Written and Compiled by James Fabiano
Logo capture by Shadeed A. Kelly
Editions by Shadeed A. Kelly and Trogga
Video captures by mcy919 and JohnnyL80


Background: In September 2002, Sony Pictures Entertainment decided to retire the Columbia TriStar name and logo from its television division, renaming it "Sony Pictures Television". For the first time since 1974, the Torch Lady or anything resembling Columbia's symbol is nowhere to be seen; instead, the corporate logo for Sony Pictures was introduced to television viewers for the first time.


(2002- )

Nicknames: "The Shining Bars", "The Bars of Boredom", "The Bars of Annoyance"

Logo: Against a lined background, the words "SONY PICTURES TELEVISION" (all in the Sony typeface and stacked word-by-word with "SONY" being largest) emerge and downardly zoom away from the screen. The three words aren't directly stacked at first, but as the animation progresses, they slide into place. a horizontal line is drawn between the "PICTURES" and "TELEVISION". While this happens, a flash of light appears on the left side of the screen., and the lines in the background themselves back away as well, eventually moving back to the upper part of the screenand into a diagonal pattern to form the logo. The flash dissippiates and we see a oblong orange-white glare surrounding the logo and words, which shrinks into the bars to give it a shine. The finished logo appears against a shaded blue background.

Variants:

• There is a longer version of this logo featuring an extreme close-up of the "stacked" letters at the beginning of the animation, and a longer shot of the finished logo.
• There is an even shorter version of this logo that starts from where the 3rd-to-last note of the theme plays.
• In 2004, the phrase "DISTRIBUTED BY" appeared above the logo, it was still until it faded in above the logo on the 2006 version of Chain Reaction on GSN.
• In 2005, a narrow version was introduced.
• There is also a black & white variant for classic shows by Screen Gems.

FX: Words flying down, bars zooming back and tilting, the white flash and glare shrinking into the bars.

Music/Sounds: A majestic, five note synthesized orchestral theme, which was almost like the 1993 TriStar Television and 1975 Universal Television themes. This logo is silent sometimes on movie networks like Starz and Encore.

Music/Sound Variants:

• The long version has a descending piano tune before the main fanfare, and the last note is held much longer.
• Another music variation has only the last three notes of the theme. This version began in 2003.
• Sometimes, when used along a co-distributor ID, the first few notes of the music for this logo will play over the last few seconds of said ID before going into this visual logo. This has happened such syndicated shows as Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune, back when KingWorld Productions (now CBS Television Distribution) was still in operation. But now, the CTD music plays on the CTD logo, and the SPT theme plays on the SPT logo.
• Sometimes the logo uses the Columbia TriStar Television theme.
• Two more versions exist by having a high and low tone starting in 2003.
• Beginning in 2005, a warp speed version theme was heard. Was only used for the high tone.
• Another version exists having a bell-type twinkle mixed into the standard theme.
• On some shows like The King of Queens, the end theme played over this logo.
• Middle season local reruns of Good Times and Sanford and Son would have the first four notes of the standard theme playing first, followed by the finishing of the final notes from the SPT long version theme.
• The Sony Pictures Television International sounder is sometimes used, particularly on DVD releases of shows like Married... With Children.
• There is also a silent version.
• Another variation would have the 1993 CPT theme. This happened on several reruns of Just Shoot Me! on TV Land.
• In 2008, there is a black screen that reads "DISTRIBUTED BY" before the SPT logo. Only on Sony's C-Spot.
• Another variant has "DISTRIBUTED BY" in a small font above the SPT name rather than above the SPT logo. Only on C-Spot.

Availability: It is WAY too common, as this is normally seen on many shows produced by the company, such as The Shield, The King of Queens, or 'Til Death. It can be annoying when it is plastered on many pre-2002 Sony TV programmes such as Mad About You, 227, Sanford and Son, and Married with Children among others. The only four pre-2002 shows that have not had this logo are Walker Texas Ranger (the USA Network reruns), All in the Family, and Punky Brewster. Local reruns of The Jeffersons have this logo (excepting those from 1979-1981), while the TV Land reruns do not. The long version is not as common as the standard version, but it was seen on EVERY episode of Jeopardy! from 2002-2007, but it may appear on some classic and off-network shows. The low tone theme still appears on Stuart Little: The Animated Series on HBO Family.

Scare Factor: None; this is one logo you'll love or hate, usually because it plasters everything, especially when it uses the CTT logo theme.