From: utzoo!decvax!harpo!vortex!lauren
Newsgroups: net.misc
Title: Television signoffs
Article-I.D.: vortex.16
Posted: Sun Feb  6 08:18:54 1983
Received: Mon Feb  7 06:13:59 1983

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--