France 2


 * Satdish
 * interactv.online.fr Antenne 2 France 2
 * MEDIAS.lenodal.com: Antenne 2 France 2
 * GenTV.be: Antenne 2 France 2
 * Digitalfernsehen Sender-Datenbank

1967–1975


RTF's second television network, La deuxième chaîne, started experimental broadcasts on December 21, 1963 and had its official start on April 18, 1964. A few months later, RTF was replaced by ORTF.

During the RTF/ORTF years, the channel used a series of 2s to distinguish itself from the first channel. The one seen above was taken from the channel's colour opening animation. La deuxième chaîne was the first French channel to start broadcasting colour in 1967.


 * Satdish - RTF/ORTF

1975–1982


In 1974, it was decided that the ORTF would be broken up into smaller entities, including three separate organisations for each of the TV channels. The third channel would be operated by Antenne 2.

ORTF ceased to be at the end of 1974, and the channels changed their names on January 6. Antenne 2 went in a untraditional direction with a logo created by the painter Georges Mathieu.

At the start and end of Antenne 2's broadcast day, there was an animation shown depicting seven flying men in blue coats. At the end of the animation, a large 2 would be revealed and the men would turn around to reveal the letters A, N, T, E, N, N and E written on their coats. The animation was created by Jean-Michel Folon and was accompanied by a sombre melody called played by oboe and orchestra. The melody was written by Michel Colombier and is called Emmanuael from his album Wings. The logo used in other parts of Antenne 2's presentation doesn't appear in this animation. The animation was used by Antenne 2 from its founding in Janaury 1975 to September 1983.


 * 

1983–1986


During this period, there was essentially two logos, one long logo with the full name, and a shorter with only the letter A and the number 2 in a circle.

In September 1983, the flying blue men were replaced by an electronically animated opening. This opening animation would remain for most of the 1980s, even though a new logo was adopted in 1986.


 * INA.fr
 * Dailymotion: Interlude 1984
 * Dailymotion: Interlude 1985/1986



1986–1987


In 1986, Antenne 2 introduced a new logo, consisting of a written A and a solid 2.


 * Dailymotion: Interlude 1986/1987
 * Dailymotion: Closing 1986

1987–1990


New graphics came in 1987.


 * Dailymotion: Jingle 1987
 * Dailymotion: Clip from A2 1987
 * Dailymotion: Trailer from 1989/1990

1990–1992


Antenne 2's last logo was adopted in 1990. It depicted a 2 on a blue plate.

1992–2002


On September 7, 1992, the organisations behind the two public television channels, Antenne 2 and FR3, merged to form France Télévision. The names were changed at the same time to France 2 and France 3, and both were given new logos and looks.

The new identity for the two channels was created by Gédéon, the same company who made Disney Channel France's 1999 idents. They started at the numbers of the channels and went for a solution involving splitscreens. France 2's graphics focused on two vertical splitscreens, while France 3's graphics involved three horizontal splitscreens.


 * MEDIA.lendodal.com: 1992 1993 1994

France 2 was given a new look about 1995, but this time it was done by the Spanish company Ostra Delta. This package kept the splitscreen theme for the break bumpers.


 * 
 * MEDIA.lendodal.com: 1995 1996

Yet another graphics package was introduced about 1997 and created by View.
 * 
 * BUF.com
 * MEDIA.lendodal.com: 1997 1998

On January 4, 1999, France 2 launched a completely new look. This time they went back to Gédéon for their graphics. The new break bumpers abandoned the split screen theme and instead featured dancers. They were done by choreographer Philippe Decouflé.


 * 
 * MEDIA.lendodal.com: 1999

The dancers went away February 14, 2000 in favour of new break bumpers, designed by Gédéon.
 * 
 * MEDIA.lendodal.com: 2000 2001

2002–2008


On January 7, 2002, France Télévisions introduced a new look across all its three channels. At the same times La Cinquème changed its name to France 5, in line with its two big sisters. The rebrand cost 2,3 million euros and was done by Gédéon.

The new break bumpers for France 2 featured humourous illusions. These break bumpers were obviously popular, as France 2 decided to keep and add to them for most of the remaining decade.


 * 
 * MEDIA.lendodal.com: 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

2008–


On April 7, 2008, France Télévisions introduced a company-wide image refresh, which included an updated logo and the addition of gradients to the logos of each channel. Although some new graphics were introduced and the logo was moved, this didn't change any fundamental elements of France 2's on-screen presentation.


 * MEDIA.lenodal.com: 2008

On January 5, 2009, France Télévisions stopped broadcasting advertising after 8 p.m. In place of the break bumpers, they would now show short 20 second films, similar to the idents used in the United Kingdom. The idents were based on two scenes shown side-by-side, that were joined at the end. They were produced by an agency called Ultimatum. There will still be ads in the daytime until 2011, and as break bumpers, they used shorter versions of the idents.


 * BLOG.lenodal.com
 * MEDIA.lenodal.com: 2009