Post Production History
From 1983 to 1992, Night Tracks' post production facilities have provided their services in Chyroning (titling) music videos and ending credits to each show. You can tell by the five different Chyron fonts used in the 9 year history and also by watching the ending credits that Night Tracks used a total of five post production facilities.
NOTE: The version number designation for the Chyron font used history were from my 9 years of observations and not from any official sources.
Post Production Facility: Pacific Video
 |
1.00: The first Chyron version used on Night Tracks' premiere on Friday, June 3, 1983 and the short lived America's Music Tracks (Country Music). Everything was evenly spaced. |
Post Production Facility: The Post Group
 |
2.00: It was first used around May 1985. The lines were sometimes not evenly spaced or were spaced too far apart and the Chyron font was just too big. |
Post Production Facility: Laser Edit, Inc. (My personal favorite Chyron)
 |
3.00: It was first used in Autumn 1986 when "Two People" by TINA TURNER was released. I really loved and missed the 3.xx version because it was the perfect (and neatest) version. It was never ever unevenly spaced in lines or characters unlike 2.00 and 4.xx versions. |
 |
3.10: The Night Tracks Logo was added to the upper right hand corner of the TV screen. It was first seen in late Summer 1987 when "Bad" by MICHAEL JACKSON was relased. It's a really nice addition that made the best Night Tracks Chyron even better! |
 |
3.11: (experimental Chyron) The examples are "Another Lover" by GIANT STEPS, "Thriller" by MICHAEL JACKSON, "Never Tear Us Apart" by INXS, the rerelease of "Red, Red Wine" by UB40, "Wild, Wild West" by THE ESCAPE CLUB, and a few more. The only difference from version 3.10 is that the third line used huge letters or about the same size as the first line. It was temporarily used from late Summer 1988 to early Autumn 1988. It then switched back to version 3.10 but a new post production facility with a new Chyron is in the horizon. |
Post Production Facility: Vidcom Post in Burbank, California
 |
4.00: It was first used in mid Autumn 1988. It also had the Night Tracks logo on the upper right hand corner of the TV screen. The only difference was the slightly bigger logo and the ® mark addition. It tried to imitate its predecessor, but looked like it was having a very hard time being evenly spaced except for a few videos such as "Bad Medicine" by BON JOVI, "More Than You Know" by MARTIKA, "Closer To Fine" by THE INDIGO GIRLS, and "Real, Real, Real" by JESUS JONES. |
 |
4.01: (experimental Chyron) The last line of "Cross My Heart" by EIGHTH WONDER and "I like It" by DINO look different. |
 |
4.10: The Night Tracks logo was removed for some unknown reason in August 1989. I first thought that Mr. Ted Turner was going to create a new music video cable network to give mtv/vh-1 some kick@$$ competition but it didn't happen, sigh. It would have been very nice to have something else to watch besides what Viacom wants the public to see. |
![image not available]() |
4.11: (experimental Chyron) The third line used huge letters or about the same size as the first line on "Partyman" by PRINCE. |
 |
4.12: (experimental Chyron) The third line of "Rock Wit' Cha" by BOBBY BROWN is in lower case letters. |
Post Production Facility: Kappa Video Co. in Burbank, California
 |
5.00: First used in late 1991. Everything was spaced evenly. |
 |
5.01: (experimental Chyron) It was a blown up version first used in late 1991. |
I have also noticed that Night Tracks has a system of colors. Unlike mtv and vh1, Night Tracks' Chyrons are colored and they appeared to identify record labels. Sometimes they stray off but this appears to be the general rule about 99% of the time:
- reddish purple: Elektra
- orange (sometimes brown): A&M, American Gramaphone, Arista, Cypress
- yellow: China, London, Mercury, Polydor, PolyGram
- green: Capitol, EMI Records USA (frames), EMI Records USA (no frames), Epic, WTG
- blue green (completely retired in 1987): Atco, Atlantic, Columbia
- blue: Atco, Atlantic, BMG, Columbia, Def Jam, Jive, RCA
- purple (retired in 1986): , The David Geffen Company (DGC), Geffen, IRS, Sire, Warner Bros.
- white: 4th And Broadway, Amherst, Chrysalis, Curb, DGC, Delicious Vinyl GRP, Geffen, Giant, Hollywood, IRS, Impact, Island, MCA, Megaforce, Motown, Private Music, Relativity, Reprise, Rhino, SBK, Sire, Slash, Tommy Boy, Virgin, Warner Bros.
NIGHT TRACKS MAIN PAGE
Visit my other web sites!
Last modified on Friday, April 11, 2003.