(ABC Early Evening, 1953 - Present) [Although a weekly news summary was seen as early as 1950, and a flashier effort called "All-Star News" was attempted in 1951, it wasn't until 1953 that nightly evening news broadcasts began on the third network... "ABC News" a 15-minute newscast hosted by John Charles Daly, Fall, 1953 - Dec. 1960; "ABC News" a 15-minute newscast with various anchormen including John Cameron Swayze -- previously with NBC -- and Bill Shadel; Dec. 1960 - March, 1962; "ABC News" a 15-minute newscast hosted by Ron Cochran -- previously with CBS, March, 1962 - Jan. 1965; "Peter Jennings & The News" a 15-minute newscast hosted by Peter Jennings -- his first stint, Jan. 1965 - Oct. 1967; "Peter Jennings & The News" expanded to a 30-minute newscast hosted by Peter Jennings, Jan. 1965 - Oct., 1967; "ABC News" with Bob Young, Oct. 1967 - May, 1968; "ABC News" with Frank Reynolds, May, 1968 - May, 1969; "ABC News" with Frank Reynolds and Howard K. Smith, May, 1969 - Dec. 1970; "ABC News" with Harry Reasoner and Howard K. Smith, Dec. 1970 - Oct. 1976; "ABC News" with Harry Reasoner and Barbara Walters, Oct. 1976 - July, 1978; "ABC World News Tonight" with anchors in New York, Washington, Chicago, and London July, 1978 - Sep. 1983; "ABC World News Tonight with Peter Jennings" -- aka: "ABC News Tonight with Peter Jennings" -- his second stint Sep. 1983 - present.]
[Theme and composer credit in "TV Theme Soundtrack Directory" by Craig Patillo] Composer: Robert W. ("Bob") Cobert (ASCAP/BMI) Original Publisher: [not found in ASCAP or BMI] 2000 Publisher: [not found in ASCAP or BMI] Copyright Date: Renewal Date: Recordings:
[verified on an AirCheck of the ABC News Opening from 1976; writer uses the professional name "J. Scott" on some recordings] Composer: John Scott (British PRS/ASCAP) [professional name of Patrick John O'Hara Scott] 1978 Publisher: Emil Ascher, Inc. (ASCAP) 2001 Publisher: KPM Music Division (ASCAP) Composition Date: circa 1974 US Copyright Date: US Renewal Date: Recording: LP from the "KPM Recorded Music Library (British) "Active Open Air Themes for Full Orchestra" KPM 1138 Side A, Track 1
Composers: Billy Arnell (BMI), and Stephen ("Steve") Loeb (ASCAP) 1978 Publisher: [not found in ASCAP Performance Index, 1978] 2000 Publisher: ABC Circle Music, Inc. (BMI) c/o ABC Television, of New York, NY Copyright Date: Renewal Date: Recordings:
[aka: "ABC World News Theme", original title filed for copyright was: "ABC World News Motif Number 1 and 1a"] [the same melodic motif has been adapted and arranged as THEMEs for "ABC 20/20", and "ABC News Nightline" and the Sunday news magazine, "ABC News This Week". This work credited to Scheinert is sometimes in BMI as a work by Bob Israel, president of the NY Production house "Score Productions"; Perhaps Israel used the ALIAS of Scheinert for some reason, or if there was a motif Lillian Scheinert wrote he expanded on it.] Composer: Lillian Scheinert (BMI) [alias of Robert Arnold Israel] Original Publisher: ABC/Dunhill Music, Inc. (BMI) 2000 Publisher: ABC Circle Music, Inc. (BMI) c/o ABC Television, of New York, NY [as "ABC World News Motif Number 1 and 1a"]: Copyright Date: Sep. 5, 1978; PAu-68-717. Renewal Date: [as "ABC World News Theme"]: Copyright Date: April 15, 1981; PAu 299-906. Renewal Date: Recordings: