Image VIII

[Leavellebrett 85]

This topic has been stirring in my head. As a musician and theory mogul, I am constantly listening to deep instrumentations. About a week ago, I did some digging and I realized that WSB has a different version of Image VIII than what KCNC used.

 

If you look on the NMSA, you will see that WSB commissioned Image VIII, although KCNC used it 5 years before that, in 1988, and continued to use it until 1993, when WSB picked up the package. This is WSB in 1993. (

) Compare that to WSB in 1994. (

) The open is shorter in '94 and the package relies more on a synth sound. It sounds more '90s, per se. It's a heavier sound... much more percussion, heavier bottom, slightly different ticker SFX in the bumper, et cetera. This leads me to believe that there was an update for Image VIII commissioned, not that the whole package was commissioned for WSB. I can confirm that these newer themes aren't in the original collection.

 

Are you hearing what I'm hearing?

 

Personally, I think the updates sound much better.

[Samantha 2876]

This is highly interesting and would certainly help explain Image VIII's place in the continuum of Image packages. I too can confirm that the package as it was on Gilmer's site was the original version, not the putative 1990s update.

 

I strongly suspect Image IV was updated around 1987, personally, when Gilmer refreshed KCNC's music and led to the Image IV update, Image VII and Image VIII. This update was what every station (except KCNC in the mid-80s; take a listen for yourself) used, and so it's a bit obscured.

 

The other Image packages from the 80s/90s, along with Spirit News, blend into each other a lot because they used so many of the same musical elements (namely the This Is Colorado song that Gilmer wrote). The NMSA does not credit KCNC with commissioning Image IX, but I believe they did (there are just too many elements from the song).

[C Block 1486]

I always thought Spirit sounded like a cleaned-up version of Image IX. I also wondered if KCNC commissioned Prime News as well. I could really seem them using that had they stayed an NBC affiliate.

 

Spirit and Image VII are my favorites, especially with KCNC's fanfare and NBC chime at the beginning. I'm glad they eventually switched away from Gilmer though.

[Samantha 2876]

 

I always thought Spirit sounded like a cleaned-up version of Image IX. I also wondered if KCNC commissioned Prime News as well. I could really seem them using that had they stayed an NBC affiliate.

 

Spirit and Image VII are my favorites, especially with KCNC's fanfare and NBC chime at the beginning. I'm glad they eventually switched away from Gilmer though.

 

I actually believe KSDK commissioned Prime News. The opens from the era had the station's then-slogan "Where the News Comes First" lighting up with the five-note signature.

 

Less certain is the four-note version, which was first used by KOIN in 1994-1995. I actually think the commissioning station may be

(compare to the Impact variant with the same signature; they are listed as 1995-97 but I'm tempted to say September 1994-1997). KTBC and WFTX adopted the theme too late.

 

There were four versions of the package (NMSA claims five but the WOIO samples are definitely the normal package):

-Five-note signature (KSDK; WOIO and most others, "Where the News Comes First")

-Four-note signature (KOIN or WDAF; KTBC, WFTX, possibly derived from Newswatch 24?)

-Seven-note signature (WUAB)

-Eight-note signature (KSAZ, matches up to a sung "The Spirit of Arizona")

[Leavellebrett 85]

 

This is highly interesting and would certainly help explain Image VIII's place in the continuum of Image packages. I too can confirm that the package as it was on Gilmer's site was the original version, not the putative 1990s update.

 

I strongly suspect Image IV was updated around 1987, personally, when Gilmer refreshed KCNC's music and led to the Image IV update, Image VII and Image VIII. This update was what every station (except KCNC in the mid-80s; take a listen for yourself) used, and so it's a bit obscured.

 

The other Image packages from the 80s/90s, along with Spirit News, blend into each other a lot because they used so many of the same musical elements (namely the This Is Colorado song that Gilmer wrote). The NMSA does not credit KCNC with commissioning Image IX, but I believe they did (there are just too many elements from the song).

 

I think KCNC commissioned the update. Listen to the third sample. Gilmer probably didn't commercially release that package until the update came out.

 

 

I actually believe KSDK commissioned Prime News. The opens from the era had the station's then-slogan "Where the News Comes First" lighting up with the five-note signature.

 

Less certain is the four-note version, which was first used by KOIN in 1994-1995. I actually think the commissioning station may be

(compare to the Impact variant with the same signature; they are listed as 1995-97 but I'm tempted to say September 1994-1997). KTBC and WFTX adopted the theme too late.

 

There were four versions of the package (NMSA claims five but the WOIO samples are definitely the normal package):

-Five-note signature (KSDK; WOIO and most others, "Where the News Comes First")

-Four-note signature (KOIN or WDAF; KTBC, WFTX, possibly derived from Newswatch 24?)

-Seven-note signature (WUAB)

-Eight-note signature (KSAZ, matches up to a sung "The Spirit of Arizona")

 

I think it was a dual commissioning: WXIX and KSDK. KSDK would have commissioned the NBC version. I disagree with the WOIO statement. The signature is blasted by some cheesy synth trumpet-y thing in the WOIO version. It's cheesier than the actual package.

[djlynch 54]

 

Less certain is the four-note version, which was first used by KOIN in 1994-1995. I actually think the commissioning station may be

(compare to the Impact variant with the same signature; they are listed as 1995-97 but I'm tempted to say September 1994-1997). KTBC and WFTX adopted the theme too late.

 

The four-note signature is the same one that KTBC was using in a custom

and

package that lasted only a few months in 1994-1995 before they went to Prime News. I have to assume that this isn't a coincidence.

[Leavellebrett 85]

 

The four-note signature is the same one that KTBC was using in a custom

and

package that lasted only a few months in 1994-1995 before they went to Prime News. I have to assume that this isn't a coincidence.

 

That signature has been used in packages like the WDAF version of Impact, Leading Edge, The News Image (and News Image Plus), 360, and many others.

[Samantha 2876]

 

That signature has been used in packages like the WDAF version of Impact, Leading Edge, The News Image (and News Image Plus), 360, and many others.

 

Well, the signature is traced back to Newswatch 24 like so:

 

Newswatch 24 (commissioned 1992)

Prime News, four-note version (1994)

Impact with Newswatch 24 Signature (1996)

Impact with Newswatch 24 Signature, WDAF Remix (1997)*

 

I must say I've never heard of any connection to Leading Edge for WDAF. The News Image, maybe, but then it didn't show up in the Silvertree 1987 theme.**

 

What is a fact is that KOIN in 1994 was using four-note Prime News (which the NMSA does not indicate). KTBC did not debut it until mid-1995, around nine months later.

 

*Produced, in all likelihood, by WDAF's then-ND.

**One of a few themes I have near-100% confidence in being Silvertree. When WWTV showed up with it, it was almost a lock.

[cbs2newengland 71]

I've got lost with KCNC. They seemed to have like 3 different themes running in the mid to late 80s. Not sure if one was used for evenings or for the Colorado Evening News or what. I can't tell them part.

 

My .02

[Samantha 2876]

 

I've got lost with KCNC. They seemed to have like 3 different themes running in the mid to late 80s. Not sure if one was used for evenings or for the Colorado Evening News or what. I can't tell them part.

 

My .02

 

Yeah, they do confuse easily.

 

1983: KCNC uses the Lucas/McFaul GE theme for opens, possibly Image IV for some elements, plus All the News as a station package and in everything except opens. I really wonder if the GE theme was also used by sister WRGB (if you notice, their 1980s logos are similar).

 

1985: Newschannel for some opens plus Image IV for some opens plus Image VI for the Colorado Evening News. [Where was Image V used? Colorado Evening News? This was the worst jam.]

 

1987/88: Gilmer revamps KCNC's music, producing a new Image IV that was commercially released and is used at 4pm; a new theme, Image VII, for almost all other newscasts; and possibly the original Image VIII, for the Colorado Evening News. (It is worth noting that there were four variations of open graphics used during the Image VII era; the Image IV open available from this era is from the third graphic set which was being used by 1989. With the second set KCNC dropped the NewsCenter 4 name for its newscasts.)

 

1993: Gilmer produces Image IX, which is released along with a new station logo and graphic set. I think this was the first time in more than a decade that KCNC had restrained itself to one music package (or possibly with the 1992 Image VII round of opens).

 

1995: Gilmer produces Image X in conjunction with the station's switch to CBS. Elements of Image X sneak into KCNC's newscasts as early as the summer of 1995, particularly on the 4pm newscast.

 

1997: Gilmer produces Spirit News as the station refreshes its logo and adopts the "Spirit of Colorado" slogan. [i'm in total agreement on Spirit News being a "refreshed" Image IX — I have the long samples of all of the packages from Image VIII to XTreme News — the latter is the only one less than 5 minutes, and the longest one is a whopping 11:44).

 

2000/01: Gilmer produces XTreme News. Spirit News hangs around in certain places. (The open was changed in 2003 one last time before KCNC is brought in line with other CBS O&Os.)

[djlynch 54]

 

Well, the signature is traced back to Newswatch 24 like so:

 

Newswatch 24 (commissioned 1992)

Prime News, four-note version (1994)

Impact with Newswatch 24 Signature (1996)

Impact with Newswatch 24 Signature, WDAF Remix (1997)*

 

The Newswatch 24 signature is different from the one in Prime News and either version of Impact. In Newswatch 24, the third note is higher in pitch than the second and fourth. In the others, it's lower.

[cbs2newengland 71]

I was asking in the sense of Gilmer, his first theme was used in 1986. Three of his themes seemed to run in tandem from that point till 89.

 

 

1987/88: Gilmer revamps KCNC's music, producing a new Image IV that was commercially released and is used at 4pm; a new theme, Image VII, for almost all other newscasts; and possibly the original Image VIII, for the Colorado Evening News. (It is worth noting that there were four variations of open graphics used during the Image VII era; the Image IV open available from this era is from the third graphic set which was being used by 1989. With the second set KCNC dropped the NewsCenter 4 name for its newscasts.)

 

Was Image VII the theme used in the station ID, "Proud to be owned by NBC"? Because in this NMSA's entry on Cut 3 of Image IV to be exact, sounds like the Image VII.

 

1993: Gilmer produces Image IX, which is released along with a new station logo and graphic set. I think this was the first time in more than a decade that KCNC had restrained itself to one music package (or possibly with the 1992 Image VII round of opens).

 

 

1995: Gilmer produces Image X in conjunction with the station's switch to CBS. Elements of Image X sneak into KCNC's newscasts as early as the summer of 1995, particularly on the 4pm newscast.

 

Oh and I thought the NMSA screwed up with the open of First News at 4 being Image X, given the timing - I thought that theme was part of Image IX since it was still using the NBC O&O look. Oh and KCNC ruled the look, they made WNBC's N4NY look so cheap. This was the advantage (before cloud systems and cutting artist positions) using mandates + local artists, because one station could make a complete ass of themselves (yup I'm talking to you WNBC!), and another station take the mandate past left field and score big time. I'm 4 Colorado for that look of that time.

[ToriElectra 291]

I like that look too, although it seems that Al Vanik's voice is less effective when he tries to pitch it up (listen to some of those opens; you'll know what I mean). But where are Image I, II, and III? How many are there? (We should make a map of the music packs KCNC has used.)

[detroiter313 178]

 

But where are Image I, II, and III? How many are there?

 

There are actually seven news packages of Jerome Gilmer's 'Image' series, the first was 'Image IV' in 1983 and ended with 'Image X' in 1995. (And sorry, there is no Image I, II, or III of the series)

[cbs2newengland 71]

 

There are actually seven news packages of Jerome Gilmer's 'Image' series, the first was 'Image IV' in 1983 and ended with 'Image X' in 1995. (And sorry, there is no Image I, II, or III of the series)

 

There has to be a reason behind it. Maybe the first 3 were for another station?

[Samantha 2876]

 

There has to be a reason behind it. Maybe the first 3 were for another station?

 

As to the name of the packages, keep in mind that the name for "Image IV" was probably designed to refer to, you know, four.

 

 

Was Image VII the theme used in the station ID, "Proud to be owned by NBC"? Because in this NMSA's entry on Cut 3 of Image IV to be exact, sounds like the Image VII.

 

That is the c1989 sample I mentioned.

[cbs2newengland 71]

 

As to the name of the packages, keep in mind that the name for "Image IV" was probably designed to refer to, you know, four.

 

Oh - how could I miss that? I was familiar with the packages and never put the two together.

 

That is the c1989 sample I mentioned.

 

 

I must've gotten lost reading the history. What got me wondering was why did KCNC used Gari's Newschannel then used the other themes in tandem? Musically seemed to be a lot of clutter till the turn of the decade.

[Samantha 2876]

 

I must've gotten lost reading the history. What got me wondering was why did KCNC used Gari's Newschannel then used the other themes in tandem? Musically seemed to be a lot of clutter till the turn of the decade.

 

Some stations have extremely convoluted news music histories. KSNF is another example — it's so bad that I've had to write about it on several occasions.

[Leavellebrett 85]

Bumping this thread because I have confirmation that Jerome Gilmer did not make the altered WSB version of Image VIII. He appears to have never known about it.