1998 in American 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.

Contents 1 Events 2 Debuts 3 Television shows 3.1 1940s 3.2 1950s 3.3 1960s 3.4 1970s 3.5 1980s 3.6 1990s 3.6.1 1990-1992 3.6.2 1993 3.6.3 1994 3.6.4 1995 3.6.5 1996 3.6.6 1997 4 Ending this year 5 Returning this year 6 Changes of network affiliation 7 Deaths

Events

Date	Event
January 5	Both UPN's KMAX-TV Channel 31 and The WB's KQCA Channel 58 is swapped affiliations.
January 12	CBS acquires the AFC package of NFL games in an $4 billion, 8-year contract. The move, combined with renewals by Fox and ABC, leaves NBC out of the NFL picture (Super Bowl XXXII, broadcast on January 25, would be NBC's last NFL game until 2006).
January 26	Prevue Channel is revamping it's time pieces, with two new segments added: Prevue Sports and Prevue News and Weather.
March 29	BBC America launches in the United States.
April 9	The Price Is Right airs its 5,000th episode on CBS. On that show, every pricing game is played for a car; something Price has never done before or after that.
April 18	Toon Disney, a United States cable network devoted to playing Disney-owned and -produced cartoons 24 hours a day, launches.
April 24	A second special episode of Dallas airs on CBS seven years after the original series finished, titled Dallas: War of the Ewings.
May 11	ZDTV, a technology-based cable channel, is launched in the US.
June 1	Discovery Home and Leisure is launched.
June 29	Lifetime Movie Network is launched in the United States.
June 30	Request TV, a defunct Pay-Per-View channel renews after Tele-Communications Inc. and then, parent company Liberty Media, a co-parent.
July 31	Former child star Gary Coleman is charged with assaulting a young female bus driver in a California shopping mall.
August 15	Over a year after its acquisition by News Corp's Fox Kids Worldwide, Inc., The Family Channel is relaunched as Fox Family, with the network now targeting a younger family-oriented audience than that of its predecessor.
	A pre-season game in Vancouver between the 49ers and Seahawks is CBS' first NFL football broadcast since January 1994.
August 31	PAX-TV (later i, now Ion Television) launches.
September 13	The 50th Primetime Emmy Awards are handed out on NBC.
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.
October 4	UPN is adding the schedule Thursdays and Fridays in which to make room for other shows to be placed including a movie block called UPN Thursday Night at the Movies.

Debuts

Date	Debut
January 8	WCW Thunder on TBS SuperStation
January 9	Kids Say the Darndest Things on CBS
January 20	Dawson's Creek on The WB
February 6	Power Rangers in Space on Fox
March 10	Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place on ABC
March 15	PB&J Otter on Disney Channel
March 17	For Your Love on NBC
April 2	World's Wildest Police Videos on Fox
April 13	The Love Boat: The Next Wave on UPN
June 1	Sailor Moon on Cartoon Network
June 6	Sex and the City on HBO
June 8	Invasion America on The WB
June 11	Forgive or Forget in Syndication
July 13	The Sifl and Olly Show on MTV
July 19	Oh Yeah! Cartoons on Nickelodeon
August 18	Maggie on Lifetime
August 23	That 70's Show on Fox
	Holding the Baby on Fox
August 26	Oh Baby on Lifetime
August 31	Hercules: The Animated Series on ABC
September 1	The Wild Thornberrys on Nickelodeon
September 5	The Secret Files of the Spy Dogs on Fox
September 7	The Mystic Knights of Tir Na Nog on Fox
September 8	Pokémon in Syndication, later The WB
September 9	First Wave on Sci Fi Channel
September 11	Living in Captivity on Fox
September 12	Godzilla: The Series on Fox
	Mad Jack the Pirate on Fox
	The Mr. Potato Head Show on Fox
	Young Hercules on Fox
September 13	The Army Show on The WB
September 14	Histeria! on The WB
September 19	Anatole on CBS
	Dumb Bunnies on CBS
	Franklin on CBS
September 21	The Brian Benben Show on CBS
	Conrad Bloom on NBC
	Felicity on The WB
	Hyperion Bay on The WB
	The King of Queens on CBS
	L.A. Doctors on CBS
	Will and Grace on NBC
September 22	Encore! Encore! on NBC
	The Hughleys on ABC
	Sports Night on ABC
September 23	The Secret Lives of Men on ABC
September 24	Jesse on NBC
September 25	Brother's Keeper on ABC
	Buddy Faro on CBS
	Two of a Kind on ABC
September 26	Cupid on ABC
	Martial Law on CBS
September 29	Vengeance Unlimited on ABC
October 3	Birdz on CBS
	Flying Rhino Junior High on CBS
October 5	CatDog on Nickelodeon
	DiResta on UPN
	Guys Like Us on UPN
	The Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeiffer on UPN
October 6	Mercy Point on UPN
October 7	Charmed on The WB
	Seven Days on UPN
October 9	Legacy on UPN
October 17	Wind on Water on NBC
October 23	Brimstone on Fox
November 2	Becker on CBS
	Jay Jay the Jet Plane on TLC
November 8	A Little Curious on HBO
November 18	The Powerpuff Girls on Cartoon Network
December 26	Rolie Polie Olie on Disney Channel

Television shows

1940s

• Meet the Press (1947–present).

1950s

• Hallmark Hall of Fame (1951–present).
• PGA Tour on CBS (1951-present).
• Guiding Light (1952–2009).
• The Kentucky Derby (1952-present).
• The Today Show (1952–present).
• The Academy Awards (1953-present).
• Face the Nation (1954–present).
• Miss America (1954-present).
• The Tonight Show (1954–present).
• As the World Turns (1956–2010).
• It Is Written (1956-present).

1960s

• CBS Sports Spectacular (1960-present).
• ABC's Wide World of Sports (1961-2006).
• It's Academic (1961–present).
• Biography (1962–present).
• General Hospital (1963–present).
• Another World (1964-1999).
• Days of our Lives (1965–present).
• NFL Films Game of the Week (1965-present).
• The 700 Club (1966-present).
• Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon (1966-present).
• Washington Week (1967–present).
• 60 Minutes (1968–present).
• Columbo (1968-2003).
• Mister Rogers' Neighborhood (1968–2001)
• One Life to Live (1968–present).
• Tennis on CBS (1968-present).
• Sesame Street (1969–present).

1970s

• All My Children (1970–2011).
• The Hour of Power (1970-present).
• Monday Night Football (1970–present).
• NBC Nightly News (1970–present).
• Wall $treet Week (1970-2006).
• Grammy Awards (1971-present).
• Masterpiece Theatre (1971–present).
• Soul Train (1971–2006).
• Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve (1972-present).
• Great Performances (1972-present).
• The Price Is Right (1972–present).
• American Music Awards (1973-present).
• Braves TBS Baseball (1973-2007).
• HBO World Championship Boxing (1973-present).
• Praise the Lord (1973-present).
• The Young and the Restless (1973–present).
• Nova (1974–present).
• Good Morning America (1975–present).
• The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer (1975–present).
• Saturday Night Live (1975–present).
• U.S. Farm Report (1975-present).
• The Victory Garden (1975–present).
• Austin City Limits (1976–present).
• Live from Lincoln Center (1976–present).
• Star Gazer (1976-present).
• Inside the NFL (1977–present).
• This Week in Baseball (1977-present).
• 20/20 (1978–present).
• ABC World News (1978-present).
• The Coral Ridge Hour (1978-2007).
• CBS News Sunday Morning (1979–present).
• College Basketball on ESPN (1979-present).
• Lap Quilting with Georgia Bonesteel (1979-present).
• Nightline, US (1979–present).
• Nightly Business Report (1979–present).
• SportsCenter (1979–present).
• This Old House (1979–present).
• The Woodwright's Shop (1979-present).

1980s

• Moneyline (1980–present)
• Entertainment Tonight (1981–present).
• Jeopardy! (1964–1975, 1984–present)
• The Oprah Winfrey Show (1986–2011).
• Sally Jessy Raphael (1985–2002).
• The Bold and the Beautiful (1987–present).
• American Experience (1988–present).
• America's Most Wanted (1988–present)
• Inside Edition (1988–present)
• Mystery Science Theater 3000 (1988–1999)
• Baywatch (1989–2001).
• COPS (1989–present).
• The Simpsons (1989–present).

1990s

1990-1992

• America's Funniest Home Videos (1990–present)
• Beverly Hills, 90210 (1990–2000)
• Law & Order (1990–2010)
• Doug (1991–1994, 1996–1999)
• Home Improvement (1991–1999)
• The Jerry Springer Show (1991–present)
• The Red Green Show (1991–2006)
• Rugrats (1991–2004)
• Barney & Friends (1992–present).
• Dateline NBC (1992–present).
• Mad About You (1992–1999).
• Melrose Place (1992–1999)
• The Real World (1992–present).

1993

• Boy Meets World (1993–2000)
• Frasier (1993–2004).
• NYPD Blue (1993–2005)
• Homicide: Life on the Street (1993–1999)
• Late Night with Conan O'Brien (1993–2009)
• The Late Show with David Letterman (1993–present)
• The Nanny (1993–1999)
• Ricki Lake (1993–2004)
• Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999)
• Walker, Texas Ranger (1993–2001)
• WWF RAW Is War/WWF War Zone (1993–present).
• The X-Files (1993–2002).

1994

• All That (1994–2005)
• Chicago Hope (1994–2000)
• ER (1994–2009)
• Friends (1994–2004)
• Inside the Actors Studio (1994–present)
• Party of Five (1994–2000)
• Time Team, UK (1994–present)
• Touched by an Angel (1994–2003).

1995

• The Drew Carey Show (1995–2004).
• JAG (1995–2005)
• Goosebumps (1995–1998)
• Modern Marvels (1995–present)
• Sliders (1995–2000).
• Star Trek: Voyager (1995–2001).
• WCW Monday Nitro (1995–2001)

1996

• 7th Heaven (1996–2007)
• Access Hollywood (1996–present)
• Arthur (1996–present)
• Candid Camera (1948–1954, 1960-1967, 1974-1979, 1987-1988, 1991-1992, 1996-2004).
• Dexter's Laboratory (1996–2003).
• Everybody Loves Raymond (1996–2005)
• Hannity & Colmes (1996–2009)
• KaBlam! (1996–2000)
• The Angry Beavers (1997–2001).
• 3rd Rock from the Sun (1996–2001).
• Hey Arnold! (1996–2004).
• Judge Judy (1996–present).
• Nash Bridges (1996–2001).
• Sabrina, the Teenage Witch (1996–2003)
• Spin City (1996–2002).
• The Daily Show (1996–present).

1997

• Ally McBeal (1997–2002)
• Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997–2003).
• Cow and Chicken (1997–1999)
• The Crocodile Hunter (1997–2004)
• Daria (1997–2001).
• Dharma & Greg (1997–2002).
• Disney's One Saturday Morning (1997–2003).
• I Am Weasel (1997–2000).
• Johnny Bravo (1997–2004).
• Just Shoot Me! (1997–2003).
• King of the Hill (1997–2010).
• La Femme Nikita (1997–2001).
• Port Charles (1997–2003).
• South Park (1997–present).
• Stargate SG-1 (1997–present).
• Sunset Beach (1997–1999).
• The Practice (1997–2004)
• Veronica's Closet (1997–2000)

Ending this year

Date	Show	Debut
January 1	Living Single	1993
January 31	Spider-Man	1994
March 20	Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation	1997
May 14	Seinfeld	1989
May 16	Unsolved Mysteries	1987
May 18	Murphy Brown	1988
May 31	The Larry Sanders Show	1992
June 26	Step by Step	1991
July 17	Family Matters	1989
July 25	Weird Science	1994
September 3	The Statler Brothers Show	1991
October 2	Where in Time Is Carmen Sandiego	1996
November 16	Goosebumps	1995
November 21	Power Rangers in Space	1998
November 25	Babylon 5	1994
December 4	The Puzzle Place	1994
December 12	Timon and Pumbaa	1995
December 31	This Week in Baseball	1977

Returning this year

Show	Last Aired	Previous Network	Retitled as/Same	New/Returning/Same Network	Returning
Hollywood Squares	1989	Syndication	Same	Same	September 14
Match Game	1991	ABC	Same	Syndication	September 21

Changes of network affiliation

Show	Moved from	Moved to
For Your Love	NBC	The WB
Sailor Moon	USA Network	Cartoon Network
Dragon Ball Z	Syndication	Cartoon Network

Deaths

• January 5 - Sonny Bono, 62, singer and entertainer
• 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, actor/comedian (Saturday Night Live, The Simpsons, NewsRadio), shot by his wife in a murder/suicide.
• July 6 - Roy Rogers, 86, actor
• July 21 - Robert Young, 91, star of Father Knows Best.
• August 6 - Shari Lewis, 65, puppeteer
• September 23 – Mary Frann, 55, actress (Joanna on Newhart).
• September 28 – Eric Malling, 52, Canadian television journalist.
• October 3 - Roddy McDowall, 70, actor
• October 17 – Joan Hickson, 92, actress, Agatha Christie's Miss Marple.
• November 17 – Esther Rolle, 78, actress (Florida on Maude and Good Times).
• November 17 - Dick O'Neill, 70, recurring actor (Family Matters, Home Improvement)
• December 6 – Michael Zaslow, 56, actor (Roger Thorpe on Guiding Light)
• December 13 - Lew Grade, 91, producer and TV station owner
• December 22 – Michelle Thomas, 30, actress (Myra on Family Matters, Justine on The Cosby Show).
• December 28 – Richard Paul, 58, American actor (Carter Country, Match Game)