Viacom (CBS)

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Background
Viacom Enterprises (or simply "Viacom") was the television distribution division of the CBS Television Network formed in 1971 as the successor of CBS Films (not to be confused with the "current" CBS Films, the new film production/distribution company of CBS Corporation), later reincorporated as"CBS Enterprises, Inc." (who would later reform in the 1990s) starting in 1968. In 1973, it was spun-off because it was against the FCC regulations for a television network to distribute its programs under its own name. In 1974, Viacom formed "Viacom Productions" to produce first-run television series airing on the major television networks. The company was popular during the 1970s and 1980s, distributing CBS-produced shows such as I Love Lucy and The Andy Griffith Show In later years, they distributed shows from MTM, Tandem's All in the Family (only until 1991 then taken over by CPTD, now "SPT"), Filmways, Carsey/Werner, Lorimar, Rankin-Bass, Hanna-Barbera (mostly internationally), and early Nelvana TV specials, among others, as well as most movie releases from Hallmark Hall of Fame, Tomorrow Entertainment, the Schick Sunn TV and movie library, several of the Charles Fries films, New World, Orion, Palomar Pictures, New Line, Trans-Lux, and the Terrytoons library, among others, until they formed their own syndication companies. In 1976, Viacom and its production division formed "Viacom International, Inc." as their new parent company for distributing programs overseas. In 1986, Viacom was bought by cinema company National Amusements, Inc., becoming part of the newly-reincorporated "Viacom, Inc.". On January 1, 1990, Viacom changed its logo for the first time in 14 years as part of a reorganization of the company and "Viacom Pictures" was also formed. On March 11, 1994, Viacom acquired Paramount Communications, Inc. and Viacom Enterprises was folded into Paramount Domestic Television (now "CBS Television Distribution"), by transferring the domestic rights of the Viacom library, and Viacom International was later reorganized as the parent company for the MTV Networks and the Showtime Networks (the latter now part of CBS Corporation), and transferring the international rights of the said library into Paramount International Television (now "CBS Studios International") as well, while Viacom Productions was reincorporated as a production sub-division of Paramount Television. The Viacom Enterprises logo of the era was still used for "Viacom Productions" with an updated variant, and would remain until 1999, receiving another update to the logo to reflect the company's new status after merging with former parent company CBS. The 1999-2004 Viacom logo would be its last as the final two series to end under the Viacom Productions name would be Sabrina: The Teenage Witch and The Division. The new millennium brought serious financial troubles to the company, and as a result, the production unit was folded into Paramount Network Television (now "CBS Television Studios") as well in 2004, and Paramount took control of the remaining Viacom-produced series in 2005. On December 31 of that year, Viacom was reincorporated as "CBS Corporation", ceasing to exist officially. The "new" Viacom was also established on December 31 from Viacom International as the holding company for Paramount Pictures, the MTV Networks and BET Networks (the two latter now part of the "Viacom Media Networks (VMN)"), and their non-television firms; however,Viacom International remains currently as its in-name-only unit. Today, most of previous Viacom-distributed TV productions are distributed under CBS Television Distribution (formerly "CBS Paramount Domestic Television") and outside the U.S. under CBS Studios International (formerly "CBS Paramount International Television"). Viacom stands for "Video & Audio Communications".

1st Logo
(1971-1976) 

Nicknames : "Pinball", "Pinball Music", "A Viacom Presentation", "V-IA-COM", “V-IA-COM Pinball”, "Pinball Game", "ViaPinball"

Logo : The word "VIACOM", a group of letters at a time (in an ascending number: "V" (1), "IA" (2) and "COM" (3), slide in from the right, with the background changing color as each one stops. As the screen fades to purple, the letter "V" slides in. Then "IA" slides in, changing the background to green. Then "COM" slides in, changing the background to red. When the word "VIACOM" is formed, the camera quickly pans outward and the words "A" and "PRESENTATION" are seen to the left and right of the word "VIACOM", over a blue background. The logo is in the same font as The Mary Tyler Moore Show logo (called "Peignot") in white.

Variants :
 * One version of the logo replaces the red background with black. Could possibly be because of film quality, however.
 * Other sources would have this logo completely out of sync with the sound effects.
 * There is a B&W variant.
 * There is also a rare dark (not B&W) variant (possibly) due to the film deterioration.
 * There is also a sepia variant.
 * An in-credit text such as "A Viacom (Enterprises) Presentation (or "Production")" or "In Association With Viacom Enterprises" would be shown on The $25,000 Pyramid and Goodson-Todman game shows among other co-produced series and TV movies. This continued on into the '80s on shows like Family Feud.

FX/SFX/Cheesy Factor : The animation is very rough, the keyboard music is primitive, and the changing backgrounds look cheap. Also, shouldn't the letters have animated as "VI-AC-OM" or "VI-A-COM" instead of "V-IA-COM"?

Music/Sounds : 4 synthesized ascending pinball-like chimes. The first 3 bring up the letters to "Viacom", and the last, which plays over the zoom-out, has a zap-like "WHOOSH" that blends in with the last bell, combined with a synth chord and gurgling/telephone-like sounds.

Music/Sounds Variants :
 * Sometimes, the logo is silent.
 * Sometimes, especially on PAL prints, the music is of a slightly higher pitch.

Availability : Extremely rare, due to excessive plastering with the 80s and 90s Viacom logos, the 1995 and 2003 Paramount Domestic Television logos, the CBS Paramount Television logos, and the CBS Television Distribution logos. The in-credit versions are rare and is currently seen only on VHS tapes and DVDs of The Missiles of October. The color version has turned up on most season 11 & 12 episodes of My Three Sons on The Hallmark Channel back in the early 2000's. Supposedly these include episodes last seen on Nick @ Nite around 1988-1990. The B&W variant was seen on early 70s prints of The Andy Griffith Show, The Dick Van Dyke Show, Family Affair, and The Beverly Hillbillies, among other classic shows. This logo made a recent appearance on Hogan's Heroes on the TV channel "ONE Network" in Australia, but only a split second was shown, due to plastering. The B&W Variant appeared on a VHS of The Andy Griffith Show by Premier Promotions titled The Andy Griffith Show Double Feature Volume 33. There is a really rare occurrence it may appear on Me-TV, but the odds are very unlikely. The dark variant appears at the end of the Magnetic Video release of 5 Terrytoon Cartoons Featuring Heckle and Jeckle.

Scare Factor : Low to medium. It has scared some by its choppy animation, fast pace, "zoom-out", and primitive music. But that's absolutely nothing comparing to the 2nd logo...

2nd Logo
(1976-1986)

Nicknames : "V of Doom", "Big V", "Zooming V", "Dark/Black V", "Viacom the Menace", "Creepy/Evil V (of Death)", "V of Death", "The Purple/Black V (of Doom)", "Killer V", "V of Final Judgement", "V of Armageddon", "Viapocalypse", "V of Psycho", "Attack of the Killer V", "A Nightmare on Viacom Street", "Attack of the V of Doom", "V from Hell", "Viacom V"

Logo : On a sky blue (or lavender) background, the text "A Viacom Presentation" in a palatino-like typeface zooms-in from the center of the screen at a very fast pace. Then, a fancy-cut, navy-blue "V" comes from the center and moves gradually closer and closer to the screen. When it gets to the point where the "V" takes up nearly the entire screen, the screen suddenly cuts to black or fades to black (depending on the version of the logo), with the "V" still moving ever closer.

Trivia : On some episodes of The Twilight Zone on SyFy, the logo (specifically the videotaped variant) is plastered by the "Wigga-Wigga" '90s logo. However, in the few split seconds before that appears, listen carefully during the black screen between credits and logo. You can sometimes hear, faintly, the V of Doom jingle.

Variants : FX/SFX : The text zooming in from screen center and the "V" logo zooming in.
 * A network television version, used from 1979 until 1985, usually had the black "V" and the name "Viacom" zooming-in together and stopping once it has come to a huge size, with a sea green/dark blue background.This variant was warp speed and silent, but also sometimes had the end of the show's theme accompanying it. A variation of this version features a copyright stamp for "Viacom International" appearing at the bottom once the "V" stopped. However, some showings have the "V" and the word "Viacom" sliding-in from opposite sides of the screen. A version with a mirrored "V" was recently spotted.
 * The original version of this logo was filmed, and was used from 1976 until 1982. Color variations include black & white and sepia.
 * On the earlier color variant of the filmed version, the "V" is black, with a light blue background.
 * Videotaped versions have "A" and "Viacom" spaced farther apart, and the animation is more crisp and smooth. This was used from 1978-1986. Color variants include monochrome, sea green background with black V, purple background with dark blue V and faint purple with blue V, among others.
 * Some videotaped variants feature the "V" actually stopping at the end. Early filmed variants also do, with the "V" stopping right before it cuts to black.
 * An extremely rare videotaped variant featuring a yellow "V" was used on some syndicated prints of The Honeymooners, appearing in a giant moon over a cityscape where the credits appear. This is a result of a chroma-key mistake. This variation was given the nickname "V of Moon".
 * There is also a rare videotaped variant with a jungle green background and the Charleston green "V" with two extra pounds of the timpani drum at the end.
 * An extremely rare turquoise variant with an ultramarine blue "V" was used in 1984.
 * A videotaped variant of this logo has an orange background and a black "V" seen on 1978 episodes of You Don't Say! There is also a warp speed version of this.
 * There is an uncommon "warp-speed" videotaped variation that has a much sped up logo and music. This was used along side co-distributor idents and was seen from 1979-1986.
 * An extremely rare videotaped variant that flashes different colors reputedly exists. It is unknown if this does actually exist, but it was reported to be seen on The Comedy Network airing of The Honeymooners episode entitled "A Man's Pride".
 * Likewise, it is said that the 1985 syndicated series The Star Games had a variant where the "V" appears on a pink background. This has yet to be officially confirmed/denied.
 * Dark variants of the Film-O-Vision version in color and B&W, due to film deterioration, exist.
 * An extremely rare variant featuring a white background and a "True Blue" "V" exists
 * The first second was lopped off on Magnetic Video's VHS release of Blue Hawaii.
 * There is a rare "Bottomed" version of the filmed "V of Doom" where viewers can see two separate frames.
 * A filmed variant of this logo has the logo completely warped. At the beginning, the logo and audio is sped up. As the logo progresses, the audio frequently changes pitch. The cause of this is due to heavy film deterioration. It was spotted on a VHS of The Andy Griffith Show.
 * Also, there's a videotaped variant which is distorted and the screen blacks out for a second at the start. (Likely because of a messed up tape). This was also spotted on a VHS of The Andy Griffith Show.
 * There was a high pitched, slightly sped up version of the videotaped variant spotted on the Cannon episode "He Who Digs a Grave (Part 2)" on Me-TV.
 * A B&W filmed version has both the text and background colored white, making the logo appear ghostly and almost invisible.
 * An in-credit text would either say "A Viacom (Enterprises) Presentation", "In Association with Viacom Enterprises", or "Distributed by Viacom Enterprises" would be shown on The $25,000 Pyramid, the Goodson-Todman game shows, and some TV and theatrical movies.

Cheesy Factor : The filmed version has the appearance that a camera zoomed in on the "V" that was chroma-keyed onto a lighter background, and the text zoom-in looks like it was cheaply animated and somewhat choppy, even though it doesn't look like a camera zoom-in. The videotaped version has better graphics and animation, thanks to the Scanimate effects, but still looks cheaply done. The filmed variant's quality is very poor for a logo that debuted in 1976. On the "Bottomed" version, as the "V" begins zooming in, the very top edge of the green-screen or whatever the "V" was placed on can briefly be seen.

Music/Sounds : Here are the main music variants used on this logo:
 * Usually, the music was a 5-note synthesized tune, complete with a timpani drum roll playing throughout with a final, rather loud pound at the end. Even after the logo faded to black, the timpani's echo could still be heard.


 * The very first version of this logo featured the "pinball" music of the first logo and was used until late 1976 (and was also often used when replacing the original "Pinball" logo).


 * The very first version of the normal 1976 music had a slightly faster tempo/low-pitched sequence of synthesizer notes, used on the same logo with the very dark blue/black "V" logo, and it was also used in tandem with the standard filmed variant.

Music/Sounds Variants :
 * For the network TV variant, it used only the closing theme of the show or TV movie.
 * PAL versions of the logo were in a higher pitch and had a slightly faster sequence of synthesizer notes.


 * In some rare cases, the closing theme of the show was used, or none.

Availability : Uncommon. Most shows that had this ID usually have been updated mainly with any of the later Viacom, Paramount Television, or CBS (Paramount) Television logos among others; in most cases, the CBS Television Distribution logo is nowadays used to replace this logo on newer prints. The B&W filmed variant with the "Pinball" theme appears on the Magnetic Video release of King Creole, and its color counterpart has been seen on the 1975 TV movie Eric, the Magnetic Video release of Girls! Girls! Girls! (also on the Key Video re-release), and mid 70s prints of early color episodes of Gunsmoke. However, newer variants might be seen on local stations that show older Viacom shows, such as The Honeymooners, I Love Lucy, The Andy Griffith Show, The Twilight Zone, and Gomer Pyle USMC. The filmed version of the logo was on the 1970-1971 season finale of My Three Sons on Hallmark; TV movies from the era, such as Police Story, The Two Worlds of Jennie Logan, and Top Secret, among others; the original Magnetic Video VHS releases of many feature films such as Last Train from Gun Hill, those featuring Elvis Presley, including G.I. Blues (also on the Key Video re-release) and Blue Hawaii, and those featuring Jerry Lewis, including Don't Give Up the Ship (don't expect to see this on any of their Laserdiscs or Greatest Sports Legends tapes, though); and earlier video prints of the 1981 movie The Unseen. It's also seen at the end of most Cannon episodes shown on TV Land Canada (now "Comedy Gold") and Me-TV. Can also be seen on a few episodes of Perry Mason on Me-TV in the normal and warp-speed variations.The silent variant is rare, and was seen on old VHS releases of the 1963 movie Fun in Acapulco and the 1966 movie Paradise, Hawaiian Style from Magnetic Video (both of which plaster over the Paramount logo at the end of the film, though the Spanish-dubbed version of the latter film uses the standard V of Doom music), the 1974 TV movie The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman from Prism Entertainment, and the 1976 movie The Amazing World of Psychic Phenomena. The network TV variant is near extinct nowadays; however, during the 1980s, it was seen on various short-lived shows and TV movies produced by this company, such as The Master, The Devlin Connection, Amanda's, Dear Detective, The Return of the Man from U.N.C.L.E.: The Fifteen Years Later Affair, and To Race the Wind, among others; however, none of these have been released onto VHS or DVD except To Race the Wind, on which said variant is intact. Several of the "Classic 39" episodes of The Honeymooners had this logo when it previously aired on WGN America. It was also seen on episodes of The (New) Price is Right from 1976-1980. The 1978 and 1983 variants can be seen on two episodes of The Twilight Zone on Syfy ("You Drive" and "One for the Angels"). The 1983 variant was surprisingly seen on a recent airing of The Missiles of October on Me-TV, before the 1990 "Wigga Wigga" logo. The warp-speed variant was also recently spotted on a season 5 rerun of The Bob Newhart Show S5 episode "Making Up Is the Thing To Do" on Me-TV, Hallmark Channel, and FamNET, after the decorated MTM Enterprises logo and preceding the 2008 20th Television logo, and is also available on various Season 5 and 6 episodes of that show on Shout Factory's 2014 complete series set, with the logo on a majority of those episodes being followed by the 2008 20th Television logo. The Film-O-Vision variant in B&W with the music has recently been spotted an episode of Perry Mason on Me-TV, a couple of episodes of The Millionaire on Me-TV, and some episodes of Have Gun-Will Travel on Encore Westerns. The B&W warp-speed variant can also be seen on a few episodes of Have Gun-Will Travel and recently made appearance on Rawhide on Encore Westerns. The color variant of the Film-O-Vision V of Doom was seen on some prints of The New Adventures of Mighty Mouse and recently on three episodes of Gunsmoke on Me-TV. The B&W Film-O-Vision variant can also be spotted on DVDs of The Beverly Hillbillies released by the Platinum Disc Corporation, Madacy Entertainment, Mill Creek Entertainment, and GoodTimes Entertainment. A warped, bottomed variant of this logo was seen on a VHS tape of The Andy Griffith Show titled "The Best of The Andy Griffith Show: Mayhem in Mayberry." The B&W Film-O-Vision (low toned, standard, & bottomed), Color Film-O-Vision and Color Videotaped variants can be seen on The Andy Griffith Show VHS tapes released by Premier Promotions and sometimes (though mostly the Videotaped variant) by UAV Corporation. Was also seen on That Girl and the short-lived Coronet Blue.
 * Sometimes, the V of Doom music cuts off right before the last timpani beat, removing the final echo in the process. This was heard on the Magnetic Video release of Don't Give Up the Ship.

Scare Factor : Depends on variant:
 * Filmed/Videotaped Variants: Medium to nightmare for the videotaped variant and high to nightmare for the filmed variant, elevated to nightmare for B/W prints. Due to the music and the "V" zooming in, this logo had been a source of bad dreams and nightmares for many. The filmed variant's general quality is also poor, especially on deteriorated/damaged film prints, making it even scarier due to the creepy music and "V" zooming in combined with the film scratches! While the videotaped variant has generally better quality, making it slightly less creepy, the scare factor can still be very high, especially for the warp speed variant. This is one of the scariest logos ever created, along with the "S from Hell". In fact, this logo is very well-known on the Internet specifically for this reason.


 * Warp speed videotaped variant: Nightmare, as the speed of the logo makes it even worse!


 * With the "Pinball" music: Low to high, as the music is less scarier than normal version, but we still have that bad animation.


 * Silent variant: Low to high, as we still have that creepy "V" zooming in!


 * Network TV variant: None to high, due to the sudden fast-paced zoom and either the silence or the type of closing music (from the end of the show) accompanying it.

Though this logo is less scary for those who are used to seeing it.
 * With the closing theme: Low to high.

3rd Logo
(1981)

Nicknames : "Flashing V", "Color Surge V", "Syndireel V", "V of Rainbow", "Viacom V II"

Logo : On a black background, we see the "V" rotating to the center in a rainbow streak. Then, the rainbow streak lines out of the logo. After that, the "V" flashes to bright cerulean and the word "Viacom" in the same color flashes in with the word "presents" below. As the opening theme comes up, we zoom up to the left corner of the "V" step-by-step until it engulfs the screen with blue. At the end of the reel, we see the "V" with the word "Viacom" in blue and the word "from" above the "V" and they all zoom in towards the viewer.

FX/SFX : The rotating of the "V" to center, the colors lining out of the logo, the flash of "Presents" and the "V", the zoom-in to the corner of the "V" in step with the opening theme. The quick zoom-in to center with a flash at the end of the reel.

Music/Sounds : The opening and closing themes of the syndie promo or none.

Availability : Extinct. The only sighting that has come up is a sales tape for individual stations to purchase syndication rights for Viacom-owned shows.

Scare Factor : Minimal. It may surprise some people who are expecting the "V of Doom", but is much, much tamer compared to the V of Doom. If Viacom made any feature movies at the time, this was definitely the logo to go with.

4th Logo
(1984-1986)

Nicknames : "Special Delivery", "The Viacom Emblem", "The Winged Emblem", "V of Gold", "Viacom V III", "Golden V", "Golden Viacom V"

Logo : We start off in outer space. The words "Special" and "Delivery" streaks through the sun that is in the background leaving a rainbow trail. Then on a blue/black gradient background, the two words fly to a ring with wings. "From Viacom" with "Viacom" bigger, are also in this logo above the familiar "V" from the 2nd logo. At the end, a firework flash effect emerges from the logo.

FX/SFX : The words streaking leaving a rainbow trail, the firework flash.

Music/Sounds : After the drum roll at the start, a majestic 13-note fanfare plays, with the last note held out.

Availability : Extinct. It was seen on the 1984 Twilight Zone Silver Anniversary special, as well as mid-80s prints of classic Rankin-Bass TV specials, and some TV movies from the era, among others.

Scare Factor : Low to medium. A refreshing change to the standard "V of Doom" fanfare of the 2nd logo.

5th Logo
(1985-1987)

Nicknames : "Stale V”, “V of Happiness”, "V of Boredom", "V of Annoyance", "Blue V", "V of Delight", "Viacom V IV", "Friendly V", "Friendly Viacom V", "A Welcome Change"

Logo : On a black background, we see a still image of the Viacom "V" logo in light blue. Below that is the "Viacom" name in white.

Variant : On Really Weird Tales (Preserved on VHS releases), the logo is tinted in orange.

FX/SFX : None.

Music/Sounds : The closing theme of the show or none.

Availability : Extremely rare. It was once seen on original airings of the 1st season of Matlock plus its two-part pilot episode (from March 1986) as well as on the Andy Griffith reunion special Return to Mayberry (Along with the VHS release and the November 2013 MeTV airing) and the first five made-for-TV movie revivals of Perry Mason, but most have all fallen victim of being plastered with any of the later Viacom, Paramount Television, CBS Paramount Television, or CBS Television Distribution logos.

Scare Factor : None. This one is a cute/boring Viacom logo, depending on what you think.

6th Logo
(1986)

Nicknames: "City Skyline V", "Metallic V", "V in the Big City", "V and the City", "V on the Town", "V of Night", "Early V of Steel", "Viacom V", "Silver Viacom V", "Viacom V in the Night City"

Logo: Against a city skyline with a purple night sky (and with most of the building's lights switched on), we see a metallic-textured "V" (in the same design as the "V of Doom" logo) situated above the word "Viacom".

FX/SFX: None.

Cheesy Factor: The 3D effects look unconvincing.

Music/Sounds: The closing theme of the show.

Availability: Extinct. It was only seen on the 1986 Honeymooners Reunion special. Bootlegs circulate.

Scare Factor: Low. This is a welcome change from the dreaded "V of Doom".

7th Logo
(1986-1990)

Nicknames : "V of Steel", "Mountainous Silver V", "Giant Silver V", "Majestic Silver V", "Silver V", "Rotating Silver V", "Shining Silver V", "ViaSteel", "Viacom V VI", "Silver Viacom V II"

Logo : We start out with a screen, divided half black/purple gradient on top and half silver on the bottom with a bright light flare shining between. The silver part then rotates counter-clockwise (a la CBS-FOX) and a fancy-cut V (same design as "V of Doom" in the 2nd logo) appears. The word "Viacom" flies in from the upper-left of the screen and places itself under the "V", and the "V" shines.

Variants :
 * VHS tapes containing this logo and select TV broadcasts have the "V" shining three times. There is also a warp speed version of this, which has been seen on the syndicated version of Super Sloppy Double Dare.


 * There is also a variant where the "V" shines four times. It has been seen on episodes of Rawhide, Perry Mason, Matlock, Hogan's Heroes, The Adventures of the Little Koala, Finders Keepers (Toffler version), and the 1986 revival of Split Second. There is also a warp speed version of this.


 * There is a still variant.


 * There is a variant where the "V" doesn't shine at all. It was only seen on We Love Lucy.


 * On the 1987 Celebrity Double Dare pilot, the logo is revealed with a computer-generated effect before animating.


 * There is also a B&W variant.


 * 1990: There is another sped-up variant of this logo with the music at the normal speed.


 * There is also a variant that plays at a slightly slower speed.


 * On Fox's Family Double Dare, the logo fades in after the Nickelodeon logo with the "V" is already in place, then the "V" shines two times before fading out. This variant also has the syndicated Double Dare theme playing over the logo.


 * There is a variant where both the "V" and the "Viacom" appear to be in higher contrast, making the logo look shinier than before.

FX/SFX : The rotating "V", the "V" "shining", and the light flare behind the "V" illuminating in the background. Actually pretty good CGI for it's time.
 * One version had a midnight blue screen with text saying "DISTRIBUTED BY", and then after a second, it cut to the "V" in the middle of its animation, with the full music playing throughout.

Music/Sounds : Pindrop-like sounds, followed by a descending synth note similar to the THX "Deep Note". The single note, along with the faux-"Deep Note", shares a similar musical key as the "V of Doom".

Music/Sounds/Voice-over Variants :
 * The music had a couple of variations over the years. A couple of "warp-speed" versions, one of which is a ultra warp speed version featuring a higher-pitched jingle, can be seen on various programs, if they haven't been plastered.


 * In some cases, it used only the closing theme of the show or none.


 * Some episodes of Cannon and Perry Mason on Me-TV have the V of Doom's music playing over this.


 * Some episodes of Gunsmoke and Matlock have the Wigga-Wigga's music playing over this.

Availability : Uncommon in its unaltered form. It is currently seen on most episodes of Have Gun-Will Travel and Rawhide on Encore Westerns and AMC. It's also currently seen on most episodes of Perry Mason, The Phil Silvers Show, and most episodes of The Beverly Hillbillies on Me-TV. It was last seen on The Beverly Hillbillies on TV Land, but recent airings have split screen credits during the last few seconds of the show, either altering the logo or removing it completely. However, it does make an appearance from time to time on Me-TV. Seen on '80s prints of other Viacom-distributed shows. It can be seen on the Perry Mason made-for-TV movies from 1987-89. The silent variant is rare, because it was seen only on the movie The Stepford Wives (1975). The ultra warp speed version can be seen on VHS tapes and Netflix's viewings of The Super Mario Bros. Super Show and The Legend of Zelda. It was spotted on the 1989 film Sonny Boy on TCM. This can also be seen on most episodes of The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams on the recent DVD release. This logo (and it's extended variant) is also seen on various game shows syndicated by Viacom from 1986-1990, including Split Second, Double Dare, and Remote Control. The logo was recently spotted on some episodes of The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour (a.k.a. We Love Lucy) on the Hallmark Channel. The extended warp speed variants are considered extremely rare after being plastered by either the Wigga-Wigga, Paramount Television, CBS/Paramount Television, or CBS Television Distribution. The "DISTRIBUTED BY" variant is ultra rare, only known to exist on Superboy.
 * A very rare variant of the extended warp speed variant includes a voice-over. This was seen on a sales tape for the unsold game show pilot I Predict. As the logo animates, the voice-over is heard saying: "A Ron Greenberg Production, in association with Viacom." (Pronounced "Vee-a-com", similar to Sandy Hoyt on Split Second).

Scare Factor : Depending on the variant:
 * Original: Low. The THX-like sound and similar aspect to the "V of Doom" logo might have scared a few here and there, but it's mainly harmless.


 * Extended: Same as above.


 * B&W: Same as above.


 * Distribution: Low. The quick transition to the V could surprise you.


 * Warp speed variants: Low, bordering on medium.


 * Silent variant: None.

8th Logo (1990-2000)

Nicknames: "Wigga-Wigga", "\/|/\CO/\/\", "Zig-Zags of Steel", "Zig-Zags of Silver", "Zig-Zags of Aluminum"

Logo: On a shaded blue background, a silver "V" flies from the bottom left and then backwards. As it does so, a zig-zag line comes out of it to form the other letters in the name (it shines as it does this), with the "A" and "M" still taking the form of zig-zags, forming the word, "VIACOM". The completed logo shines.

Trivia: Many people think the announcer is mispronouncing the word Viacom. It is indeed long "i", like in "enterprises", although the original pronunciation of the name pre-1986 was indeed with a short "i", like in "Venus" to hence the pronunciation "vee-a-com". Oddly, the post-1986 pronunciation was used by the announcer on the Magnetic Video logo several years before it became the official pronunciation.

Variants: . Several shows would have the name already formed during the later years, with the only animation being the shining of the letters.

· There is a text variation on this logo for Viacom Productions. It has the "VIACOM" text already formed, but a line slides in from the right and forms into "PRODUCTIONS", after which the "C" and the "O" in "\/|/\CO/\/\" shine. This shorter variation was seen on network TV productions from 1998-1999. There was another variant of this in which the text doesn't shine at all, used on Diagnosis: Murder.

·On some reruns of Sabrina the Teenage Witch episodes from season three on ABC Family, a poor plastering job results in the logo being still and the short version's music playing followed by the last Paramount Television logo.

· A black & white version of this exists on some prints of older B&W shows (though most feature the color version).

. On the 1997 TV Movie, The Right Connections, the words "in association with" are seen over the logo's background, then fades out when the animation starts.

FX/SFX: The CGI coiled line turning into "\/|/\CO/\/\".

Cheesy Factor: The other letters in the logo seem to "drop out" from the zig-zags rather than the zig-zags just morphing into them, which becomes apparent once the animation is slowed down. Also, the excessive shining makes this look somewhat gaudy.

Music/Sounds: Again, there have been several musical variations accompanied with a voice-over by Don LaFontaine saying "Viacom" near the end:

· Usually, a synthesized new age-type rock score is used, complete with drums, a synthesizer and even a guitar. Telephone-like "wigga-wigga" sounds are heard as the line zig-zags.

· For the newly-formed Viacom International, the same logo is accompanied by different music. A synthesized whoosh is heard first, leading into a jingle played on a flute being heard as the line uncurls. As the logo finishes, a faint choir is heard in the background. The LaFontaine voice-over is still heard.

· There is a version where the LaFontaine voice-over cuts in earlier.

· Some versions have no LaFontaine voice-over. The Viacom Productions logo is one of these, except the variant used on Diagnosis: Murder. An extremely short version with no LaFontaine voice-over was seen for a brief time in 1996. This version would also have the 1995 Paramount Television logo play almost immediately afterwards.

·There was a warped version during later years.

·There is a low toned variant for the short version that appears after an episode of The Twilight Zone.

Music/Sounds Variants:

·In some cases, it used the closing theme of the show, or was silent.

·The logo with the "V of Doom" music heard was seen on some episodes of The Twilight Zone on Syfy, Perry Mason, and The Honeymooners both on Me-TV and last aired on WGN America.

·One episode of Rawhide on Me-TV has the warp-speed version of the logo with the "V of Steel" music playing over it.

· The 1998 Viacom Productions variant has used the music from the final logo below on certain occasions. This has been sighted on an international print of the eighth episode of S7 of Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, "Bada-Ping!", and has also been reported to appear on some episodes of the final season of Diagnosis: Murder.

·A variant with the "Pinball" music was reported on a public domain cartoon which aired on a religious TV channel. This has yet to be confirmed.

Availability: Fairly common. Many of the shows that had this logo have been updated with either the Paramount Television or CBS Television Distribution by now, especially on DVD releases, but it is still seen on some shows. However, this logo can be found on one episode of The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams on DVD, and the first season of Diagnosis: Murder on DVD. It was spotted on the film I'm All Right Jack on TCM. Like the 2nd and 7th logos, this can be seen on a few episodes of Have Gun-Will Travel on Encore Westerns. As for the Viacom International version, it was present on syndicated and international prints of The Cosby Show but is now extinct, since it is now plastered with the Carsey-Werner Distribution logo. This particular variant was seen on Terrytoon prints that were distributed around this period. Currently found on episodes of The Twilight Zone on Syfy and local syndication, Matlock on WGN America and Me-TV, Perry Mason on Me-TV, and Sabrina, the Teenage Witch on The Hub and Teen Nick, although some airings of the show on ABC Family plaster it with the last variant. The version where the LaFontaine voice-over cuts in earlier is seen on S1 episodes of The Twilight Zone on Syfy (though some episodes are known to contain the 2nd logo).

Scare Factor: Depends on the variant:

·Domestic variant: Minimal. Some might be caught off-guard by the dramatic FX.

·International variant: None to minimal.

Apart from that, this is a very tame logo.

Final Note: Many Viacom-produced shows stopped using this logo in 1999, although Diagnosis: Murder continued to use the "PRODUCTIONS" variant (non-shining version) until 2000.

9th Logo (September 24, 1999-August 8, 2004)

Nicknames: "Wigga-Wigga II", "\/|/\CO/\/\ II", "VIACOM 2000", "Robocom","ViaBot", "Spreading Out", "Zig-Zags of Glass","Viacom Wigga-Wigga II"

Logo: This one is similar to the 1998-1999 network TV logo. First we see the letters of "\/|/\CO/\/\" in front of each other, spreading out. The background is full of "Wigga-Wigga"-type "\/|/\CO/\/\" letters along with a smoke effect slowly clearing out. The company is referred to as "VIACOM PRODUCTIONS, a Paramount company" with "PRODUCTIONS" under "VIACOM" with the Paramount byline in its majestic cursive logo font, with a line above it.

Variants:

· A still version of this logo exists.

· A later version exists where the words are bolder, and the letters at the start are brighter.

FX/SFX: The letters spreading out, the smoke.

Cheesy Factor: The animation of the letters forming is rather primitive.

Music/Sounds: A descending crystallized wind chime-like sound effect culminating in a synth explosion, followed by a robotic voice saying the word "Viacom". The robotic voice was shortened in 2003.

Music/Sounds Variants:

. Very early broadcasts featured the 1998 network TV music. This can be seen on at least one episode of Sabrina, the Teenage Witch.

· There is also a silent variant.

· A version in which the wind chime sound effect plays faster also exists.

·A sped-up higher pitch version also exists.

Availability: Fairly common. It can be seen on any show produced by Viacom from 1999-2004; these include Sabrina, The Teenage Witch on TeenNick, The Division on Lifetime Real Women, and season 1 of The 4400 last aired on USA Network. The still version can be seen on some season 8 episodes on Diagnosis: Murder on Encore Suspense and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, and original CBS airings of Diagnosis: Murder from 2000-2001.

Scare Factor: Minimal bordering on low. The robotic voice may get to some.