ABC7 Los Angeles, the on-air identity of KABC-TV, is one of the most enduring local television brands in the United States. Its visual identity is built around the “Circle 7” logo, a mark introduced in 1962 that remains central to the station’s on-air and digital presence today.
Design and History
The Circle 7 logo was created by G. Dean Smith, a San Francisco graphic designer, and was first used in 1962 by ABC for its then five owned-and-operated television stations, including KABC-TV in Los Angeles.[1][2] Smith, who opened his graphic design firm in San Francisco in 1959, designed the first of the trademark symbols in 1962 for ABC’s San Francisco outlet, KGO-TV.[1] The mark was subsequently adopted by the other ABC owned-and-operated stations on channel 7, including KABC-TV.[1]
KABC-TV began on-air operations on September 16, 1949, as KECA-TV, and adopted the KABC-TV call letters on February 1, 1954.[2] The Circle 7 logo was introduced at the station in 1962.[2]
In February 2026, KABC-TV and KGO-TV in the San Francisco Bay Area switched to an updated version of the Circle 7 logo to align their looks with the group’s New York and Chicago stations, WABC and WLS.[3] Prior to this change, KABC-TV used a slightly flatter version of the Circle 7 that still maintained subtle shading.[4]
Meaning and Symbolism
The Circle 7 logo functions as a direct visual reference to the station’s broadcast channel position, channel 7.[5] The design was part of a broader approach by Smith, who was credited with replacing firm names or initials with simple symbols more suggestive of the sophisticated complexities of modern conglomerates.[1]
Typography and Design
The Circle 7 logo consists of a numeral “7” enclosed within a circle.[4] The design was originally created in 1962 by G. Dean Smith for ABC.[4] The mark has been used in various forms across ABC’s owned-and-operated stations, with KABC-TV historically using a slightly flatter version with subtle shading before the 2026 unification.[4]
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