The Mix Of '96 - The Day Action News Changed Its Anthem.

[@stevenkaye4528]

I can’t believe I just watched a documentary about local news music. I also can’t believe I am going to watch it again.

[@helenie47]

So thankful they didn’t change the music! So much nostalgia, that edit took me back in time

[@davidsharp3110]

...and now, the real story! Finally. Thanks for this!

[@tylerty3368]

Wow a 6abc masterpiece! Excellent upload 6abc team!

[@jkschlitz]

Is it a great piece of music? Absolutely. Would I ever want it (or anything) to replace the old theme? Hell no.

[@sometimesjoeyplays]

I’ll always cherish Jim Gardner’s farewell broadcast, I had never sung the MCTYW lyrics so loud in the credits. But I wanted Jim to know, that I indeed, would move closer to my world.

[@StarZendonna1687]

I like the Orchestral version, and I was disappointed that the original version returned to the airwaves, but my parents said, "SHOW RESPECT to the BONGOS!!" That was a earful.

[@DonDonP1]

I've only been to an airport in Philly, but I love both versions of "Move Closer."

[@StarZendonna1687]

@@DonDonP1 As do I

[@MattSuguisAsFondAsEverrr]

The thing is, the thing about news themes is that the urgent percussion and rhythm is what defines them that's why the beeps in the BBC News theme works

[@bmasters1981]

And that's also why the teletype synthesizer sound in the 1978 ABC News theme music by Bob Israel (mostly used for the original WNT w/Jennings, Robinson and Reynolds, though variations were used for other ABC News programs, like 20/20) worked for so long as well, and why it has been modified in many different ways over the years.

[@DonDonP1]

Cool! That makes me want to do my fan-made mockup cover of "Move Closer to the World" by combining elements of the original 1972 recording with just a few elemetns of the 1996 one. Yes, I will include the bongos.

[@emeraldkz7]

Honestly an underrated piece. I love the softer audio. As a resident of the Wyoming Valley (still MCTYW territory) they could probably change it up here, but I don't know how many people would be too happy about that. Also, probably the greatest unsolved mystery in history.

[@nedwart]

I wonder if someone at NFL Films (or perhaps even ABC) didn't agree with the choice to change the theme, and delivered a hastily-made mix in an act of quiet dissent, knowing the blowback would be significant anyway. Great story.

[@shaneharrisnj3484]

And ever since that 1996 debacle... WPVI hasn't changed the theme (outside of pitch) ever since. MCTYW still remains as the oldest continually used local news theme on American television, longer than "The Tar Sequence." Greets from Salem.

[@bobbijonelson888]

I knew I wasn't crazy! My sister and I remember when we heard the remix of the theme song. We always talked about it to other people and they thought we were nuts😂 😅 I knew I wasn't experiencing a Mandela effect 😁

[@degerdi]

Gary Papa 😢

[@jeffreykoerber6595]

I still like the old 70s version much better than the 1996 version & 2014 remix. It needs the cheesy bongos and the singers. That’s what makes it badass! I live in northern Maryland and got WPVI when I was a kid in the 80s and watched Ch. 6 News when I was at my grandparents in Southern PA. I was surprised in the 90s and early 2000s, when I heard it on 87.7 FM tapping the steering wheel of my car (any ch. 6 audio was receivable on most FM radios before DTV) and still get WPVI occasionally on summer nights. I wasn’t aware that it was a Philadelphia anthem until recently. Kudos to Ch. 6 that they still use the 70s jingle and the well produced, fast paced opener starring the people of Philadelphia, updated for each season and the cold ending that gives the anchors a rush of adrenaline.

[@MPsNewswatch]

I still prefer the original, although Tom's new mix is better.

[@jonacme]

My mom and dad complained about this when they first heard the reorchestraed variant back in 1996. They called NEWS SIX and took a drive on city line ave just to imagine seeing protesters demanding WPVI to change the theme back. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. MCTYW should be nationally registered historically.

[@nomiSimple]

excellent editing on this piece!

[@DIsaac614]

Only WPVI 6abc and poke fun at itself and it is just as epic as you expect!

[@ronturner5]

As far as I know, the original "Move Closer To Your World" was updated in 2014, and has been used for the Action News opening since then. The ending music is still the original Walter Liss/AL Ham version.

[@bigsarge8795]

There's that news van again..

[@Telehell]

I'm a fan of TV Incidental/background music, and while I thought the "New" theme was Just OK (all things considered), I Do sympathize with those who are tradition minded ("If it ain't Broke..."). At the same time, you kinda have to feel for the composer who spent all that time putting something together, only for it to see the light of day for 3 days--and then never again...THAT being said, I think the theme might've been best used for "Special" occasions (I.e. Debates, Elections, Milestones, etc.) but NOT as the main theme; leave that one alone. Also, I hope I'm not tempting fate to ask if you also had the Bumper/commercial/News Break version of the updated theme...strictly for compare/contrast purposes, of course.

[@bmasters1981]

"I Do sympathize with those who are tradition minded ("If it ain't Broke...")." Oddly enough (OT), I've felt that way about this as it relates to the college football theme music for CBS Sports (at least in the studio presentation), because back when I was a boy, the studio presentation was called The NCAA Today (it started in 1982, and as a studio show had Brent Musburger [who was also on The NFL Today at the time on Sundays], alongside Pat O'Brien and Ara Parseghian). That setup lasted that season and 1983, before turning into the College Football Report in 1984; the music lasted that season, and two more after that (the first two years of The Prudential College Football Report w/then-newcomer Jim Nantz from 1985 and 1986 [a cut was used for the sponsor bumper w/the late Don Robertson, famed CBS Sports announcer, and a similar version of that cut was used for commercial breaks when other scores were shown over marching bands, at least in the 1985 season]). However, in 1987, CBS Sports debuted the college football music by Lloyd Landesman (it started at the top of Super Bowl XXI in '87 between Denver and the New York Giants) that quickly became as much the earworm for college football fans as the 6ABC Move Closer to Your World theme did for television news in the City of Brotherly Love, and has lasted even through the run of the SEC on CBS, and even now for Big Ten football today on CBS; while I can understand how it grew on a lot of college football fans, the problem I have with it is that it permeates the whole college football Saturday (game and studio), just like the present-day ES Posthumus NFL on CBS theme does on Sundays (as such, I wouldn't have had a problem with it if it was just on the games, and the NCAA Today music was still in the studio [it ended when the Landesman music debuted], but of course, as they say, money talks).

[@ryanortega1511]

You can ask Tom Hedden.

[@NeilBulk]

This was the New Coke of TV news theme recordings. I'm glad he had the opportunity to go back to the original tapes and create a final mix but why is it monaural?

[@ryanortega1511]

When did WPVI have stereo in its newscasts?

[@NeilBulk]

@@ryanortega1511 What would be the point of going to London and recording to multitrack to modernize the recording if it's not going to be mixed into stereo? But even then, if you don't think they wanted the theme to be in stereo in 1996, the fact that he completed a new mix in 2024 in mono is baffling.

[@johnpaullennon1199]

Sounds amazing! ❤

[@soulchorea]

Even in the completed version -- it is missing the punchy, driving, "four on the floor" low end; that's obviously where the soul is coming from, and of course everyone would notice that being taken away.

[@juliaz12345]

As much as I love the original version, I loved this orchestral version when it played those few days. That being said, I totally understand why purple hated it. We're a city of traditions. We don't like change. When Jim Gardner retired, he needed to be replaced by anchors we already knew or hell would have broken loose. This is how we see Action News and its connection to the city and the Delaware Valley as a whole. It needs to be the bongos and the singers. Even though the orchestral theme was well written, well produced and well intentioned, it fell flat because it was Acton News trying to change up something. Well done documentary.

[@TMacGamer]

Never change that iconic music. If it aint broke...

[@billjobes1851]

The big missed opportunity in the remixed, re-recorded theme, is that the bongos weren't replaced with cow bells. A perfect homage to the farms that (once) surrounded the city.

[@genegjr]

I love this new version of the Action news theme they could use it only on the 10 am-11am Newscasts weekdays only and use the original one on the 4 pm 5 on 6 pm and 11 pm Newscasts and on weekends 😊😊😊

[@hookem2003]

Where can we get the "Move Closer" t-shirt, like the ones shown in the end of the credits?

[@bostonterriergames1987]

I can be a pretty traditionalist stick in the mud, and I love the classic theme. But I really don't think the 1996 version sounded bad, or that it was even THAT much of a change from the old one. It's not like they totally changed the tune, or arranged it into something trendy at the time like grunge, hip-hop, or techno. I think people would have gotten used to the new version. As we know see with social media, there are always going to be complaints about change, but after a few months, people would have moved on. Now, if there's a news music package really worth complaining about, it's the one currently on KYW/CBS 3 (and I believe all the other CBS O&O stations). Incredibly monotonous and generic stuff, and the more uptempo/dancy version heard on the 9 AM newscast (possibly among other places) is particularly annoying.

[@bmasters1981]

Not to leave out, the soulless change of all titles to CBS News (area), which totally obliterated the EWN name that KYW was known for in the City of Brotherly Love.

[@sacredwolf2012]

I can now understand why people in Philadelphia were very upset when WPVI 6ABC briefly changed & remixed Move Closer To Your World, only to air 3 days.

[@JK_Chapman]

WNEP-16 in northeast PA did something similar having historically used one of the traditional versions of Walt Liss' MCTYW.. sometime in the early 90s they 'updated' to a more 'modern' arrangement of MCTYW and while it was familiar it just wasn't the same.. if you search around on YT you can find most of the original 8-10 versions of MCTYW including the extended version without lyrics that was used for some broadcasts

[@neves5083]

That was surprisingly interesting

[@vicf6509]

I remember when this happened. 😮

[@hiresrootbeer1876]

Even after hearing this "official version" of the 1996 "Move Closer To Your World," I can honestly say, without fear of contradiction say, I still don't like it.

[@williameinhorn9487]

Love this documentary on this disaster. Sorry, even with the correct remix, you can't change the Philadelphia anthem.

[@Jerseyguy8527]

The "new version" just seems too heavy.. the Action News was great because it was light and happy. Im actually happy it was released early so that it was never changed permanently

[@briangreenberg6021]

It's like Coca-Cola going to New Coke, and then back to Classic Coke.

[@marc3702]

I don't hate it. I am not nuts about the middle, but I like the open and close. But at this point, the original cannot be changed.

[@MetroShadow1]

RELEASE THE ORCHESTRA CUT!!!

[@turbo1431]

So... are we going to get an investigation into who sent the uncompleted mix?

[@jeffkleist9679]

I tell you exactly what the problem with it is, it's too professional and clean. Sounds like it belongs on a national news broadcast and doesn't reflect the character of Philly the way the dirt and grime on the original recording does. The original recording feels like Rocky not Rittenhouse Square

[@gchsbus]

"Back to you, Jimbo!"

[@LaurenLover81]

Is it possible to take this MIX OF ‘96 cut and somehow make it viral on TikTok? I mean, the theme’s perfect to play at the KIMMEL CENTER or on the AVENUE OF THE ARTS.

[@DarkwingMcQuack]

The orchestra version is the far superior version. People in the Philly area just hate change.

[@monicam4792]

I remember when this happened..it was horrid . I've watch ch 6 all my life, even when I'm away from here I find it on my app.

[@redwinmedia]

I don't think it's the mix so much as the recording that is lousy.

[@jafosmite]

I like the new (old) arrangement. Just not sure why it sounds like it's in mono. No real stereo spread.

[@imal25]

IT WAS ON FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 20, 1996.

[@billdanbury]

A date which will live in infamy!

[@arianaalioth]

Im confused how NFL Films is involved with this

[@SigmaRho2922]

The 1996 rendition of the theme should have only been used for elections...

[@sandytoo-hi8fw]

I don't hate it....but it's too pretentious. Nice if you are at a concert by the Philadelphia Orchestra or a football game, but not for a news broadcast.

[@jeffreykoerber6595]

I’m sure the Philadelphia Orchestra at least emphasizes the bongos.

[@pacdude]

Still not as good as the original but this is such a good story!

[@rickyt11010]

Still sucks. Id rather see people be happy about the new sixers stadium than hear that mix play in place of the holy original music. I'd rather them send Gritty to rehab and get his act together than hear that again. I'd rather them bring Tom Brady out of retirement to play for the Eagles than poison my ears with that horrid mix. That said its good but the original can never be replaced. The original feels like Philly, it sounds like Philly, and I bet it smells like Philly too.

[@helenie47]

Rehab would do gritty some good.

[@danc.732]

Nobody is happy about the new sixers arena

[@superharry484]

@@danc.732 The new Sixers arena, if indeed it is placed in Center City, will be a breeding ground for crime. The sports venues were placed where they are for a good reason. As for the Action News theme, Move Closer To Your World is not the theme used in 1970 when the format began. I do not know what it was called but you can pull it up here on KZbin. In my opinion it was better, & made one think of the word 'Action'.

[@danc.732]

@@superharry484 You sound like a scared baby

[@ejb7969]

I was hoping someone would mention that earliest version.

[@arianaalioth]

I wouldnt take credit for that either! The “final mix” is ok but it still doesnt belong on the news. Its still awful compared to the bongos and vocals

[@billdanbury]

He had the chance to put the bongos back and yet he did not.

[@tcidolfan]

There is an old addage in this, if it ain't broke, don't try to fix it!!! LOL

[@darrenw.alexander708]

If it isn't broke, don't fix it. Keep the original.

[@LaurenLover81]

I remember that very Friday back in 1996. Just in time for the season premiere of TGIF on ABC; the first TV season that Disney took over the network; and starting a magical journey with Disney and 6ABC. Guess 6ABC felt like it needed to modernize, and it had to launch the theme right in time for the season premiere of FAMILY MATTERS & BOY MEETS WORLD that same night. Plus debut of CLUELESS. We saw the result, and we went back. Just to note: not even a modernized theme like that would be bougie here in NYC. Then and now!!!

[@johnviera3884]

8:44 the original is just the best.it’s original the 2024 mix is the same exact thing as the new mix, but mixed differently. yay. moving on

[@TheOnjLouis]

9:43 No you did not just do this… You did not just talk all that talk and then upload the final mix in actual mono! Are you serious right now? As a musician this offends me on a deep, deep level. I waited until the end of the video to hear a mono mix? Come on. Reupload it properly in a separate post or something, at least. Give us the real thing. I’m not even from the US, I’m from London but I’m still interested in the topic. Who okayed this? Unokay it. I think I feel like all those people in the 90’s who heard it originally, but back then most TV’s were mono anyway. Now, there’s literally no excuse. Honestly…