In 1996, WLS-TV dropped the Eyewitness News brand after 28 years, in favor of the network-centric ABC 7 News; the move was part of a standard branding effort imposed by ABC across its owned-and-operated stations which saw the incorporation of the ABC name into their local brands.
1996–1999[]
1999–2001[]
ABC7 News generic open (1999–2001)
2001–2005[]
February–May 2001[]
2001–2003[]
2003-2005[]
2005–2013[]
Designer:
Hothaus Creative
Typography:
Linotype Aroma
Launched:
2005
2005–2007[]
2007–2013[]
ABC 7 Eyewitness News[]
2013–2023[]
On October 26, 2013, WLS-TV reintroduced the "Eyewitness News" brand (as ABC 7 Eyewitness News), as part of an overall rebranding of its newscasts that included new graphics and a modernized update to the "Stimulus" theme. In an interview with media columnist Robert Feder, WLS-TV president/general manager John Idler said the reasoning behind the restoration of the "Eyewitness News" brand, was that it "[still] resonated strongly with [viewers in] the Chicago market," despite being dropped by the station 17 years earlier.
2023–present[]
Designer:
Vivid Zero
Typography:
Proxima Nova
Launched:
June 13, 2023
On June 13, 2023, WLS-TV debuted the long-anticipated new ABC O&O group graphics package. The package has been in development for nearly four years with extensive market research from SmithGeiger guiding the overall rebranding effort.
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