1979 in American television

This is a list of American television-related events of 1979.

Events

Programs

• 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)
  • Happy Days (1974–1984)
  • 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)
  • 20/20 (1978–present)
  • Mork & Mindy (1978–1982)
  • Taxi (1978–1983)

• CBS
  • Love of Life (1951–1980)
  • Search for Tomorrow (1951–1986)
  • Guiding Light (1952–2009)
  • Face the Nation (1954–present)
  • Captain Kangaroo (1955–1984)
  • As the World Turns (1956–2010)
  • 60 Minutes (1968–present)
  • Hawaii Five-O (1968–1980)
  • All in the Family (1971–1979)
  • Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids (1972–1984)
  • M*A*S*H (1972–1983)
  • The Price Is Right (1972–present)
  • The Waltons (1972–1981)
  • Barnaby Jones (1973–1980)
  • Match Game '79 (1962–1969, 1973–1984, 1990–1991, 1998–1999)
  • The Young and the Restless (1973–present)
  • Good Times (1974–1979)
  • 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)
  • Dallas (1978–1991)
  • WKRP in Cincinnati (1978–1982)

• 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)
  • Dean Martin Celebrity Roast (1974–1984)
  • Little House on the Prairie (1974–1983)
  • The Rockford Files (1974–1980)
  • Saturday Night Live (1975–present)
  • Wheel of Fortune (1975–present)
  • Quincy, M.E. (1976–1983)
  • CHiPs (1977–1983)
  • Diff'rent Strokes (1978–1986)

• 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 Gong Show (1976-1980)
  • The P.T.L. Club (1976–1987)
  • This Week in Baseball (1977–1998, 2000–present)
  • Battle of the Planets (1978–1985)

• HBO
  • Inside the NFL (1977–present)

• Nickelodeon
  • Pinwheel (1979–1990)

Debuts

Ending this year

Made-for-TV movies and miniseries

Births

Deaths