1978 in American television

This is a list of American television-related events in 1978.

Events

Programs

Series on air in 1978

ABC

• American Bandstand (1952–1989)
• The Edge of Night (1956–1984)
• General Hospital (1963–present)
• One Life to Live (1968–2012)
• All My Children (1970–2011)
• Monday Night Football (1970–present)
• Schoolhouse Rock! (1973–1996)
• The Six Million Dollar Man (1973–1978)
• Happy Days (1974–1984)
• Baretta (1975–1978)
• Barney Miller (1975–1982)
• Good Morning America (1975–present)
• Ryan's Hope (1975–1989)
• Tom and Jerry (1965–1972, 1975–1977, 1980–1982)
• Welcome Back, Kotter (1975–1979)
• Charlie's Angels (1976–1981)
• Family Feud (1976–1985, 1988–1995, 1999–present)
• Laverne & Shirley (1976–1983)
• What's Happening!! (1976–1979)
• Eight is Enough (1977–1981)
• Fantasy Island (1977–1984)
• The Love Boat (1977–1986)
• Soap (1977–1981)
• Three's Company (1977–1984)

CBS

• Love of Life (1951–1980)
• Search for Tomorrow (1951–1986)
• The Guiding Light (1952–2009)
• Face the Nation (1954–present)
• Captain Kangaroo (1955–1984)
• As the World Turns (1956–2010)
• The Carol Burnett Show (1967–1978)
• 60 Minutes (1968–present)
• Hawaii Five-O (1968–1980)
• All in the Family (1971–1979)
• The Bob Newhart Show (1972–1978)
• Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids (1972–1984)
• M*A*S*H (1972–1983)
• Maude (1972–1978)
• The Price Is Right (1972–present)
• The Waltons (1972–1981)
• Barnaby Jones (1973–1980)
• Kojak (1973–1978, 2005)
• Match Game '78 (1962–1969, 1973–1984, 1990–1991, 1998–1999)
• The Young and the Restless (1973–present)
• Good Times (1974–1979)
• Rhoda (1974–1978)
• Tattletales (1974–1978, 1982–1984)
• The Jeffersons (1975–1985)
• One Day at a Time (1975–1984)
• Alice (1976–1985)
• Wonder Woman (1976–1979)
• The Amazing Spider-Man (1977–1979)
• Lou Grant (1977–1982)

NBC

• Meet the Press (1947–present)
• The Today Show (1952–present)
• The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962-1992)
• The Doctors (1963–1982)
• Another World (1964–1999)
• Days of Our Lives (1965–present)
• The Wonderful World of Disney (1969–1979)
• The Tomorrow Show (1973–1982)
• Chico and the Man (1974–1978)
• Columbo (1971–1978)
• Dean Martin Celebrity Roast (1974–1984)
• Land of the Lost (1974–1976)
• Little House on the Prairie (1974–1983)
• Police Woman (1974–1978)
• The Rockford Files (1974–1980)
• Saturday Night Live (1975–present)^[e]
• Wheel of Fortune (1975–present)
• The Gong Show (1976-1980)
• Quincy, M.E. (1976–1983)
• The Bionic Woman (1976–1978)
• CHiPs (1977–1983)

PBS

• Sesame Street (1969–present)
• Masterpiece Theatre (1971–present)
• Nova (1974–present)

In syndication

• Candid Camera (1948–present)
• Truth or Consequences (1950–1988)
• The Lawrence Welk Show (1955–1982)
• The Mike Douglas Show (1961–1981)
• Hee Haw (1969–1993)
• Soul Train (1971–2006)
• Dinah! (1974–1980)
• Match Game PM (1975–1981)
• In Search of... (1976–1982)
• The P.T.L. Club (1976–1987)
• This Week in Baseball (1977–1998, 2000–present)

HBO

• Inside the NFL (1977–present)

Nickelodeon

• Pinwheel (1977–1990)

Debuts

Shows returning

Ending this year

Made-for-TV movies and miniseries

Births

Deaths