MGM HD and E4 HD are the latest additions to the Sky line-up of high definition channels, both being officially added to the EPG earlier today.

There's a sense of déjà vu however, because once again a new HD channel is blighted by a huge and obnoxious on-screen digital graphic (DOG), or logo, stuck in one corner.  Telly Toad readers will remember our reaction to Disney's huge on-screen logo when their HD channel first launched, and thankfully it was eventually toned down (but is still far from ideal).  Now MGM is following suit, with a huge, bold “MGM HD” logo stuck on top of all their programming.

Now let's be clear here, the partnership between Sky and MGM is a good one, we can look forward to a 24-hour-a-day schedule of classic movies that have all been remastered for HD broadcast, but not with that huge, obnoxious logo stuck in the corner!

MGM HD's huge on-screen logo blights the launch night's showing of the Pink Panther movies. With any luck, Joanna Lumley will start a campaign to have it removed.

Disney Cinemagic HD launched today via the Sky platform, but the output is blighted by the most obnoxious digital on-screen graphic (DOG) of any of the UK's high definition channels.

Disney's standard-definition channels are widely considered the worst offenders when it comes to on-screen logos, with their intrusive positioning and screen-burning, solid primary colours, but their HD version is even more offensive, what with it being both huge and super-imposed upon what is supposed to be their premium offering.  Sure, it has slight transparency, but imagine going to see Snow White at the cinema and finding a huge pair of green Mickey Mouse ears occupying the lower left hand portion of the screen.

Here's the logo over a programme called Kim Possible.  That girl could have somebody's eye out, but I digress, click for a version at the original broadcast size...

...and just when you thought things couldn't get any worse, the same DOG repositioned in the 4:3 frame for the upscaled SD cartoon series, Tarzan. Well, at least it is in the correct aspect ratio.

There's a good chance that Disney's classic films (old and new) will be shown with this logo, in which case we'll be boycotting the channel.

UPDATE: This weekend's HD première of Pixar's Ratatouille was broadcast with a repositioned, slightly smaller and more opaque version of the logo. An improvement so perhaps someone at Disney is listening, but it's still far too distracting and intrusive.

If, like me, you feel like complaining, here are a couple of useful links:

E-mail Disney Cinemagic in the UK: feedback@disneycinemagic.co.uk
Sky Viewer Relations: Website Form (it's not really Sky's fault but every little helps)