When was the slogan "living color" dropped from the networks?

[Jeffhs]

NBC still uses the peacock, although it is much smaller now, has fewer feathers and is no longer animated. (The network also continues to use the old G-E-C chimes from time to time, though today the sound is probably computer-generated, as is the peacock; further, an animated version of the new peacock can on occasion be seen on NBC during the opening sequences for specials and the like.) This symbol has been associated with NBC TV for decades (since shortly after the network began telecasting in color), so when GE bought the network from RCA in 1986 it was decided to keep the bird. Heck, even some local NBC affiliates use the color version of the small peacock somewhere on their station IDs-- for example, the local NBC station in Cleveland uses the color peacock on some of its program ads and promotional blurbs, with the number 3 (the station's channel number) immediately to the left of it. The station also uses a grayish version of the peacock on the front of its news anchor desk. At its former studio building (the station moved to an HDTV-ready studio in a newly-constructed building a few years ago), this station had a large, illuminated color NBC peacock adorning the front of the anchor desk, but since moving to the new studio, that illuminated peacock and its desk were relegated to the newsroom, where it is seldom if ever seen anymore. Channel 3 also uses a smaller gray peacock with the number 3 partially superimposed on it; this is used mostly for station identification, although the thing also has promotions for certain of the station's syndicated programs, plus time and weather in the corner. The gray peacock with the large 3 is also used in the news studio; it can almost always be seen behind one of the station's two news anchors during the station's evening and midday newscasts, not to mention the local news breaks during the "Today" show and the occasional special report or breaking news story.

The Peacock as used by NBC (and their affiliates) is a trademark and in order for it to be kept in their legal possession they must "exercise" it by using it in SOME manner.

Even Pontiac kept using their Indian Chief head silhouette for many years in order to keep it alive.....at one point the high beam indicator on the dash was in the shape of Chief Pontiac's profile!

If a company lapses in the use of a trademark, no matter how well known it may be to the public, it will eventually revert to the public domain. A company can try to argue prior use etc, but often that's a losing battle. Bottom line, NBC may still be using it not so much out of a reverence to past glory, but to keep their legal right to it.

Anthony

[frenchy]

CBS still uses their 'eye' as their station identifier in corner of the screen, so it is logical NBC uses the peacock there. Not really anything else they could put there, just NBC in a box or their lame "N" logo, both would look pretty lame. Everyone knows the peacock means NBC. ABC never really had a logo per se except the "ABC" in a circle which they use as the identifier.

[Jeffhs]

Originally Posted by heathkit tv

The Peacock as used by NBC (and their affiliates) is a trademark and in order for it to be kept in their legal possession they must "exercise" it by using it in SOME manner.



If a company lapses in the use of a trademark, no matter how well known it may be to the public, it will eventually revert to the public domain. A company can try to argue prior use etc, but often that's a losing battle. Bottom line, NBC may still be using it not so much out of a reverence to past glory, but to keep their legal right to it.

Anthony

I didn't know that. I swear, I learn something new every time I visit these forums.

NBC has not used its "snake" logo since 1976 and its early xylophone logo (which predated the snake and of course the peacock, since the xylophone dates back to the network's black/white TV era if not before) hasn't been used since at least the early '60s, so both logos (not to mention RCA's original circular logo) may well be in the public domain by now.

You may be right as to NBC's use of the peacock in the 21st century solely to retain their rights to it, not for nostalgic reasons. NBC is owned by General Electric these days, which probably couldn't care less about the peacock's history or how much it meant to the network from 1956-1976 (even though in the early years, 1926 until the '40s or so, NBC was partially owned by GE--but then again, GE and NBC were different in those days). Witness the use of RCA's modern logo on today's Thomson-built color televisions. This is used solely as a marketing symbol, the same as the lightning-bolt Z logo is or was used on Gold Star-built televisions. These old logos used on today's electronic equipment are, as you said, just a way for companies to keep from losing their rights to them. If it weren't for that, these logos would have faded into oblivion years ago. This has happened to Magnavox as well, only its logos haven't been used in so long Philips probably couldn't get them back if they wanted to, without a long and drawn-out court battle which they would probably lose anyhow. Witness Magnavox's original logo, with the name "Magnavox" spelled out in upper- and lower-case letters and positioned at the base of the CRT mask on their 1950s-'70s black/white and possibly color sets, and the Magnavox shield. Philips, which now owns what was Magnavox, has decided to abandon those logos altogether; the only reference to Magnavox on today's Philips-built televisions is the name MAGNAVOX, spelled out in all uppercase letters at the base of the CRT mask on the cabinet. As with RCA and Zenith, the Magnavox name means absolutely nothing (except as a marketing tag) nowadays, with no connection or affiliation, etc. whatsoever with the original Magnavox Company of Fort Wayne, Indiana. The latter has been out of business for years, ever since Philips of the Netherlands acquired the company some time ago.

And so it goes.

[wa2ise]

Originally Posted by heathkit tv

If a company lapses in the use of a trademark, no matter how well known it may be to the public, it will eventually revert to the public domain. A company can try to argue prior use etc, but often that's a losing battle. Bottom line, NBC may still be using it not so much out of a reverence to past glory, but to keep their legal right to it.

Every so often you see a magazine ad by a company showing its historical logos. Obstensively telling about the long history and years of experience in their line of business, but I would guess that a big part of it is to exercise the old trademark to "refresh" it in the legal trademark sense. I suppose running the ad in one widely read magazine (like National Geographic, which does a lot of history related articles, so an ad about a company's history would be not out of place) once a year is enough.

[andy]

---

[Steve D.]

That's the "use it or lose it" company logo or trademark policy that is being discussed on this thread. I think the word "Victrola" which dates to RCA's earliest days is no longer used. The term "Golden Throat" sound is also long gone in favor of more hi tech words. The old RCA logo with the lightning bolt is still the logo for RCA Records and the RCA Victor label which uses the RCA Victor logo used on tv's & radios in the 50's is a division of BMG Music owned by Sony. And of course "Nipper"the dog was dropped and then resurrected in the late 80's. "His Master's Voice" is probably also owned by who ever has these tradmarks. GE, BMG/Sony,TCL China- Thomson or god knows who. Of course TCL- China/Thomson has the rights to the GE/RCA brand logos for their consumer electronics, Not to be confused with some GE produced appliances which are licensed by Black & Decker, Then there are the large appliances division owned by GE which also owns and manufacturers RCA & Hotpoint appliances. The Peacock is copyright by GE Corp. which owns NBC/Universal. Whew!

-Steve D.

[Jeffhs]

I think NBC gave up on its "living color" announcements just about the time they retired the original animated color peacock. There was no need for NBC to use this announcement anyhow by the mid-'70s, as all its programs were in color by then (NBC was the first TV network to telecast in full color, and it was doing that by the mid-sixties, IIRC). Also, this is probably about the time, give or take a few years, TV manufacturers quit putting color indicators on the front panels of their sets. By the seventies, who needed a light on the front of their TV to tell them a program was being telecast in color? The same argument could probably be made for stereo indicator LEDs or pilot lamps on FM radios; most stations broadcast in stereo these days, and it is easy enough to tell if the station you're listening to is in stereo or mono just by listening to the sound.

I was not aware that either CBS or ABC announced their color programs using the phrase "living color", but then again in the '60s through the '80s, and even today, many of my favorite shows were/are on NBC, so I watch that network most of the time. Law and Order, Brian Williams and Stone Phillips (the latter on Dateline) and Meet the Press for news, etc.

It only makes sense that all stations would've stopped boasting about color.....just as they have stopped showing "In Stereo" along the bottom of the screen at the beginning of a show. Eventually they'll also stop with the "In High Definition" ballyhoo.

Anthony

[bgadow]

Had forgotten about the "In Stereo" bits at the opening of shows. NBC, again, was big on that, IIRC. That seemed like a big deal in the mid-80s, although I didn't have a stereo tv. Indeed, I think the only stereo tv setup in my families circle of friends was one couple with an early 70s XL100 console with a new Sears stereo VCR hooked into their stereo. I do recall when the local CBS affliate started stereo broadcasting, and the ad promo they did for it showed a (then) top of the line Zenith console.

[frenchy]

I think I remember Leno plugging RCA's stereo tvs on stage when it was still a novelty...or was it Letterman? Carson? Leno seems to late for this to have been him, I don't know why I seem to be remembering that. Maybe it was Letterman plugging RCA stereo TVs while he was still on NBC??....Frenchy

[old_tv_nut]

Don't recall the stereo TVs being plugged on the Tonight show, but I do know that it was the first NBC studio to be modified and first daily NBC program to be done in stereo. Now the Tonight show also has been NBC's experimental platform for daily live (well, tape-delayed, anyway) HDTV.

TV stereo has stage-size mismatch problems if you have a small screen - enough speaker separation for decent stereo and the sound image is much wider than the picture; or use the built-in speakers and get little or no stereo effect. But with a large wide screen, the stereo/picture combo can be great. So, IMO, stereo TV was too early, and mainly something to put on the set hang-tag to keep up with the competition. Now it's being supplanted by digital and 5.1 surround, and I wonder if anyone would care if existing analog broadcasts were in mono (at least those not listening on external speakers)?

[frenchy]

Now I'm thinking it was Letterman, on the Late Night on NBC, Dave would have an RCA or GE tv (whoever owned NBC at the time!) with the new stereo onstage and used it as a prize for audience members or something like that, in a humorous way of course. Wow that must have been what, about 1986? I remember first show I heard in stereo was Miami Vice when the family bought our first stereo tv, a Mitsubishi, was very cool indeed with the soundtrack on that show.....Frenchy

[blue_lateral]

I guess you could say I was an "early adopter" of stereo tv. I was a real MTV nut back in the early 80's (MTV was a very different animal than it is today). In this area, the cable company did FM simulcast. There was 2 channels, one for MTV, the other for any stereo program they decided to broadcast. There werent many other programs. All you needed was a stereo. I heard there was stereo TV broadcasting going on in some of the major cities, but they still hadn't hashed out what the standard would be for sure.

When a standard was finally adopted, suddenly network tv, and MTV were in real stereo tv. I went out and bought a "tv stereo" tuner at rat shack. It has an analog dial and a tuning knob. I know it sounds really impractical, but if you were recieving stereo tv in this area, you had cable. If you had cable, you had a cable box, if you had a cable box, you could just leave the rat shack thing on channel 3. It worked great. It even sounded pretty good.

old _tv_nut said ... TV stereo has stage-size mismatch problems if you have a small screen - enough speaker separation for decent stereo and the sound image is much wider than the picture; or use the built-in speakers and get little or no stereo effect.

Very true. Someone would walk across the screen, and they would be walking across your whole house, taking about 8 foot steps. It was like the tv producers were trying to make the stereo part do stunts. It was extremely annoying to listen to on stuff like sitcoms. I was back to mono in a hurry for anything that wasnt music.

jc

[bgadow]

This reminds me that for many years there was a country music video show on every week, on Maryland Public Television IIRC. It was hosted by one of the DJ's on WPOC-FM Baltimore, and the station simulcasted the show so you could hear it in stereo.