Network News Music

“Good Morning America” Current Theme

admin — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 20:58:14 +0000

When George Stephanopolous succeeded Diane Sawyer as anchor of Good Morning America, this theme was launched. This update of the previous theme – also by DreamArtists Studios – is intended to reflect the more newsy direction that GMA has taken. The new theme was accompanied by a new opening format: (1) opening vamp under introductions by the main anchors, (2) main theme under a montage announcing the featured stories, (3) musical build over announcer with visuals of Times Square and (4) bumper into the show. The weekend edition of GMA continues to use the previous theme.

DreamArtists Studios - Good Morning America

“20/20″ Current Theme

admin — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 20:44:44 +0000

20/20 started using this theme in september 2009. However, the theme was originally used for ABC branding promos starting in 2008. The promo was popular and the network liked the music so much that they asked the composers – DreamArtists Studios – to develop an entire package around it for the ABC newsmagazine.

DreamArtists Studios - 20/20

“Face the Nation” Current Theme

admin — Thu, 28 May 2009 21:06:19 +0000

This is a fuller, more orchestral arrangement of the previous theme. After pulling double duty on the Evening News and Face the Nation, Bob Schieffer returned full time to Face the Nation after Katie Couric started as main anchor at CBS. He is now the sunday morning moderator with the longest tenure.

Peter Fish - Face the Nation theme

“Focus Earth with Bob Woodruff” Theme

admin — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 21:07:09 +0000

Focus Earth is a weekly newscast focussing on environmental and energy issues. It is produced by ABC News but not many people are aware of it. That’s because it airs on Discovery’s “Planet Green” channel, which is not available in all parts of the country. The theme is composed by DreamArtists Studios.

DreamArtists Studios - Focus Earth

“Good Morning America” 2007 – 2009 Open

admin — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 19:51:18 +0000

This very classy theme debuted in 2007. It’s composed by DreamArtists Studios, which is a New York-based music production house specialized in film and television music. This theme features the ABC News signature. In 2007 Good Morning America expanded to three hours, as NBC’s Today expanded to four. Unlike Today, however, the last hour is not seen on broadcast television, but pnly on the digital news channel ABC News Now.

DreamArtists Studios - Good Morning America open

“Campaign 06″ Theme

admin — Thu, 31 Aug 2006 23:00:00 +0000

James Horner’s CBS package is fairly extensive. This is the music that CBS uses for the election coverage since Katie Couric took over as lead anchor.

James Horner - CBS News Campaign theme

“Today” 2006 Promo

admin — Wed, 16 Aug 2006 16:08:16 +0000

Another image campaign for Today by the folks at 615 Music. This was one was used to promote the start of a new era for Today, without Katie Couric and with Meredith Vieira. Customized versions were done for a number of NBC stations, including those in Atlanta, Miami and San Diego. Interestingly enough, a version of this campaign was also created with the tagline: “It’s a new hour…of Today”. The decision to add a fourth hour was not yet announced, probably not even made, but they did commission the music to promote it. However, it wasn’t used to promote the fourth hour. For that, a new image campaign by 615 was commissioned.

615 Music - It's a new day

615 Music - It's a new hour

“CBS Evening News” Current Theme

admin — Tue, 15 Aug 2006 20:48:18 +0000

The CBS Evening News was given a total makeover when Katie Couric debuted as anchor. The theme was composed by James Horner (famous for his scoring of the hit movie Titanic). CBS wanted Horner to create a theme that stood out from other news themes, including its previous theme. Joel Beckerman of Man Made Music helped Horner convert his music to a real theme package by, for example, adding the three notes at the beginning of the headline tease. The theme has various opens and versions to reflect the different moods of the newscast. CBS likes the music so much, they asked Horner to adapt the theme for use on other CBS News programs such as the Early Show. This theme is also used by the CBS Morning News.

James Horner - CBS Evening News close

Below is the open to the CBS Evening News with Katie Couric. His voice accompanied the open even after his death.

James Horner - CBS Evening News open James Horner - CBS Evening News open (with Cronkite voiceover)

“Primetime” Current Theme

admin — Wed, 10 Aug 2005 20:11:24 +0000

Primetime Live in its heyday was a successful hard-hitting and investigative live newsmagazine. The program in its “Thursday”-days wasn’t as strong, likely due to the lack of energy anchors Diane Sawyer and Charles Gibson could afford to spend on the show considering their GMA-day jobs. To fix things, ABC appointed a prominent producer, renamed the show and added a whole bunch of anchors. Charles Gibson was dropped as an anchor officially, but continued to contribute to the program. Diane Sawyer does still anchor, rotating with Chris Cuomo, Cynthia McFadden, and John Quiñones. A new theme along with a totally new graphics package was introduced. In 2005 the program dropped the “Live” off of its name, simply now being called Primtime.

Bill Conti - Primetime theme

“Good Morning America” 2005 – 2007 Promo Campaign

admin — Wed, 10 Aug 2005 19:47:22 +0000

From 2001 to 2005 GMA used the popular though not commercially released song “Good Things are Happening” by Bill Deasy as their music in promos for the program. In 2005 they switched to an equally cheerful song, “Good to Go”. The song is sung by country singer Julie Roberts and, by means of warning, it gets stuck in your head very easily.

Julie Roberts - Good to Go

“Nightline” Current theme

admin — Tue, 09 Aug 2005 18:27:11 +0000

Nightline underwent drastic changes in 2005 when Ted Koppel retired from the program. First of all, it no longer focused on a single topic. A typical Nightline now has three topics. Secondly, three anchors replaced just one. Terry Moran, Martin Bashir and Cynthia McFadden anchor from studios in Washington and New York. And thirdly, they went a totally different direction with the theme music. It is composed by VideoHelper. I like this theme a lot. We knew Nightline featured hart hitting journalism. Now with so much percussion in the theme, it is hard hitting in the most literal sense of the word!

VideoHelper - Nightline theme

“Seven News” (Australia) Current Theme

admin — Mon, 16 Aug 2004 20:31:47 +0000

Like in the USA, The Mission continues to be a popular theme in Australia. This is the latest arrangement, provided to you as a bonus. It’s off the air and sounds kind of rough–the heavy sound effects contributing to that.

Unknown - Seven News theme

“Decision 2004/2008″ Theme

admin — Mon, 16 Aug 2004 20:26:25 +0000

Election themes don’t get much better than this. Michael Karp composed this theme which was used for the 2004, 2006 and 2008 elections. Decision 2004 was the last election anchored by Tom Brokaw who retired days later from NBC Nightly News. He anchored from a huge set built on and around Rockefeller Plaza (which was temporarily renamed Democracy Plaza).

Michael Karp Music - Decision 2008 theme

“Early Today” Current Theme

admin — Mon, 16 Aug 2004 18:58:02 +0000

In 2004 Early Today received a complete makeover. MSNBC took over production of the show and it shifted focus from financial news to general news. Subsequently Early Today got new graphics, a new theme and a new anchor. In fact, since 2004 anchors changes have been frequent. Natalie Morales, Amy Robach, Contessa Brewer and Kristine Johnson have all anchored the program. The theme is composed by Savage and Laporta.

Save and Laporta - Early Today theme

“Meet the Press” Current Theme

admin — Mon, 16 Aug 2004 16:13:03 +0000

This is the very subtilely updated Part IV of The Mission, used for Meet the Press. As the longest running program on television, Meet the Press often digs into its huge archives in a segment called “Meet the Press Minute”. Usually its a historical clip related to the events of the present day.

John Williams - Meet the Press theme