Western International Syndication

Background

Western International Syndication was a television syndication company launched by Chris Lancey in 1987. The company was involved in a lawsuit with the Apollo Theater Foundation over trademark infringement in 2004, and would close down shortly after. [1]

Logo (September 12, 1987-September 16, 2001?)

` Visuals: On a space background, a globe of the Earth is seen rotating, as a comet emerges from its back side and hits California. A large flash appears and a silver abstract "W" emerges from the collision spot. The "W" then stretches beyond the Earth as it zooms into the background before the "W" swings into place. The text "WESTERN INTERNATIONAL SYNDICATION" then appears below the logo as the space background turns to black. There are lines above and below "INTERNATIONAL".

Variants:

On a 1993 NAPTE presentation, the logo fades to a background filled with red, yellow, and green spotlights as the logo turns to glass and zooms in, leading into the program.
On The Immortal (except for the pilot), the logo plays in warp-speed.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: An ominous synth score, alongside a whoosh as the W zooms out and a loud "BOOM!" as it fully appears. Rarely, the ending theme of a show plays.

Availability: It was seen at the end of syndicated prints of the TV-movie Child in the Night. Also seen on Showtime at the Apollo, the syndicated American adaptation of The Krypton Factor, Conan the Adventurer (1997), The Immortal (2000), and early episodes of Cheaters. Its last known appearance on TV was on a September 16, 2001 airing of Showtime at the Apollo, but some recent prints of their distributed shows can be seen on streaming services like Tubi and Freevee.