Logo descriptions by LongLifeRock, Reactor37654 and Mr3urious
Logo captures by mr3urious
Editions by V of Doom and mr3urious


Background: Associated-Rediffusion was the first ITV franchise to go on air, providing London's first weekday (Monday through Friday) service. A-R launched with a gala performance, presented jointly with ABC, on Thursday 22nd September 1955. In 1964 the channel shortned its name to "Rediffusion London". In 1968, the company's franchise wasn't renewed and it was replaced by Thames (a forced joint venture between Rediffusion and EMI, which by then owned Associated British Corporation, ABC's parent company; ABC had also lost its franchise that year). The surviving A-R/Rediffusion London archive material is owned by Archbuild Ltd. and is held by the British Film Institute.

In 1994, Victor Lewis-Smith purchased the rights to the Associated-Redifusion name (and related trademarks) and launched a new company under the legendary name (which has produced a number of acclaimed documentaries). The present-day A-R (http://www.associated-rediffusion.tv) is active as a producer of documentaries and drama programming for ITV, Channel 4 and Five.


1st Logo
(1955-Late 1950's?)

Nickname: "Spinning Star", "Adastral"

Logo: On a black background, a 16-pointed star (called the "Adastral" by the company's owners) spins a little clockwise while Associated-Rediffusion and Presents slide from the right and left sides of the screen, respectively.

Variant: There is a still logo that's already formed and just the music plays.

FX: The star spinning, the sliding text.

Cheesy Factor: Simple animation.

Music: A 5-note trombone fanfare.

Availability: Extinct.

Scare Factor: Medium; the fanfare can scare a few people.

2nd Logo
(Late 1950's?-1964)

Logo: Set against what appears to be a car is a slightly smaller version of the star from before with the words "ASSOCIATED-REDIFFUSION" are shown with "LONDON"S TELEVISION", in a slightly smaller font, below that. The camera then quickly pans up to a cameraman on a crane.

FX/Cheesy Factor: It's all live-action.

Music: Same as the first logo.

Availability: Extinct. Apparently used on outside broadcast (live remote) shows and news programming.

Scare Factor: Medium, due to the fanfare and general appearance of the logo.

2nd Logo
(1964-1968)

Nickname: "Spinning Star II", "Adastral Mk. 2", "A-R (or Rediffusion) Star"

Logo: On a gray background, a black rectangle extends to both sides of the screen. Once it is done, "Rediffusion" in white appears on the rectangle. The Adastral star and "London" appear above and below "Rediffusion" respectively. The star spins counterclockwise.

Variant: On the first year it was used, after the above details, the gray background would turn black via a sliding effect.

FX: The rectangle, star spinning, and sliding.

Cheesy Factor: Simple animation.

Music: A seven note horn fanfare composed by Johnny Dankworth.

Availability: Same as the previous logo. Was seen in-credit with animation on Ready, Steady Go! VHS releases in the mid-1980s.

Scare Factor: Low to medium; it is not as scary as the previous logo due to a lighter background.



3rd Logo
(1967-68)

Nickname: "Colour Spinning Star"

Logo: The familar Rediffusion London logo design from its previous incarnation is seen on the screen but this time, the background is blue and the Adastral is red (or, on a few programs, yellow). The lettering is a deeper white shade on the Rediffusion name and "London" is colored yellow.

FX: The familiar 16-pointed star spins as usual.

Cheesy Factor: Same as above.

Music: The same fanfare from the previous logo at the start of the program; silence or the closing theme finishing out.

Avaliability: Extinct. Was used on the few color programs made by the company prior to the controversial 1968 loss of their ITV franchise.

Scare Factor: High, due to the red Adastral spinning around...it almost resembles a bloodied saw blade in this incarnation.