WLWT was established by the Crosley Broadcasting Corporation, owners of WLW (700 AM), one of the United States' most powerful radio stations. After starting experimental broadcasts in 1946 as W8XCT on channel 1, the station began commercial broadcasts on February 9, 1948 on VHF channel 4, making it Cincinnati's first television station, Ohio's second (after WEWS-TV in Cleveland), and America's seventeenth. Following the release of the FCC's Sixth Report and Order in 1952, all of Cincinnati's VHF stations changed channel positions. WLWT was reassigned to channel 5, as the previous channel 4 allocation was shifted north to Columbus and given to sister station WLWC (now WCMH-TV), which began operations in April 1949.
1952–1959[]
1959–1964[]
1964–1969[]
1969–1972[]
News bumper
This logo resembles the one used by KPIX in San Francisco.
1972–1976[]
1976–1998[]
1976–1979[]
During this period, WLWT was known as "5, The Originator" as a reference to its role in producing first-run programming such as The Phil Donahue Show.
1979–1984[]
News open (1983–1984)
This Helvetica "5" was also used by WMAQ-TV in Chicago, minus the Multimedia symbol.
1984–1992[]
Italicized version of the Helvetica "5".
"Cincinnati Style" version (mid-1980s)
"Cincinnati Style" promo (1984)
1986-1992 version
News open (1986-1988)
News open (1988-1989)
News open (1989–1993)
Newscast logo with "Going Places" slogan
USA Today On TV ad.
1992–1993[]
1993–1998[]
News 5 logo (1993-1998)
WLWT weather logo, 1993–1998
Nobody Brings You Closer (1993)
Nobody Brings You Closer (1995)
Must See TV (1996)
A Friends flashback.
The World's Greatest Magic promo.
Invasion.
1998–2004[]
Designer:
LoConte-Goldman Design E.Q. Vance
Typography:
Bank Gothic Trade Gothic Condensed Bold #20
Launched:
Late 1998
Early variant.
Station ID (1998-2004)
Eyewitness News 5 logo (1998-2004)
Eyewitness News 5 Today logo (1998-2004)
"Target 5" investigative team open (1998-2004)
StormCenter 5 logo
1990's early 2000's news graphic (This version comes from an archive airing of Sam Wyche's "You don't live in Cleveland" speech)
Tuesday Comedy promo.
The West Wing ad.
Friends and more Must See TV shows.
The Little Richard Movie.
2004–present[]
2004–2013[]
"News 5" logo (2004-2013)
News 5 Today logo (2004-2013)
"Blitz 5" sports program logo (2004-2013)
"Target 5" investigative team logo
Power of 5 Radar Network
StormTeam 5 Weather promo (2004–06)
65 Years (2013)
This looks similar to the KXAS-TV logo from 1998 to 2012 which lacks the star.