WTVS

Not to be confused with the ITV owned affiliate TVS.

Credits

Video captures courtesy of
theSameRetroWindsor and retronewfoundland

Background

WTVS is a PBS affiliate located in Detroit, Michigan that also serves Windsor, Ontario.

1st Logo (1978-1986)

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Visuals: The camera flies over a live-action shot of downtown Detroit as the text "From WTVS/Detroit" zooms away slowly.

Technique: Live-action footage with chyron effects.

Audio: A warbling shuttle sound with an ascending whoosh and whistling sounds.

Availability: Seen on pre-1992 VHS prints of David Macaulay's Castle. On the 1995 PBS Video (and later PBS Home Video) release, this is plastered by the WHYY-TV logo, which is then moved to the end.

2nd Logo (1986-1991)

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Visuals: Against a purple/tan background, an abstract, light purple multi-lined "56" arranges itself on a dark purple square as it zooms out to the top left. Then, the background fades to a skyline of Detroit, and the text "WTVS/Detroit" slides out from the bottom left of the screen.

Technique: Analog computer animation.

Audio: A rising synth chord followed by a rather spacey three-note tune.

Availability: Only used as a local ID.

3rd Logo (1986-1991)

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Visuals: The screen fades into a close-up shot of the Milky Way before zooming away, passing by the Earth, then arrives at the Detroit skylines. As soon as the zooming stops, the words "THE UNIVERSE", "THE WORLD", and "DETROIT" all zoom out stacking on each other, and then the text "and you" is written in in cursive, and the WTVS logo of the time fades in below.

Variants:

• A production variant exists, where the background is seen without any text. "FROM" and "WTVS/DETROIT" slide in from the left and right respectively, and fold down to straighten out.
• There is a shorter version that just starts at the texts zooming out.

Technique: Analog computer animation.

Audio: A majestic eight-note synthesized orchestra tune, with a "ding" at the beginning. The shorter version uses a quicker, 10-note synth tune, and the production variant has a shorter version of this.

Availability: Seen with the "Skyline" ID, this was used as a "You're watching..." ID on WTVS. It would then cut to a national program intro tag at the time.

4th Logo (1991-1998)

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Visuals: On an animated blurry background of different shapes (like the 1998 logo), there is a spinning Taijitu (used in representing yin and yang, but lacking the dots) with one half teal and the other pink. "A PRODUCTION OF" in a white Impact-like font fades in above. A gray sphere (kind of like the Moon) with "WTVS" in the same font on it zooms in. "DETROIT" in the same font and in white fades in below.

Variation: There is a version of this logo without the "A PRODUCTION OF" header, which was commonly used as a local funding bumper from 1993 to 1994.

Technique: Camera-controlled animation.

Audio: A 4-note orchestral fanfare, or silent with a voiceover for the local funding bumper from 1993 to 1994.

Availability: Only known to appear on Club Connect.

5th Logo (1991-1998)

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Visuals: The camera pans through a hallway with a bunch of PBS program clips on the walls. When it reaches the exit, the hallway is revealed to be a circle that rotates, revealing the "56" logo. The logo shines as "QUALITY SHOWS" fades in below it, then fades into "WTVS DETROIT".

Variants:

• Sometimes this logo is abridged, starting as the circle rotates, and "QUALITY SHOWS" is omitted.
• On signoffs, a still version of the finished ident is used.

Technique: CGI produced by Sage-3D.

Audio: A mild action news-like fanfare which then turns into harp music and the four notes from the previous logo on a flute followed by a bassoon. On the abridged variant, an announcer says "You're watching WTVS, Channel 56 in Detroit."

Availability: Only used as a local ID.

WTVS

Detroit Public Television ►