1998 In Television

Information about 1998 In Television

List of years in television (Table)
1988 ^. 1989 ^. 1990 ^. 1991 ^. 1992 ^. 1993 ^. 1994 1995 1996 1997 -1998- 1999 2000 2001 2002 ^. 2003 ^. 2004 ^. 2005 ^. 2006 ^. 2007 ^. 2008 In radio: 1995 1996 1997 -1998- 1999 2000 2001 In film: 1995 1996 1997 -1998- 1999 2000 2001
Related time period or subjects
… 1995 ^. 1996 ^. 1997 - 1998 - 1999 ^. 2000 ^. 2001 …… 1960s ^. 1970s ^. 1980s -1990s- 2000s ^. 2010s ^. 2020s …… 19th century ^. 20th century ^. 21st century …
Art ^. Archaeology ^. Architecture ^. Literature ^. Music ^. Science

The year 1998 in television involved some significant events. Below is a list of television-related events in 1998.

For the American TV schedule, see: 1998-99 United States network television schedule.

Events

March 29 - BBC America launches in the United States.
April 9 - The Price is Right airs its 5,000th episode on CBS.
April 18 - Toon Disney, a United States cable network devoted to playing Disney cartoons 24 hours a day, launches.
May 11 - ZDTV, a technology based cable channel (later TechTV, then G4techTV, now G4), is launched in the US.
May 18 - The British Academy Television Awards are awarded in the separate ceremony to the British Academy Film Awards for the first time.
July 15 - Zee TV, a Hindi television channel is launched in the USA.
July 31 - Former child star Gary Coleman is charged with assaulting a young female bus driver in a California shopping mall.
August 31 PAX TV launches, with very little or no sex, gay or other adult things.
September 23 - BBC Choice, the UK's first digital-only TV station, launches. BBC Parliament also launches on the same day.
September 26 - Cupid premeires on US television.
October 1 - Digital satellite television launches in the UK, operated by Sky Digital. This sees the start of UK channels transmitting in 16:9 widescreen.
October 2 - Kimberlin Brown makes her final contractual appearance as the villainess Sheila Carter on the soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful. Brown will return for non-contractual encores to reprise the character in 2002 and 2003.
November 1 - FilmFour launches in the UK. The opening night is simulcast on Channel 4.
November 15 - Digital terrestrial television launches in the UK, operated by ONdigital.
December 7 - ITV2 launches in the UK.
December 14 - After a world-record-breaking 75 consecutive victories, Ian Lygo makes his final appearance on the UK game show 100%, after being forced to retire by the show's producers.

Debuts

January 20 – Dawson's Creek premieres on The WB (1998-2003).
March 17 - For Your Love premieres on NBC (1998-2002)
May 11 - Call For Help premieres on ZDTV (1998-2004).
June 6 - Sex and the City premieres on HBO (1998-2004).
June - Forgive or Forget, hosted by Mother Love, premieres on syndication (1998-2000).
July 13 - The Sifl and Olly Show premieres on MTV (1998-1999).
July 19 - Oh Yeah! Cartoons premieres on Nickelodeon (1998-2001).
August 23 - That '70s Show premieres on FOX (1998-2006).
August 26 - Oh Baby debuts on Lifetime (1998-2000).
August 29 - SMTV Live premieres on ITV in the UK (1998-2003).
September 4 - Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? (1998-present) premieres on ITV. A year later, an American version will premiere.
September 8 - Pokémon premieres in syndication.
September 9 - First Wave premieres on Sci Fi Channel (1998-2000).
September 10 - PB&J Otter premieres on Playhouse Disney (1998-2000).
September 14 - Histeria! premieres on the WB. (1998-2000)
September 21 - The King of Queens premieres on CBS (1998-2007).
September 21 - Will & Grace premieres on NBC (1998-2006).
September 21 - Felicity premieres on The WB (1998-2002)
September 22 - Sports Night premieres on ABC
October 5 - CatDog premieres on Nickelodeon (1998-2001).
October 7 - Charmed premieres on The WB (1998-2006).
November 2 - Becker premieres on CBS (1998-2004).
November 18 - The Powerpuff Girls premieres on Cartoon Network (1998-2006).
December 26 - Rolie Polie Olie premieres on Playhouse Disney (1998-2002)

Television shows

1940s

Meet the Press (1947-present).
Candid Camera (1948-present).

1950s

Hallmark Hall of Fame (1951-present).
Guiding Light (1952-present).
The Today Show (1952-present).
Panorama (UK) (1953-present).
Face the Nation (1954-present).
The National (Canada) (1954-present)
The Tonight Show (1954-present).
This Is Your Life (UK) (1955-2003).
As the World Turns (1956-present).
What the Papers Say (UK) (1956-present).
The Sky at Night (UK) (1957-present).
Blue Peter (UK) (1958-present).
Grandstand (UK) (1958-2007).

1960s

Coronation Street (UK) (1960-present).
Four Corners (Australia) (1961-present).
It's Academic (1961-present).
The Late Late Show (Ireland) (1962-present).
General Hospital (1963-present).
Another World (1964-1999).
Top of the Pops (UK) (1964-2006).
Days of Our Lives (1965-present).
Play School (Australia) (1966-present).
The Money Programme (UK) (1966-present).
60 Minutes (1968-present).
One Life to Live (1968-present).
Sesame Street (1969-present).

1970s

All My Children (1970-present).
Monday Night Football (1970-present).
Masterpiece Theatre (1971-present).
Soul Train (1971-present).
Emmerdale (UK) (1972-present).
Newsround (UK) (1972-present).
The Price Is Right (1972-present).
Last of the Summer Wine (UK) (1973-present).
The Young and the Restless (1973-present).
Wish You Were Here...? (UK) (1974-present).
Arena (UK) (1975-present).
Good Morning America (1975-present).
Saturday Night Live (1975-present).
the fifth estate (Canada) (1975-present).
Wheel of Fortune (1975-present).
20/20 (1978-present).
Grange Hill (UK) (1978-present).
Antiques Roadshow (UK) (1979-present).
Nightline (1979-present).
This Old House (1979-present).

1980s

Entertainment Tonight (1981-present).
What Now (1982-present)
Timewatch (UK) (1982-present)
Jeopardy! (1964-1975, 1984-present).
The Bill (UK) (1984-present).
EastEnders (UK) (1985-present).
Neighbours (Australia) (1985-present).
Sally (1985-2002).
The Oprah Winfrey Show (1986-present).
Comic Relief (UK) (1986-present).
Casualty (UK) (1986-present).
ChuckleVision (UK) (1987-present).
Inspector Morse (UK) (1987-2000).
The Bold and the Beautiful (1987-present).
America's Most Wanted (1988-present).
The American Experience (1988-present).
Fair City (1988-present).
Home and Away (Australia) (1988-present).
Inside Edition (1988-present)
This Morning (UK) (1988-present).
Red Dwarf (UK) (1988-1999).
Mystery Science Theater 3000 (1988-1999).
The Ward (UK) (1988-2000).
Electric Circus (Canada) (1988-2003).
Baywatch (1989-2001).
COPS (1989-present).
The Simpsons (1989-present).

1990s

The X-Files (1993-2002).
Law & Order (1990-present).
America's Funniest Home Videos (1990-present).
One Foot in the Grave (UK) (1990-2000).
Home Improvement (1991-1999).
Rugrats (1991-2004).
The Jerry Springer Show (1991-present).
The Red Green Show (1991-2006).
Barney & Friends (1992-2002).
Dateline NBC (1992-present).
Mad About You (1992-1999).
The Real World (1992-present).
Frasier (1993-2004).
Ricki Lake (1993-2004).
Walker, Texas Ranger (1993-2001).
Late Night with Conan O'Brien (1993-present).
NYPD Blue (1993-2005).
(1993-1999).
(1993-1999).
The Late Show with David Letterman (1993-present).
The Nanny (1993-1999).
WWF RAW Is War/WWF War Zone (1993-present).
ER (1994-present).
Friends (1994-2004).
Time Team (UK) (1994-present).
Touched by an Angel (1994-2003).
JAG (1995-present).
Pamela Wallin Live (Canada) (1995-1999).
Pokémon (Japan, US) (1997,1998-present).
Sesame Park (Canada) (1995-2002).
Sliders (1995-2000).
(1995-2001).
The Drew Carey Show (1995-2004).
The Wheezer Bros. (1995-2001).
WCW Monday Nitro (1995-2001).
7th Heaven (1996-2006).
Access Hollywood (1996-present).
Dexter's Laboratory (1996-2003).
Doug (1991-1994, 1996-1999).
Everybody Loves Raymond (1996-2005).
Hey Arnold! (1996-2004).
Judge Judy (1996-present).
Spin City (1996-2002).
The Daily Show (1996-present).
100% (game show) (UK) (1997-2001).
Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003).
Cow and Chicken (1997-1999).
Daria (1997-2001).
Dharma & Greg (1997-2002).
Disney's One Saturday Morning (1997-2001).
Family Affairs (UK) (1997-2005).
Johnny Bravo (1997-2003).
Just Shoot Me! (1997-2003).
King of the Hill (1997-2006).
South Park (1997-present).
Stargate SG-1 (1997-present).
Sunset Beach (1997-1999).
The Practice (1997-2004).
Teletubbies (UK) (1997-2001).
The Wonderful World of Disney (1997-present).
Match Game (1962-1969, 1973-1984, 1990-1991, 1998-1999).

Ending this year

January 22 - The Demon Headmaster (UK) (1996-1998).
January 25 - The NFL on NBC (1939-1998, with numerous interruptions)
May 14 - Seinfeld (1989-1998).
May 18 – Murphy Brown (1988-1998).
May 31 - The Larry Sanders Show (1992-1998).
June 26 – Step by Step (1991-1998).
July 17 – Family Matters (1989-1998).
July 25 - Weird Science (1994-1998).
October 16 - Derrick (Germany) (1974-1998).
November 25 - Babylon 5 (1994-1998)
December 9 - Is It Legal? (UK) (1995-1998)
Timon and Pumbaa (1995-1998).
Dexter's Laboratory (1996-1998, 2001-2003)
.

Changes of Network Affiliation

For Your Love, from NBC to The WB.
Sailor Moon, from USA Network to Cartoon Network.

Deaths

January 21 - Jack Lord, 77, star of Hawaii Five-O.
February 19 - Grandpa Jones, 84, star of Hee Haw, comedian and musician.
February 28 - Dermot Morgan, 45, star of Father Ted.
May 28 - Phil Hartman, 49, star of Newsradio.
September 23 - Mary Frann, 55, actress (Joanna on Newhart).
September 28 - Eric Malling, 52, Canadian television journalist.
October 17 - Joan Hickson, 92, actress, Agatha Christie's Miss Marple.
November 17 - Esther Rolle, 78, actress (Florida on Maude and Good Times).
December 22 - Michelle Thomas, 29, actress (Myra on Family Matters, Justine on The Cosby Show).

This page indexes the individual year in television pages. Each year is annotated with a significant event as a reference point.

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