1996 in American television

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The year 1996 in television involved some significant events. Below is a list of television-related events in 1996.

For the American TV schedule, see: 1996-97 United States network television schedule.

Contents 1 Events 2 Debuts 3 Miniseries 4 Television shows 4.1 1940s 4.2 1950s 4.3 1960s 4.4 1970s 4.5 1980s 4.5.1 1980-1986 4.5.2 1987 4.5.3 1988 4.5.4 1989 4.6 1990s 4.6.1 1990 4.6.2 1991 4.6.3 1992 4.6.4 1993 4.6.5 1994 4.6.6 1995 5 Returning this year 6 Ending this year 7 Changes of Network Affiliation 8 Births 9 Deaths

Events

Date	Event
January 1	Speedvision, a cable channel devoted to motor sports, commences programming. The network will be rechristened Speed Channel in 2002.
January 20	Fox introduces its FoxTrax "glowing puck" during its telecast of the 46th National Hockey League All-Star Game.
January 28	Chris Isaak and Brooke Shields make guest appearances on a post-Super Bowl episode of Friends.
March 1	Over 1 billion households worldwide now own television sets.
March 4	DISH Network, a Direct Broadcast Satellite service, is launched in the United States by EchoStar.
April 29	TV Land, an offshoot of Nick at Nite devoted to round-the-clock airings of classic television shows, launches in the United States.
May 16	Over 12 million Americans tune in to watch the final episode of Murder, She Wrote on CBS, "Death By Demographics" then through its 12-year run, the series becomes the longest-running American Murder Mystery Drama.
May 19	Sundance Channel is launched.
May 24	CBS launched it's full-time investigation channel, CBS Eye on People.
June 1	Major League Baseball broadcasts air for the first time on Fox, where it remains to this day.
June 3	Zenith introduces the first HDTV-compatible front projection TV in the U.S.
June 30	After 33 years of Public broadcasting, WNYC-TV, signs off for the final time. this was later though the next day when it becomes WBIS.
July 6	When it becomes evident that Anna Stuart will be next to die in a serial killer storyline on Another World, many fans start letter-writing campaigns to save the actress; the NBC studios in New York City also report a high number of switchboard calls regarding Stuart's imminent demise. Executive producer Jill Farren Phelps decides that actress Alice Barrett will be killed off the show instead.
July 15	The talk-oriented cable network America's Talking ceases broadcasting and is replaced by MSNBC, an all-news joint venture between NBC (AT's owner) and Microsoft.
August 2	MTV's sister channel, M2 (now known as MTV2), is launched.
August 23	The Price is Right celebrates it's 25th Anniversary Special and it was broadcast on CBS.
September 13	The dubbed version of the Japanese series Dragonball Z premieres in the U.S.
September 17	The O.J. Simpson civil trial begins.
October 1	Animal Planet (known as Discovery's Animal Planet), is launched.
October 4	Discovery Science is launched.
October 7	News Corporation gets into the cable news fray with the launch of Fox News Channel.
November 1	ESPNNEWS, a sports news channel from ESPN, debuts.
November 3	The original animated series of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles airs its final episode, "Divide and Conquer".
November 11	Discovery Kids is launched (up until October 10, 2010 when it became The Hub).
December 9	Broadcasters, TV & PC manufacturers set industry standards for digital HDTV.
December 12	CNN Sports Illustrated (also known as CNN/SI) debuts.
December 15	Five years after its series finale, a one-off movie of Dallas, entitled Dallas: J.R. Returns, airs on CBS.
December 17	TBS returned to it's Superstation name. After 6 years when it was no longer used.

Debuts

Date	Debut
January 9	3rd Rock from the Sun on NBC
January 21	Savannah on The WB
January 23	Moesha on UPN
February 3	C Bear and Jamal on Fox
March 20	The Sentinel on UPN
March 29	Nash Bridges on CBS
April 20	Power Rangers: Zeo on Fox
April 28	Dexter's Laboratory on Cartoon Network
June 2	Big Bag on Cartoon Network
June 10	The Rosie O'Donnell Show in Syndication
July 22	The Daily Show on Comedy Central
August 25	The Steve Harvey Show on The WB
August 26	7th Heaven on The WB
	Goode Behavior on UPN
	Malcolm & Eddie on UPN
	In The House on UPN
	Sparks on UPN
August 27	Homeboys in Outer Space on UPN
August 28	The Jamie Foxx Show on The WB
	Nick Freno: Licensed Teacher on The WB
September 1	Big Deal on Fox
September 2	Arthur on PBS
	Road Rovers on The WB
September 3	The Burning Zone on UPN
September 6	The Mighty Ducks on ABC
September 7	Big Bad Beetleborgs on Fox
	Road Rovers on The WB
September 8	Blue's Clues on Nickelodeon
	Bureau of Alien Detectors on UPN
	The Incredible Hulk on UPN
	Jumanji on UPN
	The Mouse and the Monster on UPN
September 9	Access Hollywood in Syndiacation
	Lush Life on Fox
	Party Girl on Fox
September 13	Dragonball Z in Syndication
	Everybody Loves Raymond on CBS
September 14	Bailey Kipper's P.O.V. on CBS
	Project G.e.e.K.e.R. on CBS
September 16	Cosby on CBS
	Judge Judy in Syndication
	Pearl on CBS
September 17	Promised Land on CBS
	Spin City on ABC
September 18	Men Behaving Badly on NBC
	Townies on ABC
September 19	Moloney on CBS
	The Pretender on NBC
	Suddenly Susan on NBC
September 20	Clueless on ABC
	Mr. & Mrs. Smith on CBS
September 21	Dark Skies on NBC
September 24	Relativity on ABC
September 27	Sabrina, the Teenage Witch on ABC
September 28	Early Edition on CBS
September 29	Profiler on NBC
September 30	Dangerous Minds on ABC
	Pappyland on TLC
	Shopping Spree on The Family Channel
October 6	Hannity & Colmes on Fox News Channel
October 7	Hey Arnold! on Nickelodeon
October 7	Where in Time Is Carmen Sandiego? on PBS
October 11	KaBlam! on Nickelodeon
October 21	Ink on CBS
October 25	Millennium on Fox
October 27	EZ Streets on CBS

Miniseries

• Profit
• Our Friends in the North (UK)

Television shows

1940s

• Meet the Press (1947–present).
• Candid Camera (1948–2004).

1950s

• Hallmark Hall of Fame (1951–present).
• Guiding Light (1952–2009).
• Hockey Night in Canada (1952–present).
• The Today Show (1952–present).
• Face the Nation (1954–present).
• The Tonight Show (1954–present).
• As the World Turns (1956–2010).

1960s

• General Hospital (1963–present).
• Another World (1964–1999).
• Days of our Lives (1965–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 (1971–2007).
• The Price Is Right (1972–present).
• The Young and the Restless (1973–present).
• Derrick (1974–1998).
• Good Morning America (1975–present).
• Saturday Night Live (1975–present).
• Wheel of Fortune (1975–present).
• This Week in Baseball (1977–1998, 2000–present)
• 20/20 (1978–present)
• Nightline (1979–present)
• SportsCenter (1979–present)
• This Old House (1979–present).

1980s

1980-1986

• Lou Dobbs Tonight (1980–2009).
• Entertainment Tonight (1981–present).
• Jeopardy! (1964–1975, 1984–present).
• Murder, She Wrote (1984–1996).
• Sally (1985–2002).
• The Oprah Winfrey Show (1986–2011).

1987

• Married... with Children (1987–1997).
• The Bold and the Beautiful (1987–present).
• Unsolved Mysteries (1987–1998, 2001–2002, 2008–present).

1988

• America's Most Wanted (1988–present).
• The American Experience (1988–present).
• Fair City (1988–present).
• Home and Away (1988–present).
• Murphy Brown (1988–1998).
• Mystery Science Theater 3000 (1988–1999).
• Roseanne (1988–1997).

1989

• Baywatch (1989–2001).
• COPS (1989–present).
• Family Matters (1989–1998).
• Seinfeld (1989–1998).
• The Simpsons (1989–present).

1990s

1990

• America's Funniest Home Videos (1990–present).
• Beverly Hills, 90210 (1990–2000)
• Law & Order (1990–present).
• The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990–1996).

1991

• Home Improvement (1991–1999).
• The Jerry Springer Show (1991–present).
• The Red Green Show (1991–2006).
• The Ren and Stimpy Show (1991–1996).
• Sisters (1991–1996).
• Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? (1991–1996).

1992

• Absolutely Fabulous (UK) (1992–1996, 2001–2003).
• Barney & Friends (1992–present).
• Dateline NBC (1992–present).
• Mad About You (1992–1999).
• Martin (1992–1997).
• Melrose Place (1992–1999).
• The Larry Sanders Show (1992–1998).
• The Real World (1992–present).
• Shortland Street (NZ) (1992–present)

1993

• Animaniacs (1993–1998)
• Beavis and Butt-head (1993–1997)
• Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman (1993–1998)
• Frasier (1993–2004)
• Late Night with Conan O'Brien (1993–2009)
• Living Single (1993–1998)
• Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (1993–1997).
• NYPD Blue (1993–2005).
• Ricki Lake (1993–2004).
• Rocko's Modern Life (1993–1996).
• seaQuest DSV (1993–1996).
• Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999).
• The Late Show with David Letterman (1993–present).
• The Nanny (1993–1999).
• The X-Files (1993–2002).
• WWF Monday Night RAW (1993–present).
• Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog (1993-1993)

1994

• All That (1994–2005)
• ER (1994–2009)
• Friends (1994–2004).
• Time Team, UK (1994–present)
• Party of Five (1994–2000)
• Touched by an Angel (1994–2003)
• Spider-Man (1994-1998).

1995

• The Drew Carey Show (1995–2004).
• KaBlam! (1995–2000).
• JAG (1995–2005)
• Modern Marvels (1995–present)
• Sliders (1995–2000).
• Star Trek: Voyager (1995–2001).
• What A Cartoon! (1995–2008)
• Timon and Pumbaa (1995–1998).

Returning this year

Show	Last Aired	Previous Network	Retitled as/Same	New/Returning/Same Network	Returning
Doug	1994	Nickelodeon	Disney's Doug	ABC	September 7
Candid Camera	1992	Syndication	The All-New Candid Camera	CBS	October 11

Ending this year

Date	Show	Debut
January 9	Live Shot	1995
January 11	The Commish	1991
February 3	Are You Afraid of the Dark?	1992
February 17	Mighty Morphin Power Rangers	1993
February 24	Biker Mice From Mars	1993
March 27	Dream On	1990
May 4	Sisters	1991
May 16	Murder, She Wrote	1984
May 20	The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air	1990
	Nowhere Man	1995
June 2	Space: Above and Beyond	1995
June 9	seaQuest DSV	1993
June 28	Central Park West	1995
July 19	Tales from the Crypt	1989
November 2	Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles	1987
November 14	The Ren and Stimpy Show	1991
November 24	Rocko's Modern Life	1993
November 27	Power Rangers: Zeo	1996
December 14	California Dreams	1992

Changes of Network Affiliation

Show	Moved from	Moved to
Brotherly Love	NBC	The WB
Doug	Nickelodeon	ABC
Mystery Science Theater 3000	Comedy Central	Sci Fi Channel

Births

• April 14 – Abigail Breslin, actress

Deaths

• February 3 – Audrey Meadows, actress (Alice Kramden on The Honeymooners)
• February 13 – Martin Balsam, actor (Murray on Archie Bunker's Place)
• February 15 – McLean Stevenson, actor (Lt. Col. Henry Blake on M*A*S*H)
• February 15 – Tommy Rettig, former child actor (Jeff on Lassie)
• March 4 – Minnie Pearl, comedian
• March 5 – Whit Bissell, character actor
• March 9 – George Burns, 100, comedian
• March 11 – Vince Edwards, actor (Ben Casey)
• April 21 – Jimmy "The Greek" Snyder, sports commentator
• May 20 – Jon Pertwee, 76, former star of Doctor Who.
• June 2 – Ray Combs, 40, former host of Family Feud, (suicide)
• June 5 - Vito Scotti, 78, American character actor, Gilligan's Island
• June 16 – Mel Allen, sports commentator
• July 21 – Herb Edelman, actor (Stanley Zbornak on The Golden Girls)
• August 27 – Greg Morris, actor (Mission: Impossible)
• September 13 – Tupac Shakur, 25, actor/songwriter.
• September 29 – Leslie Crowther, 63, British TV comedian & game show host
• October 6 – Ted Bessell, actor (That Girl)
• October 13 - Beryl Reid, actress
• October 27 – Morey Amsterdam. actor and comedian (Buddy on The Dick Van Dyke Show)
• December 8 – Howard E. Rollins, Jr., actor (Tibbs on the TV version of In the Heat of the Night)
• December 11 – Willie Rushton, 59, comedian, actor, and performer.
• December 12 – Larry Gates, soap opera actor (Guiding Light)
• December 14 - Edward K. Milkis, 65, producer