WPVI - The New Action News Theme - 1996

Here's the local television equivalent of "New Coke" - WPVI's short-lived attempt at changing the Action News theme music. I have the open and part of the close, as it was recorded. This and a bumper is all I have of this newscast.

Move Closer To Your World - WPVI's anthem - was two decades old at this point. WPVI had decided by 1996 that instead of giving the old theme constant remastering, it would be a good idea to bring the theme into the 1990s with a brand new arrangement.

WPVI spent $20,000 on the new theme, and this was considered a bargain price. The melody of the theme was to remain unchanged - all of the pieces in the theme were direct updates - but the feel has changed from "high school marching band" to "John Williams Symphony". And the symphony label is accurate - as noted in the Inquirer, the theme was recorded in London using 400 members of the London Philharmonic and London Symphony Orchestra - quite unusual for a news theme. The new theme debuted at 5pm on September 20, 1996, coinciding with a fresh batch of open montages. (In 1996, montages only changed in three-year intervals; nowadays they are revised yearly.)

Viewers howled in protest. The station was blindsided by the amount of angry calls and e-mail complaints. So, in just four days, "Move Closer To Your World" became probably the first and only news theme to be reinstated due to popular demand. I think the reason is obvious once you hear it. The theme sounds nice, but is quite jarring when juxtaposed with the fast-paced Action News flourishes.

The theme has not been replaced since then, and while WPVI has modernized some elements of its presentation, it has done so in a very gradual way. For example - the magnetic board weather was phased out very slowly from 1999-2001 for a giant video screen. Chromakey weather did not come to Action News until 2005. 615 Music composed some nice-sounding updates to the theme, but those have been used almost entirely in promos.

As for the new theme? Well, I do remember it being used for a special on the Republican convention in 2000, but that's about it...

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• WPVI
• Action
• News
• Move
• Closer
• To
• Your
• World
• Anthem
• 1996
• Rob
• Jennings

[djwash5]

Now I know why Philly don't like that

theme: Where are the bass line, the drums, and the bongos?!

[HulkieD]

@djwash5 Or, more importantly, where are the vocals at the end.

My clip doesn't have the full close, but the vocal part was replaced with a flute solo performing to the melody of the "Move Closer To Your World" lyrics before getting really thunderous, really fast.

[scrapplecheesesteak]

By the way, was that Ira Einhorn on the 'Big Story?. The nut job who fled to France after a late 1970s murder.

(And 1996..my God where does time go?!?)

[HulkieD]

No, that was John DuPont, who was involved (convicted?) in the murder of an amateur wrestler, Dave Schultz. I have a WCAU newscast that references this.

[AshburnStadium]

I thought this version of MCTYW debuted in 1997, not 1996, but I could be wrong! Viewer response WAS swift and severe - I thought it lasted five days.

Action News also changes their montages at the official beginning of every season, not every three years.

On the day of the spring equinox, for example, if spring arrives at 7:44 AM, the 5 AM broadcast will show the winter montage, but the 12 noon broadcast will show the spring montage.

[HulkieD]

Well, they do CHANGE the montage every season, but at this point they kept the montages for three years before completely revising them. Nowadays they do revise each open each year, adding new shots and switching old shots around.

[stevieboy247]

Everybody in and outside of Philly would have to agree that the 1996 orchestracal version of "Move Closer to Your World" really sucked human grapefruits!

[Albanynyer84]

Not very good

[baconhead2008]

This version doesn't sound all that bad but the original is supreme.

[jhshifris1]

@johnissoevil Disney had nothing to do with it.

[DartsRme312]

rob jennings does rule..he is so totally underrated

[johnissoevil]

I know Disney was on the verge of purchasing ABC, I'm wondering if the new theme was a move made by Disney. If it was...sorry Mickey Mouse, but you were trying to replace a fixture of Philadelphia TV that nobody was willing to let die so easily, and considering how bad this update to the theme was, I can't say I blame them!

[adamv2]

@HulkieD and speaking of which John DuPont passed away today.

[cowboyzsuk81]

I love how every year they have a different montage of images. its amazing. I love philly and Action News

[GuienGarma]

This would fit for a national newscast. But for a local one, no.

[DJTheC]

@jkminnich Honestly, it sounds like the National News such as NBC/ABC. On a lighter note, I wish WPXI and PCNC kept their MCTYW themes.