saying "This is TV 12, WHYY Wilmington."

Availability: Same as the 6th logo.

11th Logo (1997-2000)

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Logo: On a white background, a blue circle is seen, with a bolt-like design cut out of the center, positioned to the left side of the screen. To the right is "whyy" in black and, below that is "Philadelphia". Everything also has a soft drop shadow. The logo quickly shines with a lens flare as it fades in.

Variants:

• For station IDs, the logo would have a large "12" below it instead, with "Wilmington" and "Philadelphia" flanking its sides at a diagonal angle. The station's URL is also seen below.
• The station's website used in that 1999, had a still variant in which, on a background of a poppy blooming the circle is yellow with white name and TV 12 in red below it.

Technique: Computer effects.

Audio: The end theme of the show or its own music.

Availability: Seen on Hometime produced shows and cooking shows followed by the 1999 APT logo. The flower version was used on the company's website.

12th Logo (2000-2007)

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Logo: On a black/medium blue/orange-striped background, we see the current WHYY logo (consisting of the blue "WHYY" letters in Franklin Gothic Heavy with a blue circle behind the last "Y", making it white) in front. Below are the words "WILMINGTON, DE" fading in.

Technique: Computer effects.

Audio: Same as the 4th ident (the closing theme of Hometime), though on other shows, a long ethereal synth note is heard.

Availability:

13th Logo (2007-2012)

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Logo: On a rainbow background, we see a spinning globe which later changes colors. Behind it was the WHYY logo in silver with the text "Wilmington.Philadelphia" below the logo.

Technique: Computer animation.

Audio: None.

Availability: Seen on old WHYY shows from the era.

14th Logo (2013-2019)

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Logo: On a moving black gradient background, we see a chrome version of the "Y" circle. The text "a WHYY original production", with "WHYY" in form of its logo wipes in below the circle.

Variant: A short version exists where the "Y" circle dusts off with the WHYY logo and then the name of the three states flash in below the logo.

Technique: Computer animation.

Audio: A film projector sound.