TV Logos as easy as BBC Three?
Last week the BBC unleashed its new look for BBC Three, with a logo that looked anything other than being for BBC Three. Was it BBC 11! or BBC 2! or BBC Pause!? The best logos can identify the station without having to have any lettering, or be confused for something else… So let’s see how many you can remember. TV anoraks who love logos will find this very, very easy…Answers are at the base of the page.
A – used from 1955 through to 1981. B – seen from 1991 to 1997. C – One of a variation used from the 1950s to the 1990s.
D – seen from 1961 to 1999. E – used from 1968 to 2002. F – seen on TV from 1958 to 1968.
G – seen from 1988 to 2002. H – used from 1982 to 1992. I – seen on TV from 1985 to 1998.
J – seen from 1991 to present day. K – used from 1999 to 2004. L – seen on TV from 1968 to 2002.
TV Logos – The Answers
A – The eye and shadow logo of ATV London, ATV Midlands and ATV Network. Seen on network ITV shows such as Celebrity Squares, Crossroads and Tiswas. From 1961 to 1968 the symbol was see with ATV between the central gaps in its eyes with either ‘London’ or ‘Midlands’ below it, prior to this it had boasted Associated TeleVision beneath and from 1968 to 1981 simply stated ATV within the gaps of the eyes. ©Associated Television 1955/ITV Studios 2016.
B – Introduced alongside its ‘sister’ BBC Two ‘2’ in 1991 it was BBC One’s ‘1’ until it was replaced by a hot air balloon in 1997. ©British Broadcasting Corporation 1991/BBC 2016.
C – The ITC ident, this version mainly used in the 1950s and 60s. The sister company to ATV Network, the Incorporated Television Corporation, provided big budget filmed dramas and entertainment specials to ITV. ©ITC 1955/ITV Studios 2016
D – In 1961 Border Television hit the air in the ITV Cumbria and Southern Scotland area. Their logo is possibly best remembered on the start and close of game show Mr & Mrs. ©Border TV 1961/ITV Studios 2016
E – The best remembered Granada Television logo as seen for over three decades on Coronation Street as well as many other productions including Stars In Their Eyes, This Morning and Prime Suspect. Introduced in 1968 it replaced a simpler version first seen in 1955. The logo was also seen on several other Granada ventures such as their television rental shops. ©Granada Television/Granada International 1968/ITV Studios 2016
F – ABC Television’s logo, the name which was also well know as a Cinema chain across the UK. The parent company symbol – using triangles in a different fashion with ABC in the centre – was originally (in a variation) also used as the TV ident, however in 1958 the television arm gained its own symbol (as seen here). ABC operated ITV services in the Midlands at weekends from 1956 to 1968 and in the North of England for the same period of time. Shows fondly remembered include Thank Your Lucky Stars and Opportunity Knocks. The parent company, the Associated British Picture Corporation, later became part of the EMI group before the ABC Cinema chain finally closed in the UK for good in 2000 (apart from one in Bournemouth) having changed hands a number of times since the brand is owned by ODEON. A classic Blackpool tram, seen annually during the resort’s illuminations, continues to carry the ABC Television logo, having been sponsored by the company back in the early 1960s. ©ABC Television/ABPC 1955/ABC Cinemas; Cinven/ODEON 2016/ABC Television; Fremantle Media UK 2016
G – Anglia Television block ident, the ITV company for the East of England. It replaced their legendary Knight on a Horse statue ident which had been with the company since its launch. This logo has been seen on the end of national programmes such as Loose Women and Survival. ©Anglia TV 1988/ITV Studios 2016
H – TVS branding for the ITV Southern region for a decade. Television South replaced original company for the area Southern Television, and its star symbol, in 1982. Popular programmes which brought this brand into the nations homes included Catchphrase, The Ruth Rendell Mysteries and Number 73. ©TVS Television 1982/Television South 2016
I – The ‘cake’ logo of Central Television for the ITV Midlands region. First seen locally in 1985 it made its network debut in 1988. Central launched in 1982 initally with a ‘globe’ ident, but the chopped up version became its most famous symbol. Seen on network shows such as Inspector Morse, Spitting Image, Family Fortunes and Bullseye. ©Central Independent Television/Central Enterprises 1985/ITV Studios 2016
J – The only symbol, in our quiz, still in regular use on TV. It’s had many changes in style and settings over the years but BBC Two’s ‘2’ continues to be as famous as the BBC logo itself in the UK. First introduced in 1991 alongside its now defunct sister ‘1’. ©British Broadcasting Corporation 1991/BBC 2016.
K – Carlton Television’s ‘star’ hit the screens in London, the Midlands and the South West in 1999 when Carlton London, Central Television and Westcountry Broadcasting were all re-branded as Carlton. When ITV became a national brand in 2002 it was binned from continuity, but remained as a production brand until 2004. Seen on shows such as Crossroads, Today with Des and Mel and Paul O’Grady’s Orient. ©Carlton Broadcasting/Carlton International 1999/ITV Studios 2016
L – The YTV ident which was often also integrated into the opening titles of their productions. It also appeared at the start and end of over 1000 episodes of Emmerdale Farm, and later for years at the end of Emmerdale. Other famous shows include 3-2-1, Sez Les with Les Dawson, Farmhouse Kitchen, The Bounder and Stars on Sunday. ©Yorkshire Television1968/ITV Studios 2016
