KTCA is a PBS affiliate located in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota.
1st Logo (1970s-1983)
Nickname: "Dancing Lights"
Logo: On a black background, we see a white light spin around and zoom away from the screen, towards the left. "KTCA" flashes in, one letter at a time, then below that, "St. Paul", then "Minneapolis", flashes in. Finally, a white flash makes the logo disappear.
FX/SFX: Scanimate effects
Music/Sounds: None, or the opening theme
Availability: A 1979 demo reel from the station has this logo.
2nd Logo (1983-1990)
Nickname: "Tubular Letters", "Water Rectangle"
Logo: On a light gray background, we see "KTCA", in a tubular font very similar to KQED's logo from around that time, along with "MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL", both colored golden orange, flying away from the viewer from the bottom. About the same time, a rectangle containing water inside (possibly to represent the image of a lake) also flies in, but towards the viewer. They both rotate into a tilted position (plus the rectangle appears to flip for a bit), and when they join together, we fade out, though the water in the rectangle still creates little waves.
FX/SFX: The KTCA logo flying into view, and the water rectangle sliding in. Nice effects for 1985.
Music/Sounds: A downward synthesized glockenspiel tune, then 5 synth-glockenspiel notes, then one last note held at the end.
Availability: Seen on Grant Wood's America, and more notably seen on 80s episodes of Newton's Apple.
3rd Logo (1980s-Early 1990s)
Nickname: "KTCA Forest", "A Minnesota Original"
- Opening:
- 1988-1989: On a black background with a blue spotlight, the "KTCA" logo from the previous logo moves to the left, along with a "2" in the same font, and "MINNEAPOLIS/SAINT PAUL", in Times New Roman, underneath the logo, against a 2D forest. While doing that, a sun moves to the upper-right corner. Then, some blocks featuring the letters of the words "A" and "MINNESOTA" drop down, while "Original" is written out in a cursive font, tilted at an angle, and "water ripples" occur.
- 1989-1990: On the same background from the previous variant, the new logo, which is "KTCA" in a beige Aero Extended font, and a square "2" in that same color, with "SAINT PAUL - MINNEAPOLIS" on the bottom, also in Aero Extended. The animation is identical, except the "2" rotates around in the opposite direction, and the letters "A MINNESOTA" are not inside blocks at the end, and are also in Aero Extended.
- 1990-2000: Same as the previous variant, but after all the previous text is off the screen, the word "PRESENTS" in a thin, white Elephant font flashes in with a line of flashing orange dots. The "water ripples" still occur in the background.
- Closing:
- 1988-1989: The logo is still (even though it has the "water rippling" effect), and the text underneath the logo says "PRODUCTION". The fonts are the same as the opening counterpart of the time.
- 1989-2000: Again, the logo is still (with the water rippling) with "PRODUCTION" intact and in the same font as the opening variants of the time.
FX/SFX: Decent 1980s computer effects.
- Opening:
- 1988-1990: A synth-orchestra jingle, with the sound of birds calling, as well as a female announcer saying "The following is a production of KTCA – a Minnesota original."
- 1990-2000: The same orchestral tune mixed with a piano jingle and rock drums as we hear a male conductor say "One, two." and a female singing "Na-na-na-na-na!" A chord is synchronized into the last note.
- Closing: The same synth-orchestra jingle, but the announcer says "This program was produced by KTCA - A Minnesota original." It also has the beginning cut off.
Availability: Extremely rare. Some local shows and specials might carry this logo, such as My Mary, a special of The Mary Tyler Moore Show.
4th Logo (1990-2000)
Nickname: "Blue Waves"
Logo:
- Opening: On a blue background, we see the trees from the 4th logo pasted multiple times, along with part of the skyline of each city (Minneapolis and Saint Paul). Waves start to come in from the top left, revealing "KTCA" in Aero Extended, over "SAINT PAUL" and "MINNEAPOLIS", both stacked under "KTCA", and in a smaller white print.
- Closing: The logo simply fades in, plus "PRODUCTION" appears on the bottom.
Variant: For the opening, on NewsNight Minnesota, after the logo ripples, it stays for a few seconds, only to fade out to make space for "MPTV" in a tall font, and "MINNESOTA PUBLIC TELEVISION" below it.
FX/SFX: The waves rippling.
Music/Sounds:
- Opening: A fantasy-oriented synth theme with water sound effects. A longer version is heard at sign-off and the everyday funding bumpers (in which it was used until fall of 1995).
- Closing: A synth-bass note being held, as well as a "BONG!" sound. The music was likely done on the Roland D-50 synthesizer.
Availability: Rare. Can be seen on 90s episodes of Newton's Apple as well as Once Upon a Tree when rerun on select PBS stations.
5th Logo (1994)
Logo: TBA.
FX/SFX: The light.
Music/Sounds: None.
Availability: Seen on Hoop Dreams.
Scare Factor: Minimal.