Background: Gold Key Media was the barter division of Gold Key Entertainment that was established on January 10, 1980 to handle first-run syndicated series such as America's Top 10 until the series switched to All American Television.
1st Logo
(1980-September 1981)
Nickname: "The Bar"
Logo: On a blue screen, we see the words "DISTRIBUTED BY" on top with "GOLD KEY MEDIA" below pan from the left of the screen. A scarlet red bar wipes in from the left and highlights the "GOLD KEY MEDIA" text. Occasionally, the logo has the blue keyed out and plays superimposed.
Variants:
- Starting in 1981, the logo would appear as an in-credit logo.
- Sometimes, the bar is in a solid gold color rather than scarlet red.
FX/SFX/Cheesy Factor: Needless to say, this is not much of a logo as its made up of simple chyron and video mixer effects.
Music/Sounds: Music from any given soundtrack.
Availability: Extinct. The only known appearance of this logo is from the first season of America's Top 10 hosted by Casey Kasem, which has not been reran anywhere.
Scare Factor: Minimal to low, depends on how the sudden appearance of the text hits you, or what impression you got from the cougar on the Scotti Brothers logo that preceded it.
2nd Logo (October 1981-1982)
Nickname: "GKM"
Logo: Over a black background, the golden letters "GKM" appear and shine. Below, flashes of light bring forth the words "GOLD KEY MEDIA" letter-by-letter in a Century Gothic typeface. "Distributed By" fades in above everything else. The "GKM" logo shines once again before the logo fades out.
Trivia: Their slogan was "First-run sponsored programming".
Variants:
- A shorter version of this logo appeared on America's Top 10 that starts right before "GOLD KEY MEDIA" flashes in. This version is also superimposed by keying the black background out.
- Same as the last logo, this logo would appear in-credit.
- This would have the byline "A Division of the Vidtronics Company, Inc."
FX/SFX/Cheesy Factor: Standard lighting effects of the early '80s, with the flashing and shining. The superimposed version looks a bit awkward, as traces of black can be seen around the 'shine' on the logo as a result of the chroma key process.
Music/Sounds: Music from any given soundtrack.
Availability: Extinct. It only appeared on season two of America's Top 10, as well as some other music related programs from Scotti Brothers-Syd Vinnedge Television. They also distributed Encore News and Portrait of a Legend.
Scare Factor: None to minimal, the flashing effects can be bothersome, but not enough to give this logo a bad rap.