Sinclair Syndication Services

Background: Sinclair Syndication Services was a syndication company founded in 1979 by Raymond Sinclair, the owner of Sinclair TV, a local TV station based in Des Moines, Iowa. The company originally served to help distribute Sinclair's local news show The Daily Dough, as well as programs on his channel. Following Sinclair's death in 1998, the company was sold off to his three daughters, Blair, Diane and Elaine Sinclair. Around 2001, the company partnered with Warner Bros. Television to distribute the former's programs outside of Iowa. The company was eventually involved in a lawsuit made by SEGA against Harvest Entertainment, after the latter made a Sonic special without SEGA's permission (Sinclair handled the syndication rights), leading to severe financial issues. Due to the aforementioned lawsuit, as well as the inability to secure new clients, the company produced its final program on the network before it and the company shut down for good.

1st Logo

(1979)

Logo: On a black background, we see the white text, "DISTRIBUTED BY SINCLAIR SYNDICATION SERVICES"

FX/SFX: None.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Extinct. Only used on a test broadcast for The Daily Dough.

Scare Factor: None.

2nd Logo

(1980-1991)

Logo: On a dark orange background, we see three conjoined "s"'s in white zoom towards the viewer. After zooming, the gold-yellow text, "SINCLAIR SYNDICATION SERVICES" fades in. Each word is stacked on top of one another.

FX/SFX: The zooming and fading.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Extinct. Seen on The Daily Doughepisodes from the era. Was also seen on Home at Last.

Scare Factor: None.

3rd Logo

(1991-1998)

Logo: On a dark gold background, the conjoined "S"'s from before fade in and zoom out, moving towards the left. Afterwards, the white text "SINCLAIR SYNDICATION SERVICES" fades in next to it.

FX/SFX: The movement of the "S"'s and the text fading in.

Music/Sounds: Four synthesized violin notes.

Availability: Extremely rare. Seen on The Daily Doughepisodes from the 90s. Also made an appearance on Day In, Dey Outand the TV movie Vital Signs.

Scare Factor: None to minimal.

4th Logo

(2001-2007)

Logo: On a blue background he name of the company in white flashes in and out, one word at a time before all appearing together.

FX/SFX: The words flashing.

Music/Sounds: Blair, Diane and Elaine Sinclair singing the company name.

Availability: Very rare. Seen on The Evolution of Jazz and some TV movies from the period.

Scare Factor: None.

6th Logo

(2008-2013, 2014)

Logo: On a black background, we see a wireframe globe encased in a diamond. Above it is the "S" symbol. Both are yellow in color. To the left of the two is the text "DISTRIBUTED BY", beneath that text is "SINCLAIR SYNDICATION SERVICES", stacked on top of one another. Also below is the text "STATEWIDE DISTRIBUTION"

Variant: On programs distributed outside of Iowa, "STATEWIDE DISTRIBUTION" is replaced by "co-distributed through" and then it cuts to the Warner Bros. Television logo from the period.

FX/SFX: None.

Music/Sounds: None. Though at one point, it used a shortened rendition of the next logo's theme

Availability: Rare. Appeared onsome old traveling specials in local syndication.

Scare Factor: None.

7th Logo

(2014-2015)

Logo: On a blurry blue background, we see the name of the company appear one by one, before a flash appears showing the company text beneath the "S" symbol from earlier. The entire logo jitters.

FX/SFX: The words appearing and the flash, along with the jittering.

Music/Sounds: Two rising dramatic synth notes, followed by a high-pitched strike when the logo completely forms, along with some projector noises.

Availability: Extinct.Was only seen on STV's final program,36 Pretty Darn Good Years.

Scare Factor: Medium to high.