ATN-7 (Australia)

Background
ATN-7 is the Sydney station of the Seven Network. It launched in 1956 to coinside with the Olympic Games in Melbourne.

(1956-19??)
Nicknames: "We're on the Air!" "On the Air with ATN"

Logo: We see three cartoon chickens around the ATN logo of the time singing, followed by a jumpcut to a cartoon kangaroo pointing at a painting/drawing on an easel with a smile on it's face. We then see a cartoon man looking at his TV in exaggerated shock. Next, we see a matte graphic of musical instruments and notes, followed by the heads of a smiling man and a confused woman with an ATN camera in the background, then a cartoon family laughing at their TV. Next, we see an image of the ATN transmitter which pans backwards as "bolts" come off it, a-la the RKO Pictures logo of the time, we then cut to an animation of a clock and sand timer followed by the cartoon kangaroo from earlier pulling a chair towards the TV, then sitting in it. We then cut to a pair of eyes which move around the letters "ATN" before resting on top of them. Next we see the cartoon kangaroo again, this time standing still as the camera moves in and out of focus. We then see the same kangaroo standing in front of a screen with the "ATN" letters on it and applauding. Finally, we see the kangaroo nailing a sign reading "Channel 7" to a wall, before cutting to the then-current ATN logo as an announcer presents the next show.

Variants: For the 40th anniversary of HSV-7 in Melbourne and the 50th anniversary of BTQ-7 in Brisbane, Seven strangely created edited versions of this ident which replaced ATN with each station's respective call sign whenever it appeared on screen and rather haphazardly cut any references to ATN in the lyrics of the song. This was done despite this ident never having been used in either market

FX/SFX: 1950s 2-D animation.

Music/Sounds: A jingle called "We're on the air", similar in tune and lyrical themes to "This is It" from The Bugs Bunny Show, then an announcer presenting the next program.

Availability: Extinct.

Editor's Note: This is probably one of the oldest surviving Australian TV idents, dating back to the very first year of television in Australia.

(1986-1988?)
Nicknames: Skyline" "Stylized Sydney" Logo: We see a stylized crowd drawn in an angular style, we then zoom forwards, away from the crowd to reveal the Sydney Tower (now known as Centrepoint Tower), rendered in an angular style, reminiscent of a neon sign. We then pan around to see other Sydney landmarks rendered in a similar fashion including the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House, before zooming down between the buildings and over the harbour. The scene then fades to a 3D rendering of the "7" from the then current logo, rising from a flat position and swinging around as the rainbow ring zooms into place and the logo settles against a translucent panel.

FX/SFX: Incredible CGI for the time and quite possibly a live-action model for the final Seven logo.

Music/Sounds: An intense, percussion driven piece featuring vocoders.

Availability: Extinct.

Editor's Note: None.