Southern Television
Background: Southern Television was the precursor to TVS.
1st Logo
(1958-1960)
Logo: On a gray cloudy background, we see an 8-pointed star which resembles a compass. We zoom into the star and the southern point descends downward. "SOUTHERN" and "TELEVISION" appear letter by letter on the left and right sides of the southern point, respectively. "PRESENTS" appears alongside the point as well.
FX/SFX: The zooming, descending, and the letters appearing.
Cheesy Factor: The animation is rough, and the logo seems a bit phallic.
Music/Sounds: None.
Availability: Extinct on TV.
Scare Factor: None.
2nd Logo
(1960-1964)

Logo: On a black background, we see a long white diamond shape appear on the screen. The diamond turns to reveal that it is a model of an 8-pointed star with the southern point extended (more simplified design than the previous logo). It is revealed that it is actually two 8-pointed stars that are perpendicular with each other. It keeps turning to the right as "SOUTHERN TELEVISION PRESENTS" in white appears letter by letter like in the previous logo. The star keeps turning until it fades to black.
FX/SFX: The model star turning.
Cheesy Factor: See above.
Music/Sounds: Just a soft drumroll.
Availability: Extinct on TV.
Scare Factor: None, although it will dramatically increase with the next logo.
3rd Logo
(1964-1969)


Logo: On a black background, we see "INDEPENDENT TELEVISION" in a white, bold font. "Independent" and "Television" disappear off the top and bottom of the screen respectively, leaving the screen as an 8-pointed star (more simplified than the previous one), with the southern point extended slightly, which zooms in to the center of the screen. "SOUTHERN", in a white, bold font, appears below the star.
FX/SFX: The zooming and moving of the words.
Cheesy Factor: Rough animation all around.
Music/Sounds: A dramatic horn and flute fanfare, composed by Steve Race, who was the musical director at Associated-Rediffusion.
Availability: Extinct on TV.
Scare Factor: Medium to high; this logo appears without warning and the zooming and music are sure to scare many people.
4th Logo
(1964-1981)
Logo: Against a blue background, a white circle enlarges in the center of the screen, followed by an "X" whose lines are enclosed within the circle, and a cross shape whose lines protrude from the circle (with the bottom line slightly extended), forming the Southern logo. The words "SOUTHERN" appear below.
Variants:
- This logo originated in black-and-white, with the background in black.
- There would also be a version with "INDEPENDENT TELEVISION" at the beginning just like before, but in a different font.
- Sometimes, after the logo finishes, it cuts to a blank screen, and a circle would wipe in the words
THE STATION
THAT SERVES
THE SOUTH
- A still version appeared at the end of programs, sometimes with copyright info below. For color programs, "COLOUR PRODUCTION" would appear just under the franchise's name.
- On Southern's final air day in 1981, the end variant of the logo appeared, but the blue background would fade to a space background, "SOUTHERN" (and its copyright notice) disappears, leaving the "star" behind. After a couple of seconds, it spins clockwise, faster and faster, while shrinking in size until it disappears. Then the guitar tune plays, and then a slow fade to black.
FX: The compass forming, the "spinning" on the last variation.
Cheesy Factor: For some reason, the animation is still rough.
Music/Sounds: A somber guitar tune, sometimes with an extra note at the end.
Music/Sound Variant: In the early years, a crumhorn fanfare with timpanis would play, which would sometimes be abridged.
Availability: Extinct on TV.
Scare Factor: Low for the guitar music, low to medium for the horn music, and medium to high for the final variant, due to the ominousness of the spinning star, the dark BG, and the surprise appearance of the guitar music near the end.
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Jan 26 2008, 1:38 PM EST by
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Thread started: Jan 26 2008, 1:38 PM EST
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