Austin PBS

Background: KLRU is the PBS affiliate located in Austin, Texas.

KLRU

1st Logo
(1988-1993?)

Nickname: "2D Dome with Star"

Logo: On a Dallas blue background, we see a 2D image of the top of the Texas Capitol Dome with a giant star in the middle. "KLRU/AUSTIN" in yellow zooms out below.

Variants:

There is a slightly shorter version towards the end the animation.
A longer version exists as a local ID. The text "KLRU TV-18" swings into view, rendered in shiny silver 3D. While swinging into place, the Capital Dome and the text "AUSTIN", which is smaller in print, zoom in and a yellow star outline spins and zooms out. Then they all come into place, and the star gets filled.

FX/SFX: "KLRU/AUSTIN" zooming out.

Music/Sounds: A cymbal sounder. The local ID had a proud piano tune, with other instruments in there.

Availability: Extinct. It was seen on late 1980's to early 1990's episodes of Austin City Limits, after the Southwest Texas Public Broadcasting Council split into two.

Editor's Note: The cymbal sound can be a bit startling.

2nd Logo
(1993?-1998)

Nickname: "Another Skyline at Night"

Logo: We see the Austin skyline under the night sky (from the ACL Season 18 intro). A comet comes in from the right, and when it gets to the middle, it flashes a giant KLRU logo on top, with a small "AUSTIN" below it.

Variant:A local version exists, with either a greenish starfield, blue-gradient, or orange-gradient background, and the KLRU logo spins in and below. "AUSTIN" fades in below, before fading out, and written in its place is "Join us" in a script font. That text shines. It also has a still version.

FX/SFX: The comet shooting and unveiling the logo. All CGI animation.

Music/Sounds:Same as the previous logo. On one occasion, this was mixed with the closing theme. The local version is the same as before.

Availability: Extinct. It was seen on 90s episodes of Austin City Limits.

Editor's Note:The comet is a bit choppy. Also, there is no reflection for the KLRU logo. Plus, couldn't they have gotten their own background? Overall a bit simple, but relatively clean though, and improved from the previous logo.

3rd Logo
(1998-2006?)

Nickname: "Static"

Logo: Over static, we see a static red KLRU logo in a much thinner font zoom in. "Austin" fades in below, and a background of TV static moves below, making the background black. The logo shines.

FX/SFX: The TV static moving down.

Music/Sounds: A buzzing noise.

Availability: On early 2000s episodes of Austin City Limits.

Editor's Note: The sudden appearance and look of the logo may startle some.

4th Logo
(200?-2007?)

Logo: On a black/gray gradient background, we see "KLRU" in the same font as the previous logo zooming out and spinning clockwise flipping letter by letter, as well as the PBS logo. Below the logo stretches in "Austin Texas".All of this is colored red.

FX/SFX: The spinning and stretching.

Music/Sounds: A string is heard at the beginning followed by a downward three note chime arpeggio, then five piano notes that repeat again, but are played on bells.

Availability: Likely seen on Austin City Limits and was seen on Public Strategies Inc.

Editor's Note: None.

5th Logo

(2007?-2008?)

TBA

6th Logo

(2008?-December 21, 2019)

Logo: On a black or light gray background, we see the letters "klru" in azure with the PBS Circle P-Heads logo on the right sliding in. An aurora surrounds the logo as "austin, texas" appears under it.

Trivia: The P-Head animation is used by other PBS logos.

Variants:

On one episode of Arts In Context, "austin, texas" is missing.
On another episode of said show, "austin," appears first, then "texas".
A short version fades into the logo without the sliding, one of them which has "austin," already there, and "texas" fades in.
Another version has a copyright stamp that reads "A production of KLRU-TV Capital of Texas Public Telecommunications Council © (YEAR)".

FS/SFX: Just the aurora and the text appearance.

Music/Sounds: A soothing chime sounder.

Music/Sounds Variants:

On the short version, a synth electric guitar tune is used.
On Austin City Limits, both the chime and the guitar play simultaneously.
There is also a silent version
This might have the end theme play.

Availability: Seen on episodes of Austin City Limits from 2008 to 2019. Last seen on the annual rebroadcast of the Tom Waits episode in 2019.

Editor's Note: None.

7th Logo

(2012)

Logo:On a black background, we see a group of circles explode from the center, revealing the KLRU logo. Below is a "50" in a circle next to "years". Below that is "austin, texas". The circles move in different directions.

FX/SFX: The circles.

Music/Sounds: The synth electric guitar tune from the short version of the previous logo.

Availability: Extinct. Seen as a 50th anniversary logo.

Editor's Note: None.

AUSTIN PBS

1st Logo

(November 6, 2019- )

Logo: TBA

FX/SFX: TBA

Music/Sounds: TBA

Availability: Brand new. Seen on Overheard with Evan Smith and new episodes of Austin City Limits beginning on December 28, 2019.

Editor's Note: None.

Austin PBS

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