lauren (02/06/83)
The "High Flight" film clip still runs very regularly during signoff of at least one independent tv outlet here in L.A. (when they bother to sign off -- most of them are 24 hours these days). Television signoffs (and later transmitter tests) are an interesting "art form" in themselves. Different stations here in Los Angeles have had very widely varied "flavors" of signoff sequences. KHJ-TV (9) [RKO independent] still sometimes runs an old indian "speaking" the Lord's prayer in an indian sign language. KNBC-TV (4) [NBC O&O] runs a melodic clip about the ocean, sung by a Navy choir. They then follow this up with a comparatively religious piece (this is all *after* a "signoff prayer"), and close with one of several patriotic-oriented pieces (one of which is an almost eight minute discussion of the "modern" meaning of the "Pledge of Allegiance".) Probably my all-time local favorite is the signoff still done by KWHY (22) in L.A. KWHY is about 70% scrambled STV programming these days, but they've maintained the same signoff for years (though they often run it scrambled.) The signoff starts with a beautiful clip of a Gemini booster separation and reentry, proceeds to a spacewalk, and ends with some Apollo moonwalk sequences. For most of the clip, the music bed is the "Sleigh Ride" movement from "Lt. Kije", and it finishes up with a quick version of the national anthem. A classy job. --Lauren--
mes (02/09/83)
#R:vortex:-1600:harpo:19500004:000:337
harpo!mes Feb 8 17:01:00 1983
My favourite sign-off has got to be WTAF-TV Ch. 29 in Philadelphia...
a very simple sunrise over the Atlantic Ocean (shot at Asbury Park, NJ,
by the way), accompanied by the Beatles "Good Night" (from lp "The Beatles"
(the White Album )). Very simple, very very effective.
Michael Sajor, BTL/Whippany NJ , harpo!mes