"We now conclude our broadcast day..."

[Skyfire77]

Our much-missed second PBS station, WQEX, had some really imaginative sign-offs, which I've finally been able to find:

There's also the more traditional National Anthem:

[nickhasanexocet]

@skyfire77 I really can't imagine a PBS station airing a national anthem like that in 2021 let alone having a sense of humor. Different times.

[Qaaaaa]

@nickhasanexocet the main reason why they wouldn’t in 2021 is the death of the “sign off” concept

[Skyfire77]

@nickhasanexocet WQED is our "traditional" PBS affiliate, while WQEX was where you went for soaps like Eastenders, comedies like 'Allo, 'Allo!, or SciFi like Red Dwarf, Blake's 7, or Dr. Who.

The channel also did similarly themed opening skits (in one, the same engineer gets They Live-style sunglasses from the guy who wanders by ranting about the end of the world in the second ending, and sees subliminal messages around Dahntan Pittsburgh), but I haven't found them online yet.

[Skyfire77]

@qaaaaa The subject of a TV station shutting down for the night came up on the MST3K Twitch channel last night, and some of us old farts were explaining the concept to the younger viewers who've never experienced such a thing.

[Chariotoflove]

@skyfire77
Oh that’s fantastic. And from what should usually be a stodgy PBS station.

“The shortest distance between two points is under construction. “. That’s gold.

[Chariotoflove]

@skyfire77
I haven’t seen a broadcast of Blake’s 7 in over 30 years. I wonder if anyone even has copies to run anymore.

[Skyfire77]

@chariotoflove Welcome to Pittsburgh.

"History has stopped; nothing exists except an endless present in which the roads are under construction."

"If you want a picture of the future, imagine a group of construction workers standing around, forever."