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July 5, 2026 7:44 pm  #1


The "Scare Factor" Of TV & Film Logos

For about as long as television has been a thing in Southern Ontario and Western New York, there have been "closing logos" on almost every show, from the various TV & film production companies. But some of them have been almost the stuff of nightmares for some viewers, myself included. Whether it's the music, the images, an announcer, whatever, some of us can't stomach some of the little clips at the end of various shows and movies.

Being from the Collingwood area, Barrie's CKVR was on our TV for many hours of each day when I was growing up... I'm now about to turn 43. Back then, 'VR aired a ton of vintage shows, many of which were purchased from Viacom, then the syndication arm of CBS. These shows included "I Love Lucy", "The Andy Griffith Show", and some other very early TV hits like "Our Miss Brooks" and "The Honeymooners". But when 'VR picked them up, they included a closing logo that I still, to this day, can't watch without getting goosebumps. Viacom introduced the logo, nicknamed the "V of Doom", in 1976 and used it until about the late '80s, when a less freaky logo came out.

The video below discusses the "scare factor" of TV & film logos... and I'm wondering if there are others here who were ever freaked out by such things.



 

 

July 5, 2026 9:12 pm  #2


Re: The "Scare Factor" Of TV & Film Logos

Wow, I'm the exact opposite of you. I liked those logos that showed who the production company was. They were on practically every show in the 60s. Interesting that you had that reaction. Perhaps growing up on them and seeing them week after week, it didn't bother me at all. 

What scared me as a kid were those Emergency Broadcasting System warnings. "This is only a test," followed by an irritating tone as if the station was signing off in the middle of the afternoon. There was something very Third World War-ish about them. And besides, I never did learn where to tune in my area for news and information, so I'm still not prepared! 

 

July 5, 2026 10:11 pm  #3


Re: The "Scare Factor" Of TV & Film Logos

I always liked the audio logos for Rankin Bass as a kid


Cheers,
Jody Thornton
 
 

July 5, 2026 10:45 pm  #4


Re: The "Scare Factor" Of TV & Film Logos

Jody Thornton wrote:

I always liked the audio logos for Rankin Bass as a kid


 

July 6, 2026 5:49 am  #5


Re: The "Scare Factor" Of TV & Film Logos

I was absolutely terrified when any of the USA networks would break in with something like "this is NBC breaking news, here is Tom Brokaw." It usually meant somebody was dead, and my heart stopped everytime.
 

 

July 6, 2026 6:26 am  #6


Re: The "Scare Factor" Of TV & Film Logos

RadioActive wrote:

Jody Thornton wrote:

I always liked the audio logos for Rankin Bass as a kid


Yes !!! That one! 


Cheers,
Jody Thornton