NBC National IDs

1st Logo (1943-1950s)

Logo: Just the word "NBC" in a microphone, surrounded by bolts of lightning.

FX/SFX: None.

Music/Sounds: An announcer says "This is N-B-C. The National Broadcasting Company", followed by the piano notes "G", "E", and "C". There is also a buzzing that resembles electricity.

Availability: Extinct.

Scare Factor: Low to medium. The buzzing will probably get to more than a few.

2nd Logo (1949-1953)

Logo: We see the words "NBC" surrounded by a square zoom up on a gray BG. The letters light up one by one as the NBC chimes sound plays.

FX/SFX: The zooming, the letters lighting up.

Music/Sounds: An announcer saying "NBC Television.", followed by the famous "NBC chimes" as the letters light up.

Availability: Extinct.

Scare Factor: Minimal.

3rd Logo (1976-1977)

Logo: On a black BG, we see a stylized N composed of two white trapezoids zoom out. A couple of seconds later, they get filled with color; the left trapezoid turns red, and the blue one turns blue. "NBC" appears in the bottom right corner of the N.

FX/SFX: The Scanimate effects, which were done by Dolphin Productions.

Music/Sounds: A big band tune with bongos.

Availability: Extinct.

Scare Factor: Low.

4th Logo (1982-1983)

Logo: On a plane consisting of tiles of peacocks with 11 feathers, the text "NBC" rotates and flies out, followed by the text "JUST WATCH US NOW". Then the camera pans to the small peacock with the "N", made by blue lines. Then, the peacock with "N" zooms in.

FX/SFX: The flying of the text, the zooming.

Music/Sounds: The shortened version of the last part of the jingle "We're NBC, Just Watch Us Now" Sometimes, an announcer (Danny Dark) says, "This is NBC, the network that swept in Emmys." Then, it is followed by the singers saying "We're NBC, Just Watch Us NOW!"

Availability: Extinct.

Scare Factor: None.

5th Logo (1983-1984)

Logo: On a moving NBC wallpaper, we see the NBC logo zooming in.

FX/SFX: The wallpaper, the zooming in.

Music/Sounds: An excerpt of the ''NBC Be There" from the time along an annoucer that says "This is NBC television network"

Availability: Extinct.

Scare Factor: Low.

6th Logo (1986-1990s)

Logo: Exactly like the 1986 NBC Productions logo, but slowed down and missing the word "PRODUCTIONS".

FX/SFX: All of the animation.

Music/Sounds: A Broadway-sounding tune, with the NBC chimes near the end. Danny Dark announces, "This is the NBC television network."

Availability: Extinct. Check any old tapes you have!

Scare Factor: Low.

7th Logo (1993-2002)

Nickname: "The Fireflies", "NBC XAOS"

Logo: We see a rush of white "fireflies" (what they are referred to from now on). The fireflies take on the six primary colors, and transform into the NBC peacock. When the peacock is formed, white fireflies continue to fly around in the background (which is black).

FX/SFX: The animation of the fireflies, which still holds up today. In fact, it's so good, it doesn't even look like something you see in 1993!

Music/Sounds: A tranquil synth theme with backing that sounds a bit like the NBC peacock theme from the '60s.

Availability: Again, it's extinct. However, given its long lifespan (it served in various capacities during the '90s, such as a network ID or serving as NBC's "special presentation" ID, which it did as late as 2002) you might see it on tape somewhere. Another capacity it served was to signal the switch of Philadelphia's WCAU from CBS to NBC in the early hours of September 10, 1995. Also of note: this was one of many NBC IDs that made its debut in 1993, alongside several others (such as ones by John Kricfalusi of Ren and Stimpy fame, and another by Peter Maxx); according to one YouTube comment, this ID was overshadowed by the other ones, though it lasted the longest out of all of them.

Scare Factor: Low; the start of the ID may catch you off-guard, but this is a magnificently well-done ID.

8th Logo (2000?)

Nickname: "The Ice Sculpture"

Logo: A chainsaw is used by a man, who cut a ice cube, until finally the NBC logo is formed.

FX/SFX: Live action.

Music/Sounds: A rock tune, followed by the NBC Chimes by a rock guitar.

Availability: Extinct.

Scare Factor: None to low.