Logo descriptions by mr3urious, AsdfTheRevival, D.L. Chandell, Shadeed A. Kelly and Logophile
Logo captures by Eric S., mr3urious, V of Doom, wolfie14, Shadeed A. Kelly and Logophile
Editions by Bob Fish, V of Doom, and Lizz Tetlow
Video captures courtesy of sailorclose, JohnnyL80, and Tagaichigai
Background: Fox Television Stations Inc. was formed in 1986 after the acquisition of the Metromedia-owned independent stations by the 20th Century Fox film studio as a group of television stations located within the United States, which are owned-and-operated by the Fox Broadcasting Company, a division of 21st Century Fox Inc.. Until 1989, they syndicated television programs; they formed 20th Television to perform this function later on.
1st Logo
(1986?-198?)
Logo: An in-credit logo which says "PRODUCED AT FOX TELEVISION STATIONS NEW YORK" with the FOX logo (the one with the invisible "O") below that and next to it is "WNYW 5". Below that is copyright info: "(C) (YEAR) FOX Television Stations, Inc. All Rights Reserved".
FX/SFX: The credit scrolling.
Music/Sounds: The closing theme to the program.
Availability: Extinct. It appeared on old episodes of Sports Extra on the Fox station WNYW in New York, which can only be found these days on old recordings.
Scare Factor: None.
2nd Logo
(April 3-July 1988)
Nickname: "The Plaque"
Logo: On a marble background with a small square on each corner, we see the words "Fox Television Stations" in gold lettering which is set in the Friz Quadrata typeface with "Fox Television" above and "Stations" below. There is a shining wipe effect.
FX/SFX: The shining wipe effect.
Music/Sounds: The end-title theme of Nickelodeon's Double Dare.
Availability: Extinct. Was only seen on early episodes of Double Dare on Nickelodeon and of course, Fox.
Scare Factor: None.
3rd Logo
(September 12, 1988-March 10, 1989)
Nickname: "Fox Tower"
Logo: On a nighttime background, we see a Fox structure in the same angle as the 20th Century Fox logo that says "FOX" with four searchlights. Three searchlights are animating except the searchlight above the tower remains still. There is an arch on the structure that features a city with buildings in the background.
Trivia:
- This was based off the animation of the logo used for the Don't Let Fox Weekend Pass You By promos used from 1987-1988.
- This would also be used for the Fox O&O network ID from 1989-1991. Except the nighttime sky is black with stars.
FX/SFX: The searchlights animating.
Music/Sounds: The end-title theme of Finders Keepers or none.
Availability: Extinct. It was last seen on syndicated episodes of Finders Keepers.
Scare Factor: None.
4th Logo
(1988-1992)
Nickname: "Fox-in-the-Box", "The Fox Plaque", "The Stone Fox TV Plaque"
Logo: On a blue/black gradient background, we see a black/gray rectangle at an angle with three lines below. The FTS logo, consisting of a line dividing a box in two portions; one holding the Fox Network logo of the time (a simplified black and gold version of the TCF searchlights logo), one holding the text "Fox Television Stations" in large gold lettering in the same font as the 1st logo, zooms out onto the rectangle. A transparent rectangle sweeps over the gray rectangle from right to left just before the FTS logo zooms out.
Early Variant: On this variant the Fox logo slides in from the right, wiping in the company name. Here, the text is black, there are no lines at the bottom, there is no rectangular box surrounding the logo, the background of the logo is brighter, and the color scheme in the Fox logo is different (a blue box, grey-black gradient searchlights, white "FOX" text and gold tower).
FX/SFX: The zooming, the rotating, etc. Very nice CGI, which holds up to even today's standards. It's also quite reminiscent of work created by Television By Design and John Christopher Burns.
Music/Sounds: A rather dramatic synth sounder with a "clang" at the end (like in the Saban "Gold Plate" logo) or the end theme of the show. There is also a silent version.
Availability: Rare. It was seen on episodes of the syndicated versions of the Nickelodeon game shows Double Dare and Finders Keepers, which are hardly reran. Also seen on 1988-1992 episodes of America's Most Wanted, 1990-1992 episodes of The Simpsons, and 1989-1992 episodes of Cops.
Scare Factor: None to low. The music may catch some off guard.
5th Logo
(1992-2013)
Nicknames: "FTSP", "FTSP Underwater", "The Swirling Smoke"
Logo: Against a blue-black background, we see the letters:
F∙T∙S∙P
textured and in white with slow-trailing smoke effects swirling around from behind the letters. Below that, the words:
F O X
TELEVISION STATIONS PRODUCTIONS
(also in white) are shown. A rippling effect is given to the lower text, making the entire logo appear as if it is underwater.
Variant: On later episodes of Cops, the ripples appeared to be less apparent.
FX/SFX: The CGI rippling with accuracy. Not as sharp as its predecessor.
Music/Sounds: When the logo was originally released, it featured the voice of a child (boy) saying "Yay" in a rather unemphatic manner over a medium applause by two people. This aural variant lasted less than two years. Future airings of this logo either had no audio, or the closing theme of the show. Fox sometimes played a remix of the 20th Century Fox fanfare over the logo at the end of newer episodes of Cops.
Availability: Was seen on 1992-2011 episodes of America's Most Wanted, and 1992-2013 episodes of Cops. although some earlier episodes may not have it.
Scare Factor: None to low. The rippling may catch some off guard, mainly due to striking a bear resemblance to the original Fox Lab logo.
The End of FTSP: The company became dormant in 2013 after Fox cancelled Cops. Upon its move to Spike TV, Spike assumed control of the series.