Poll: Who grew up with PBS in their childhood like myself?

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I would like to know from all of those my age, 33, and close to it, who grew up with Public Television in the 1970s and 1980s? Especially the classic reading series that's coming to DVD on Tuesday, February 7, 2006; The Electric Company. Also want to know who else was bothered by the logo PBS used during those years like myself. For those not familiar with it and those that don't remember it, I'll describe it, the logo animation, that is.

A blue 'P' with no hole for the eye and no face would zoom from the center of the screen towards the upper center against a black background. It turned into the 'P' in PBS with the face and hole for the eye on its left as this weird Moog synthesizer jingle started, with the word PUBLIC in white Gothic font letters underneath. The blue 'P' with PUBLIC would move to their place on the left, followed by an orange B with two holes, the second appearing at the same time as the word BROADCASTING appeared in the same white Gothic font lettering as PUBLIC, underneath PUBLIC. Then a faded green S appeared with two holes, the second appearing at the same time the word SERVICE appeared under BROADCASTING in the same white letter Gothic font as that and PUBLIC. All of this was appearing in synchronization with the synthesizer notes. Came into use for the network about September 1971 (same year of my October 14th birthday) and used it up to September 1984. I've also got a sixteen millimeter film reel with an interesting variant of the logo animation that was a promo for two shows from the 1972-1973 season. There was this film reel also of the logo itself that appeared at the end of programs, but I had difficulty obtaining it from a film dealer who was more of a scam artist.

There was a special on PBS which had a segment on the making of the logo, might have been called "The Logo Revolution." The segment showed the animators trading ideas for the graphics, ideas were shown in cartoon with the artists' voices in the background. "The 'P' is backwards. Better turn it around." "No, if you turn it around, the face will poke right against the 'B'." Would anyone happen to have a recording of this special on VHS or DVD? Also would like others sharing their stories about the logo, the programming they grew up with.

I vaguely remember another variant of the logo animation, this one played between shows as opposed to playing at the end of them. It was a Christmas promo, three thick candles on a dining room table, there might have been a Christmas tree in the background with presents. The words "Season's Greetings" appeared in a cursive writing style letter by letter on screen under the candles, after that the candles dissolved to the three funky letters of the PBS logo. Then these people, I would guess of the local PBS station, wished everyone a Happy Holiday season. From what I have been told by others, the blue 'P' was wearing a Santa hat.

Who remembers the programs that would dissolve straight to the PBS logo instead of a fade to black before it, like the closings of "The MacNeil/Lehrer Report" like I used to see? It's where they would cross-fade to the logo at an approximate point in the animation where it still played in synchronization with the synthesizer notes. A couple of "The Electric Company" episodes I have in my collection have this cross-fade effect trick as well following the corporation/sponsor credits.

I look forward to the response of all interested parties.

I did too, though I was born in 1986. Sesame Street, Square One, and something else that was sceinc-y is what I remember. There was a MathNet skit on Square One once which I still find funny, but I don't remember a whole lot. I think carmen Sandiego might have been that channel too, but am unsure.

Wow dude, that was a really long post about pbs logos!

I'm not criticising you or anything. I just found it a little funny.
I don't remember the logos you are talking about, but I am only 29.
I did watch some pbs though. I used to get an electric company magazine that I thought was pretty awesome. "hey you guys!!"
And I know my brother used to call Mr. Rogers "sesame st. two"
Not sure if this was PBS, but I think I remember watching Bill Cosby on Capt. Kangaroo, and he would draw pictures with this magic marker. I had my own marker and I would follow along at home.
Oh and what about the Great Space Coaster? Anyone remember that.
No Gnus is good Gnus ??

What is interesting to me, is that a lot of us seem to have vivid memories about things from early childhood like this. I honestly remember stuff from preschool like it was just yesterday, and like I was basically the exact same person I am now. Whereas most people I have known in real life seem to not remember much of anything about those early years.

Let's see... A list of TV shows I used to watch

* Sesame Street
* Barney (when I was really little and with my younger sister)
* Shining Time Station (about Thomas the Tank Engine and all his friends)
* Zoom
* Mr. Rogers
* Bill Nye the Science Guy (my chem teacher reminds me of him. a lot!)
* Carmen SanDiego
* Kratt Brothers (adventures with animals)
* Arthur (based off the books by Marc Brown)

And there's probably a lot more. Yeah, PBS was pretty much the only thing my parents would let my sister and I watch, except for Seventh Heaven (which is on the WB), Jeopardy/Wheel of Fortune and the news, which is frankly boring to a six-year-old kid.

Who else was bothered by that PBS logo animation with accompanying Moog synthesizer jingle used from 1971-1984, which appeared on old programs being rerun as well? For me, the jingle was more scary than the animation. I have a vague memory of switching off the television when that I.D. came on screen just as the jingle was starting and turning it back on again only when I felt it was safe to do so. A female friend of mine had this same experience, as well as tuning in to the end of The MacNeil/Lehrer Report just to see the cross-fade to the PBS logo.

By the way, the cross-fade trick was also employed on the end of episodes of The Electric Company. I have two episodes in my collection that prove this.

For those who are interested in looking, I found a computer artwork replication of the 1971-1984 PBS I.D. logo in one of the Yahoo groups I belong to and posted it in the photo gallery.

You know I think I do remember that synthesizer noise you are talking about! It was quite annoying.

Uhhhh, Fraggle Rock was on HBO, not PBS

As a kid, practically all I watched (besides game shows and The Simpsons) was PBS kids' shows (and I admit, I watched them on a regular basis for way longer than most people). I loved Sesame Street, Mister Rogers, Square One, Carmen Sandiego, Lamb Chop, and Ghostwriter, and I admit I still enjoy those shows today (but only late 60s-to-early 90s Sesame Street - the new ones aren't the same at all). I also admit that I used to watch Barney *gags* up until about third or fourth grade. The Electric Company was before my time, but I recently watched an episode in the Museum of TV & Radio and it was enjoyable - I might check out the DVD set.

That scary 70s PBS logo (here's a video) was no longer in regular use by the time I was born (it was retired a few months before), but I was unfortunate enough to encounter it a few times, and that music was not easy on my young ears. However, I faced my fear for the first time a few years ago when I joined the Closing Logo Group. Yes, logos of this nature are one of my interests. There are a number of other people in that group who had similar experiences with logos, and probably not coincidentally, there are a number of other Aspies as well. In fact, at least one other member is among us (*waves to James*).

I watched PBS when I was really little. The shows I watched were Sesame Street, Barney, Shining Time Station, and Lamb Chop.

Oh, I loved PBS.

Barney...he's still awesome!
Ghostwriter....I just remember this show being really weird and mesmerizing
Mr. Rodgers...that guy is so awesome, he has lots of shoes!
Carmen San Diego...wasn't their a gameshow based on this, that's waht I'm thinking of.
I remember hating Sesame Street for whatever reason.

I too, was a subscriber to "The Electric Company Magazine."