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TODAY'S HIT NEWS MUSIC

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WE'RE BRINGING YOU AN EVEN BETTER VARIETY OF TODAY'S HIT NEWS MUSIC!

This website is devoted to bringing you, the listener, a mix TV news themes from today and some from the past.  Some of these themes are currently used on local newscasts around the country, while others have been used on newscasts over the years.

You must have RealPlayer and even Windows Media Player to download these themes.  Don't have either?

Install RealPlayer

Here is a sampling of newscast themes used on local news:

DAN'S HALL OF FAME

There have been a lot of newscast themes over the years, but these themes are legends.

WCFT EYEWITNESS NEWS 33 1979 THEME

Now here's that late-1970's theme from "The News for Tuscaloosa."

KWTV "COUNT ON 9" 1979-80 PROMO

KWTV NEWSLINE 9 1979-84 THEME

In 1979 Dennis King Kizer in Oklahoma City composed "Count on 9" as the 1979-80 TV season theme for KWTV Channel 9 in Oklahoma City.  He also composed its accompanying news theme, which, however, ran until 1984!  The news theme first heard on KWTV Newsline 9; also heard on KHJ (now KCAL) Channel 9 in Los Angeles during most of the 1980's.

WALA FOX 10 NEWS CURRENT THEME

Here's Fox 10 Action News' current theme.

COMING SOON TO UPN50!!!

NOTE: NOT ALL PROGRAMS MAY APPEAR AT THEIR REGULAR TIMES DUE TO SUCH UPN50 SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS AND/OR SPORTS COVERAGE. CHECK LISTINGS AND VISIT UPN50.COM FOR ALL THE DETAILS.

Did you know that?

Ken Daniels, who calls the Detroit Red Wings for UPN50, is a former sportscaster for CBC Sports in Canada? It's true.

Joe Louis Arena, the home of the Detroit Red Wings, is nationally known to UPN viewers as a frequent site of "WWF Smackdown?" It's true. JLA is the Detroit home for WWF Wrestling. The Palace of Auburn Hills, home of the Detroit Pistons, has hosted WCW Wrestling.

"Fox NFL Sunday" made its Detroit debut on UPN50? It's true. Between December 1994, when WJBK Channel 2 joined Fox as "Fox 2 Detroit," and February 2001, when the XFL on UPN premiered, there was no football on UPN50! The XFL folded at the end of the season and there's no football package on UPN50.

This section written by Dan Gates and not affiliated with UPN50 WKBD, Paramount Stations Group or their successor companies.
Last Updated on September 21, 2001
UPN50 is a programming service of Viacom International, Inc.

If you have a related UPN50 story, please e-mail me!

OTHER CLASSIC THEMES!

These themes may not have legendary status, but they have become classics.  Some of these themes are still used today.

DANNA NAMED GM; LABOE JOINS WDVD
UPN50 has named Linda Danna, formerly of UPN69 in Atlanta, the General Manager of UPN50. Meanwhile, Leslie LaBoe is another UPN50 reporter leaving for radio. She now joins Rocky Allen on WDVD FM 96.3.

REDMOND WILL NOT CALL FOX SPORTS NET ROAD GAMES
Mickey Redmond will now concentrate his time on being the color commentator for UPN50's Detroit Red Wings games. The only road games he will be calling will be on UPN50. His UPN50 partner will still be Ken Daniels.

THANK YOU TIGER FANS!
Thanks for a great season of Detroit Tigers baseball on UPN50 this year! See you in April!

"ENTERPRISE," "BUFFY" #1 ON THEIR DAYS!
The premiere of "Enterprise" was the highest rated Wednesday night show in Detroit on September 26th, and this Wednesday was dethroned in the ratings by "Dawson's Creek," on Channel 20, which so far was the highest rated program in the Detroit area for the week beginning September 30th Number one on Tuesday night in the Detroit area this week was the season premiere of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," new to the UPN50 lineup this year.

UPN50 PITCHES IN FOR RELIEF EFFORT
UPN50 and all the other Viacom-owned Detroit entities teamed up for the successful "We Care Detroit" campaign to raise money for the American Red Cross Disaster Fund.

IT'S BLAHA AND LAIMBEER ON "PISTONS BASKETBALL."
Bill Laimbeer has joined George Blaha in the broadcast booth for the 2001-2002 Detroit Pistons basketball season. UPN50 will be airing 32 games this year starting on October 30th.

UPN50 NEWS DIRECTOR RESIGNS
Tom Bell, the news director for UPN50, has just resigned. In recent months, as it must to most 10pm newscasts,
In recent years, UPN50's 10pm news ratings have declined, owing to, in addition to some of the strongest 10pm series on the "Big 3" networks in recent history, including "ER" and "NYPD Blue," but also because of WJBK-Channel 2, whose 10pm newscast has had "11pm news" ratings at the same time (prior to its Fox affiliation, Fox 2 Detroit had been a CBS affiliate.)

UPN50 SET FOR ANOTHER SEASON OF RED WINGS HOCKEY
Ken Daniels and Mickey Redmond will be back for another season of Detroit Red Wings hockey on UPN50 this October.

UPN50 PRE-EMPTS TIGERS GAME
An August 28 Detroit Tigers home game was pre-empted on UPN50 in order to carry live coverage of the annual "Source Hip-Hop Awards." This game may have been made up with a September Tigers road game not on the team's TV schedule. Last year, UPN50 pre-empted a Rangers-Tigers game in Detroit for the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and made up for it by carrying a Tigers-Rangers game from Arlington, Texas later in the year.

CROSSING OVER NOW ON UPN50
After a full season on the Sci-Fi Channel, "Crossing Over with John Edward" now joins the UPN50 schedule. Weekdays at 12noon. If you missed it, tune in to Detroit's 62CBS weekdays at 5:30pm.

OLYMPICS TO AFFECT UPN50 SCHEDULE!
With the Salt Lake City Olympics coming this February--and the NHL's best participating, UPN50's schedule will be affected. There will only be a few Red wings games this February, a sweeps month, but fans do have WWF Smackdown and Pistons basketball and movies to choose from during February. So you'll see more George Blaha and less Ken Daniels in February (unless Mr. Daniels gets a shot of international fame as a color commentator for NBC's Olympic hockey coverage--his former CBC colleagues, including Ron MacLean, who has been borrowed frequently by NBC; Scott Russell; Brian Williams--not the NBC newscaster; Bob Cole; and Chris Cuthbert among them will be in Salt Lake City for CBC's coverage of the Olympics.)

MORE LOCAL NEWS STRAIGHT TO THE POINT!
At the end of each hour, watch UPN50 for the latest breaking stories! Another service to UPN50 viewers.

UPN GIVES UP XFL; XFL FOLDS
UPN has decided not to renew its XFL coverage next season and, as a result, the XFL has folded after a single season. The WWF co-owned the XFL with NBC, and a combined $75 million was lost. Not only that, but low ratings also cost the XFL a second season.

UPN50 THIS FALL!!
This fall, UPN50's got more pop! Besides "WWF Smackdown," reruns, and movies, as well as the "Ten O'Clock News" and "STV Detroit," there will be Tigers, Red Wings, and Pistons action! And don't miss "Roswell" and "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," moving to UPN50 this year! The big premiere on UPN this fall is "Enterprise!" We've got new episodes and reruns of your favorite UPN50 shows! New Movies! New series! Are you ready? Watch UPN50! We've got more pop!

WKBD WON 4 LOCAL EMMIES!!!
UPN50 has won 4 local Emmies, including one for the "Coming in February" promotion! Congratulations!

For all the latest news that's "Straight to the Point," watch the UPN50 TEN O'CLOCK NEWS TONIGHT!!!
If you missed it, tune in to 62CBS NEWS Tonight at 11pm.
For all the latest sports news, tune in to STV Detroit weeknights after the Ten O'Clock News.

THE CURRENT HITS and THE NEW CLASSICS

These themes will one day become classics.  Some of these themes have already become what I call "The New Classics."

Composed by Frank Gari, "The Paramount" was first heard on the Ten O'Clock News in September 1997. It remains UPN50's theme today and is also used on KSTW UPN11 News in Seattle-Tacoma

KTTV Fox11 News at Ten Current Theme/The "X" Package

WTTG Fox5 News@Ten Current Theme/ The "X2" Package

UPN50 being a former Fox affiliate and also using a Frank Gari package, I also felt necessary to provide links to his two Fox affiliate packages--The "X" Package, first heard on KTTV Fox11 News at Ten in Los Angeles, and the "X2" Package, first heard on the WTTG Fox5 News@Ten in Washington. KDVR Fox31 News at Nine in Denver also uses the "X" Package, and coming soon to a Fox affiliate near you! (If you know of a Fox affiliate which uses the "X" or "X2" package, please e-mail me at rdg17@hotmail.com)

BONUS! Fox11 News at Ten Talent open! Watch for nationally-known Fox11 First Warning weatherman Mark Thompson in the open! Courtesy the Los Angeles NewsCenter.

WTXF Fox 29 Ten O'Clock News Current Open

WTXF "Fox Philadelphia" will forever be connected with UPN50 for various reasons. In 1994, both WKBD and WTXF were owned by the same company, Paramount Stations Group, and were on the verge of becoming Fox O&O's when WJBK Channel 2 took the Fox affiliation. To this day, only WTXF is a Fox O&O, with WJBK becoming a Fox O&O in 1997. "NewsEdge" by Stephen Arnold is Fox Philadelphia's current theme.

ktLA News at Ten Current Open and Bumper

WKBD's ownership group, Paramount Stations Group, was founded in 1947 with the launch of KTLA Channel 5 in Los Angeles, now a Tribune Broadcasting O&O and a WB affiliate. The News at Ten's current theme is "Flashpoint" by 615 Music Library.

BONUS! KTLA News at Ten Talent Open! Listen for Dean Richards' voice! Courtesy of the Los Angeles NewsCenter.