2015 in American television

List of years in American television:
2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
2014–15 United States network television schedule
2015–16 United States network television schedule
List of American television shows currently in production

The following is a list of events affecting American television in 2015. Events listed include television show debuts, finales, and cancellations; channel launches, closures, and rebrandings; stations changing or adding their network affiliations; and information about controversies and carriage disputes.

Events

January

Date	Event
1	Stations owned and operated by Cordillera Communications (10 in seven states) are removed from DirecTV lineups after the two companies fail to reach a retransmission agreement.[1]
3	The Carolina Panthers defeat the Arizona Cardinals in the first NFL playoff game to air on cable. The ESPN broadcast is simulcast over-the-air in Phoenix on KASW and Charlotte's WJZY per NFL rules.[2][3][4]
	Fox News Channel's Huckabee concludes its run. The end comes amid speculation that the show's titular host, former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, is considering a run for political office.[5]
5	At the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Dish Network introduces Sling TV, a service that offers streaming of cable channels via the Internet for as little as $20. Networks owned by The Walt Disney Company (ABC Family, Disney Channel, ESPN, ESPN2), Time Warner's Turner Broadcasting System (Adult Swim/Cartoon Network, CNN, TBS, TNT) and Scripps Networks Interactive (Food Network, HGTV, Travel Channel) are among those included in the lineup.[6]
6	During a live telecast of Watch What Happens: Live, a war of words break out between The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills regular Brandi Glanville and Flipping Out star Jeff Lewis over what Glanville said in her autobiographical memoir in which she mentioned that she may have contracted a Sexual Transmitted Disease from former husband Eddie Cibrian; when host Andy Cohen asked Glanville to rub her fingers over Lewis' hair, she refused, prompting Lewis to joke that if he can contract a STD from her. That remark resulted in Glanville pouring wine on Lewis and causing her to break down before the two apologized and passing it off as a "prank." (The incident was a reference to what happened on RHBH, where Glanville had poured wine on Eileen Davidson because Davidson refused to perform one of her characters from Days of Our Lives during a dinner).[7]
12	Ohio State defeats Oregon in the first College Football Playoff National Championship. ESPN's broadcast of the game attracts 33.4 million viewers, which is the largest audience in cable television history and tops the previous records set by ESPN's broadcasts of the CFP semifinals on January 1, when OSU beat Alabama in the Sugar Bowl (28.27 million viewers) and UO beat Florida State in the Rose Bowl (28.16 million viewers).[8]
13	Nearly three years after being removed from her role as Today co-host, Ann Curry announces she is leaving NBC News altogether to develop a new company that will deliver news content to various platforms, including NBCUniversal, who will fund the startup.[9]
	ABC affiliate KDNL-TV/St. Louis debuts a locally originated news programming for the first time in a year with The Allman Report; hosted by KFTK talk radio host and former KMOV reporter Jamie Allman. The newscasts, airing twice nightly (5PM and 10PM), will employ a non-traditional, "debate-driven" (KDNL's description) format.[10]
14	TVGN, the CBS/Lions Gate-owned entertainment network, rebrands as Pop.[11]
15	Discovery Fit & Health rebrands as Discovery Life Channel.[12]
	KCRG/Cedar Rapids, eastern Iowa's ABC affiliate owned locally by The Gazette Company, is removed from DirecTV in the region due to a retransmission dispute.[13]
17	On four separate occasions, Fox News Channel offers retractions on inaccurate reports made throughout the week regarding Muslims in Europe, primarily locations in England and France avoided by non-Muslims because Islamic law supposedly supersedes the local laws. "There is no formal designation of these zones in either country, and no credible information to support the assertion there are specific areas in these countries that exclude individuals based solely on their religion," anchor Julie Banderas said during one of the on-air apologies.[14] Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo later announced her intention to sue the network because her city was "insulted" by being mentioned as one with "no-go zones."[15]
	Greg Anthony, lead college basketball analyst for CBS Sports and Turner Sports, is placed on indefinite suspension by both entities following his January 16 arrest in Washington, D.C. on charges of soliciting prostitution.[16]
18	CBS and the National Football League announce that the network will again produce for the full season and carry half of the NFL Network's Thursday Night Football rights package on the CBS broadcast network in a simulcast arrangement during the 2015 NFL season.[17]
19	TV Guide pays tribute to those lost in the January 7 terror attack at the Paris, France offices of Charlie Hebdo with the inclusion of the "Je suis Charlie" button (French for "I am Charlie") next to its logo on the front cover.[18]
	Boomerang is relaunched as part of a global rebranding effort and will air original programming for the first time; the relaunched channel will still have archived programs but with an increased emphasis on the archive's most popular brands and an explicitly family-friendly approach, in the hopes that Boomerang can become a "second flagship" on par with the main Cartoon Network channel.[19]
20	Justice Network makes its debut. The digital subchannel, launching primarily on Gannett Broadcasting-owned stations, focuses on true crime and criminal justice programming.[20]
23	During the 6 p.m. newscast on WTVD/Durham, anchor Larry Stogner announces he has Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and is leaving the ABC owned-and-operated station where he had worked since 1976.[21]
26	Music Choice and Cumulus Media launch a video-on-demand subdivision for Cumulus's Nash FM radio branding called Nash TV.[22]
28	VH1 Classic commemorates Saturday Night Live's 40th anniversary by launching a marathon of almost every episode from SNL's first 39 seasons in reverse order, running through February 15, when NBC will air its three-hour SNL celebration special. At 19 days (or 433 hours), the marathon will surpass by one week FXX's 12-day record marathon of The Simpsons episodes in August 2014.[23]

February

Date	Event
1	NBC's broadcast of Super Bowl XLIX, in which the New England Patriots beat the defending NFL champion Seattle Seahawks, attracts 114.4 million viewers, topping by 2.2 million the previous record set one year earlier by Super Bowl XLVIII. The broadcast peaks at 120.8 million late in the close game. The game's halftime show, headlined by Katy Perry and guest performers Lenny Kravitz and Missy Elliott, also sets a viewership record.[24]
	Coinciding with its Spanish language broadcast of Super Bowl XLIX, NBCUniversal-owned mun2 rebrands as NBC Universo.[25]
	A house fire near its transmitter substation is the believed contributor to three separate signal outages at WPSD-TV/Paducah, KY during its broadcast of the Super Bowl.[26]
2	Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive lineman Warren Sapp is removed from his role as commentator for NFL Network, hours after his arrest on charges of soliciting prostitution and assault in Phoenix, Arizona following the Super Bowl, which Sapp covered for the network.[27]
	Inside Edition becomes the first American news program to employ a transgender reporter, adding Zoey Tur (the former "Chopper Bob" Tur) to their reporting staff for February.[28]
2–5	One night after a special live Sunday night broadcast from Phoenix (to coincide with NBC's Super Bowl coverage), The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon begins a four-day stay at Universal Studios Hollywood, marking the New York-based Tonight's first visit to the Los Angeles area since Fallon took over hosting duties from Jay Leno one year earlier. Tonight had been based in Burbank for 42 years until Leno's retirement from the show.[29] The shows include a reunion of the cast of Saved by the Bell (excluding Dustin Diamond and Lark Voorhies), who reprised their roles for a brief sketch, their first time in 21 years.[30]
4	Raycom Media NBC affiliate KCBD/Lubbock, Texas evacuates their studios after a small plane crashes into the station's tower which is located on the same campus as their studio facilities, taking down half the transmitting tower and the station off the air in the process. Power lines were also damaged in the crash, and one person, a local doctor listed as a co-owner of the aircraft, was killed in the crash.[31]
	NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams apologizes for incorrectly stating on numerous occasions that he had been aboard a helicopter shot down by enemy fire while covering the Invasion of Iraq in 2003. In his statement during this evening's broadcast, Williams admitted that he had instead been in a following helicopter and his version of the story was an attempt to show his appreciation for veterans.[32] NBC launches an investigation into the matter, meanwhile stories Williams had told regarding what he witnessed during Hurricane Katrina in 2005 further call his credibility into question. On February 7, Williams announced that he will step aside as anchor until the investigation is completed. Lester Holt will take Williams' place until his return.[33] He also cancels a February 12 appearance on Late Show with David Letterman, itself a subject of controversy because of a 2013 appearance by Williams in which he mentioned the events that he is under fire for.[34] On February 10, NBC News released a statement which confirms Williams' suspension from the network without pay for six months.[35]
6	Just five months after returning as a co-host, Rosie O'Donnell announces that she will leave The View due to personal problems. Her last day on the show will be February 13.[36]
8	The 57th Annual Grammy Awards air on CBS.[37] The event saw British singer Sam Smith taking home four awards,[38] Kristen Wiig joining Maddie Ziegler in a performance of Sia's "Chandelier" (thanks to Wiig's parody of the song's video on Saturday Night Live),[39] and Kanye West almost ruining Beck's speech after he won for Best Album.[40] The event featured a serious PSA message from President Barack Obama, in which he spoke about domestic violence against women, and was followed by a plea from domestic violence advocate Brooke Axtell and singer Katy Perry performing her ballad "By the Grace of God" as a dedication to the victims of the crime.[41]
10	San Diego CBS affiliate KFMB-TV's Sports Director Kyle Kraska is hospitalized after he is shot twice near his home. The suspect, a housepainter Kraska had a dispute with, is captured hours later.[42]
	After a 16-year run, Jon Stewart announced that he will retire as host of The Daily Show by the end of the year.[43] Trevor Noah has been named his successor.[44]
11	Victoria Rowell, former star of The Young and the Restless, sues CBS and Sony Pictures Television on charges of racial discrimination after she spoke out about a lack of African Americans on soap operas, which led to her contract not being renewed.[45]
	Just two weeks before its scheduled premiere, ten of the thirteen episodes of the third season of Netflix's thriller series House of Cards were released for streaming. Within minutes the episodes were taken down.[46]
13	Home shopping channel ShopHQ, the former ShopNBC, rebrands for the second time in a matter of years, becoming EVINE Live.[47][48]
15	NBC celebrated Saturday Night Live's 40th anniversary with a live four and a half-hour event that included a red carpet pre-show followed by a live three and half hour show featuring more than 109 guest stars, a first ever mash-up of classic sketches, a SNL Weekend Update gathering of former anchors Jane Curtin, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, and for the first time since leaving the series in 1985, Eddie Murphy made his brief return.[49][50][51] This special became NBC's most-watched prime-time entertainment telecast since the ER season finale in 2004.[52]
16	ESPN confirms its coverage of the Duke-North Carolina men's basketball game two days later will not include commentator Dick Vitale for the first time in the network's 35-year history. Jay Bilas will take his role alongside Dan Shulman, while Vitale works a game between the undefeated Kentucky Wildcats and Tennessee Volunteers.[53]
18	Vanilla Ice is arrested in Lantana, Florida for burglary and theft tied to items that were stolen from a home that was located next door to a home he was renovating during an episode of his DIY Network program The Vanilla Ice Project.[54]
	Just two days after appearing on the Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special, Norm MacDonald reveals through a series of tweets that Eddie Murphy backed out of the Celebrity Jeopardy sketch because he felt uncomfortable impersonating Bill Cosby (whom Murphy had done during his stint with SNL), resulting in Kenan Thompson replacing Murphy at the last moment. Cosby would later tweet his thanks to Murphy for not doing the impersonation.[55]
19	For the first time since the death of her mother Joan in 2014, Melissa Rivers returns to the front of the camera as a correspondent for Entertainment Tonight, where she will do special interviews for the series while continuing as producer on E!'s Fashion Police.[56]
	A report by Mother Jones challenges claims made by Bill O'Reilly about his reporting on the Falklands War for CBS News in 1982, particularly that he had to rescue his cameraman from unrest in the streets of Buenos Aires after Argentina surrendered to the United Kingdom, and that several deaths occurred during the post-war protest. O'Reilly later denounces the report and its author, David Corn, on The O'Reilly Factor. Meanwhile, Eric Engberg, who also covered the Falklands conflict for CBS, posted on Facebook that he knew nothing of a cameraman being injured in Buenos Aires or that the protest had even gotten out of hand.[57] Further allegations that O'Reilly fabricated stories surface in the following days, with claims that he did not witness the suicide of George de Mohrenschildt or the execution of nuns in El Salvador as he has stated in the past.[58][59]
	In response to the death of actress Carol Ann Susi in November 2014, her recurring character on The Big Bang Theory, Debbie Wolowitz, passes away as well, with the main characters toasting her in the final scene of this night's episode.[60]
22	The 87th Academy Awards airs on ABC, hosted by Neil Patrick Harris.[61]
23	Back9Network temporarily suspends operations due to lack of funding.[62]
	Weigel Broadcasting takes over the programming operations of WGWG-LP/Chicago and renames it WRME-LP, a television station on Channel 6 using the 87.7 FM audio quirk to broadcast over FM, under a leasing deal with owners Venture Technologies. The station programs an Oldies/AC format billed as "MeTV FM."[63]
24	ESPN suspends Keith Olbermann for a week after offering contentious responses on Twitter towards Penn State students, faculty and alumni regarding the university's annual "THON" fund-raising dance marathon held to fight pediatric cancer, telling them that the school were "pitiful" (referring to filling in the end of the school's well known "We Are...Penn State!" slogan/chant with that statement) in holding the event. Olbermann later apologized for his actions.[64] His commentary upon the return to his daily series on March 2 offers further apologies for his actions and the mentions of St. Jude's Children's Hospital and the Make A Wish Foundation to contribute to ending pediatric cancer, along with his end of "batting practice", where he offered up short and brusque responses to critics and trolls responding to him on Twitter.[65]
25	Modern Family makes history as their episode "Connection Lost" became the first American prime-time television program to be shot almost entirely on Apple devices (including iPhone 6, iPad Air and MacBook Air products).[66]
	Giuliana Rancic issues an apology to K.C. Undercover actress/singer Zendaya after Rancic made comments about Zendaya's dreadlock-braided hairstyle during the post-Oscar special edition of Fashion Police.[67] The incident causes co-host Kelly Osbourne to threaten quitting the series via her Twitter account (her departure is confirmed by E! on February 27).[68]
28	A Saturday Night Live commercial spoof on an ad for Toyota (which depicted a female United States Army soldier being dropped off at the airport by her father[69]), stirs up outrage from viewers over its depiction of a female high school graduate (played by guest host Dakota Johnson) who leaves her family to join ISIS, with the father (played by Taran Killam) replying "Death To America" after instructing one of the militants (played by Kyle Mooney) to watch over her.[70]

March

Date	Event
2	CBS Television Distribution and Judge Judith Sheindlin extend their contract for her courtroom show Judge Judy for three seasons, adding to her current contract (which was set to expire after the 2016–17 season), meaning it will be on the air until at least the spring of 2020. The new contract also includes a second season renewal for her executive-produced judge panel show Hot Bench.[71]
3	Oprah Winfrey announces that Harpo Productions will be folded into her OWN cable channel, which will result in the closing of Harpo Studios, the Chicago facility where The Oprah Winfrey Show taped from 1990 to its end in 2011. OWN's original shows will begin taping at their West Hollywood studios starting in 2016.[72]
4	An episode of TBS' Conan features segments in which host Conan O'Brien visits Havana, Cuba. It is the first time an American late-night series has filmed in Cuba since Jack Paar interviewed Fidel Castro on The Tonight Show in 1959.[73]
10	For the second time in 13 months, The Weather Channel is removed by a major television provider. Verizon FiOS dropped TWC and sister network Weatherscan at 12:00 a.m. Eastern Time (replaced by AccuWeather Network, which launched on that date, as well as a widget with weather content provided by WeatherBug), after the two parties were unable to come to terms on a new carriage agreement. Verizon (downplaying claims that the removal resulted from a carriage dispute between it and TWC) cited consumer use of the internet and mobile apps to receive weather forecasts as the reason behind the removal.[74][75] In response, The Weather Channel released a statement citing its live, real-time coverage of severe weather events as an integral part of its programming, and urged FiOS subscribers to urge the provider to restore the channel.[76][77]
12	Dr. Nancy Snyderman leaves NBC News as a result of controversy stemming after she was caught violating the terms of a self-imposed quarantine after being potentially exposed to the Ebola virus, in which she was spotted outside the restricted area in New Jersey in October 2014, a precaution she and other staffers took after an NBC News freelance cameraman contracted the disease while Snyderman and a team were in Liberia.[78]
	Univision fires Rodner Figueroa (a fashion correspondent and co-host of the Spanish-language network's entertainment newsmagazine Sal y Pimienta) after remarking on the previous day's edition of El Gordo y la Flaca that Michelle Obama looked "like she's part of the cast of Planet of the Apes" while the First Lady's image was shown side-by-side with that of Paolo Ballesteros (who became viral earlier in the year for his transformations into various female celebrities) during a live segment about the make-up artist. In a statement, Figueroa stated the comment was not meant to be racist, instead a reference to the job Ballesteros had done to make himself into Mrs. Obama, and claimed he was let go after The White House complained to Univision, a claim that a Univision executive denied.[79][80]
	After appearing in only seven shows, Kathy Griffin announces that she has decided to leave E!'s Fashion Police, citing that her brand of humor was not the perfect fit for the program and that she did not want to duplicate the formula of her best friend and predecessor Joan Rivers.[81] On March 17, E! announced that it was placing Fashion Police on hiatus until September.[82]
14	One night before a HBO documentary series, The Jinx, airs its final episode, the subject of that show, Robert Durst, is arrested in New Orleans as part of the investigation of the 2000 death of family friend Susan Berman, which is profiled in the series along with two other deaths, including the unsolved disappearance and murder of Durst's wife. Though Durst has maintained his innocence, The Jinx‍ '​s finale features audio of Durst (recorded following an interview for the series while Durst's microphone was still turned on) that appears to implicate himself in the deaths.[83][84]
23	The National Football League announces a suspension of its decades-long blackout policy, allowing games that do not sell out in the 2015 season to air in the game site's market.[85]
	The FCC levies a $325,000 fine against CBS affiliate WDBJ/Roanoke, Virginia for airing sexually explicit material outside of the designated safe harbor period (between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.). The fine, the largest ever against a television station for a one-time instance of indecent content, was for a July 2012 report opening a 6:00 p.m. newscast about a former porn actress who became a volunteer EMT for a Roanoke area rescue squad; the report featured a brief image from an adult website showing the subject of the report (who was neither nude nor engaged in a sexual act), which featured a video clip of a hand stroking a penis that seemed to be in the safe area of the editing suite while the story was being packaged, but was visible on-screen when actually broadcast. WDBJ's owner Schurz Communications plans to challenge the fine, contending the images were fleeting (only three seconds in length) and small enough to not be visible for many viewers.[86][87]
	After three months of guest hosts in the wake of Craig Ferguson's departure from The Late Late Show, James Corden takes over as the CBS late-night talk show's permanent new host. Tom Hanks and Mila Kunis are Corden's inaugural guests.[88]

April

Date	Event
1	E. W. Scripps Company and Journal Communications consummate the concurring mergers of their respective media properties, with Journal's television and radio assets (with the exception of Fox affiliate KNIN-TV/Caldwell, Idaho and radio station KFTI-FM/Wichita, Kansas, which were sold to other companies) becoming part of the Cincinnati-based Scripps' existing broadcasting portfolio (Scripps' print assets were transferred to a separate company, the Milwaukee-based Journal Media Group, which includes the pre-merger Journal's existing newspaper and magazine properties).[89]
	As part of the show's annual April Fool's Day gag, Bob Barker hosts the first segment of The Price Is Right. Barker, who hosted the show from 1972 to 2007, ceded hosting duties to current host Drew Carey for the remainder of the show.[90]
2	Just three days after it was announced that the project had begun production, Will Ferrell announced that a Lifetime movie that he and producer Gary Sanchez had been working on, A Deadly Adoption, was scrapped after details of the project were leaked to the press. The project itself might have been an April Fools' Day prank, but Ferrell has not confirmed it as such. The television film, which was to have starred Ferrell and Kristen Wiig as a couple whose adoption takes a tragic turn, was to have coincided with Lifetime's 25th anniversary of producing original made-for-cable movies (the story reportedly would have included tongue-in-cheek nods to classic Lifetime movies).[91]
3	Two Los Angeles-based talent agencies, United Talent Agency and Creative Artists Agency, take their dispute that resulted in UTA luring away 10 talent representatives and their clients (including television actresses Mindy Kaling and Melissa McCarthy) to court, as CAA files a lawsuit accusing UTA of enlisting two CAA agents to help induce their fellow employees to terminate their employment with CAA so they can join UTA, citing a breach of contract and a deliberate attempt to interfere with CAA's relationship with its clients.[92]
6	ABC affiliate WICD/Champaign, Illinois discontinued its weeknight 6:00 and 10:00 p.m. newscasts, replacing them with simulcasts from Springfield sister station WICS (both are owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group, with WICD serving as a semi-satellite of WICS), that would feature news coverage focused on the entire Springfield-Champaign-Decatur market. Although WICD will no longer carry its own newscasts, the station will simultaneously begin producing an hour-long 9:00 p.m. newscast for Fox-affiliated sister station WCCU-TV, that will be separate from an existing prime time newscast on that station's Springfield-based parent WRSP-TV (both operated by Sinclair through GOCOM Media).[93][94]
	CBS televised the 2015 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship Game, in which the Duke Blue Devils defeated the Wisconsin Badgers in Indianapolis. The 2015 Championship Game marked the end of a 34-year streak of consecutive telecasts of the game for CBS Sports. The 2016 edition, as part of a deal between CBS and Turner that began in 2011, will be on TBS. Through 2024, subsequent championship games in even-numbered years are scheduled to be on TBS, with CBS retaining the game in odd-numbered years.[95][96]
7	Coinciding with the fifth season premiere of Game of Thrones airing five days later on April 12, HBO launches HBO Now, an over-the-top subscription video on demand service featuring original programming and feature film content from the Time Warner-owned premium channel. The service, which does not require a subscription to the linear HBO channel through a conventional pay television provider (differing from the similar TV Everywhere service HBO Go), was initially made available for purchase through Apple (which unveiled the service at a press event on March 9) and Cablevision's Optimum TV service.[97][98][99][100]
8	Speaking at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Bob Schieffer announces plans to retire in the summer after 46 years at CBS News. The 78-year-old Schieffer, who has moderated Face the Nation since 1991 and filled in as anchor of the CBS Evening News, has won numerous awards including eight Emmys, and interviewed every president since Richard Nixon.[101] John Dickerson was named as Schieffer's successor on April 12 and will take over the program in June.[102]
	A series of DirecTV advertisements featuring actor and spokesperson Rob Lowe as himself and various alter-egos is removed as planned for a new campaign featuring model Hannah Davis, but not before the National Advertising Division, following up on a complaint made by Comcast, finds DirecTV's claims about customer satisfaction, quality and ranking in the Lowe series of ads are not true.[103]
13	Citing that "due to his successful and demanding film and primetime TV projects," Terry Crews has decided to step down as host of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire after only one season. Chris Harrison will succeed him in September.[104]
15	The digital subchannel network Laff commences programming. Owned by Katz Broadcasting and consisting of sitcoms and comedic films, Laff launches primarily on stations owned by ABC and E. W. Scripps Company.[105]
16	ESPN suspends reporter Britt McHenry for one week after an incident that was caught on video in which she berated a towing company employee after her car was towed from a lot in suburban Washington, D.C. The video featured McHenry using profanity and insults towards the woman who was about to tow the car. McHenry has since apologized for her actions.[106]
17	The syndicated morning program The Daily Buzz is abruptly canceled without notice after a 12½-year run. Based in Orlando and airing mainly on independent or CW- or MyNetworkTV-affiliated stations, Buzz‍ '​s demise comes after a financial backer of the show's producers, Mojo Brands Media, pulls their funding for the company.[107]
18	Fox Sports announces the addition of Pete Rose to its Major League Baseball broadcasting team as a guest analyst, over 25 years after the all-time leader in hits (with 4,259) received a lifetime ban from the sport for betting on games while managing the Cincinnati Reds.[108]
20	Netflix announces it has ordered 13 episodes of an original series titled Fuller House, which will be a sequel of Full House, with several members of the original cast reprising their roles. [109]
23	Just one year after announcing what would have become the largest cable operator in the United States, only to face increasing opposition from federal regulators, members of the U.S. House and Senate, and media watchdog groups, Comcast withdraws its plans to acquire Time Warner Cable, whose deal would have faced more scrutiny after regulators were to take the companies' proposed plans that were called into question to a judge before a decision could have been made.[110]
	Hours after the news was leaked out in the upcoming edition of Entertainment Weekly to some subscribers of the magazine who receive it early, Patrick Dempsey confirmed that his character on Grey's Anatomy, Derek Shepherd, will die from a car accident and his wife Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) will take him off life support in the episode "How to Save a Life," which aired on this date. The news also coincides with Dempsey's decision to leave the series after eleven seasons despite having signed on for a 12th.[111]
24	In a two-hour 20/20 interview with ABC's Diane Sawyer that attracts nearly 17 million viewers, Bruce Jenner confirms nearly 2 years of speculation (after his divorce from third wife Kris Jenner) that he identifies as and has started transitioning to a woman, the last interview Jenner will do as a male during the transition (Because Jenner has yet to reveal a female first name, and due to guidelines placed by GLAAD, Jenner's birth name will continue to be referred to until it is announced).[112] On April 25, E! announces that a 8-part documentary-reality series that will follow Jenner's life as a transgender person will debut July 26.[113]
26	The 42nd Daytime Emmy Awards ceremonies are held, with The Young and the Restless and Days of Our Lives sharing Outstanding Drama Series honors, the 2nd time in history two dramas shared the honor.[114] The ceremony airs on Pop, marking a return to conventional TV for the Daytime Emmys (the 2014 ceremony aired online-only).[115][116]
27	ESPN sues Verizon for breach of contract after they "unbundled" its channels by placing them into a different package than previously agreed upon. [117]
	Local media outlets in the Baltimore market and the major cable news outlets air live coverage of the riots that breaks out hours after Freddie Gray, a 25 year old male who died of suspicious spinal cord and neck injuries while in police custody after being arrested for possession of what was suspected to be a illegal knife that later turned out was legal under Maryland state law, which lead to six Baltimore Police Department officers being placed on paid suspension (and were later charged with second degree murder and manslaughter charges upon review of a investigation), was laid to rest, which forces the move of network primetime to digital subchannels on WMAR, WBAL, WJZ and WBFF for breaking news coverage.[118] At least 34 people were arrested, and 15 officers were injured.[119][120] The riots also results in the postponment of two Chicago White Sox-Baltimore Orioles games to a May 28 doubleheader (the first due to safety concerns, the second additionally due to an additional 10 p.m. ET curfew), with a third on April 29 being played during the day in an empty stadium setting at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, though still televised in the Baltimore and Chicago markets, a first ever in Major League Baseball's 145-year history.[121]

Future events

May

Date	Event
2	For the first time since 2002, HBO and Showtime will team up to carry the Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao boxing match from Las Vegas through a combined pay-per-view co-production. The event is part of their television contract agreements, as Mayweather has a six-fight deal with Showtime, while Pacquiao is exclusive to HBO.[122]
20	David Letterman will retire from late night television after 33 years as his version of CBS' Late Show ends after 22 seasons (he hosted the original version of NBC's Late Night from 1982–1993).[123] Successor Stephen Colbert's new version will begin on September 8.[124]
25	Decades will make its formal debut. The digital subchannel network, co-owned by CBS Television Stations and Weigel Broadcasting, will focus on classic TV shows and movies from a particular year or decade each day, drawing initially on programming from the CBS Television Distribution library. CBS' O&O stations will be the launch group for the network. Weigel, which owns Me-TV and is a partner with Fox Television Stations in Movies!, will handle distribution outside the CBS O&O markets. Decades "soft launched" on January 16 for affiliated stations to provide them with marathons of the network's series in the interim.[125][126]
31	Buzzr TV will debut as a digital subchannel network, airing primarily on Fox-owned stations. Owned by FremantleMedia and based on the YouTube channel of the same name, the network will feature content from Fremantle's library of classic game shows (including the extensive Goodson-Todman Productions library that had previously served as the core of the Game Show Network lineup).[127][128]

September

Date	Event
19	Univision's Sábado Gigante will end its 53-year run. The three-hour variety show, hosted by Don Francisco, is the longest-running variety series in television history, originating on Chilean television in 1962 before moving to Miami and joining Univision in 1986.[129]
20	The 67th Primetime Emmy Awards, hosted by Andy Samberg, will air on Fox.[130]

October

Date	Event
25	In what is termed a "grand experiment," this day's National Football League game in London, England between the Buffalo Bills and Jacksonville Jaguars will air exclusively and for free on the league's digital platforms and not on conventional TV outside the Buffalo and Jacksonville markets, nor will it air on NFL Sunday Ticket.[85]

TBD

Date	Event
TBD	Live Well Network, a lifestyle digital subchannel network owned by ABC Owned Television Stations, will end national distribution, though it will continue to air in markets with an ABC owned-and-operated station.[131][132][133]
	Educational Media Foundation will launch a subscription television network based around its K-Love Christian contemporary music format and brand.[134]
	Apple plans to launch an online TV service, and is in talks with programmers to offer a slimmed-down bundle of TV networks featuring 25 channels, including three of the five major networks (ABC, CBS and Fox). The service will be available on Apple devices such as Apple TV. Apple is hoping that Comcast will be part of the proposed new venture, but a fall out between the two companies over Comcast's decision to launch its X1 Web-enabled set-top box on its own has made it impossible to set up a deal.[135]

Television programs

Programs debuting in 2015

These shows are scheduled to premiere in 2015. The premiere dates may be changed depending on a variety of factors.

Start date	Show	Channel	Source
January 1	Big Women: Big Love	Lifetime	[136]
January 4	Galavant	ABC	[137]
January 6	Agent Carter		[137]
	Framework	Spike	[138]
	Child Genius	Lifetime	[139]
January 7	Empire	Fox	[140]
	Hindsight	VH1	[141]
January 8	Babylon	SundanceTV	[142]
January 10	Numb Chucks	Boomerang	[143]
January 11	Togetherness	HBO	[144]
January 12	Little Charmers	Nickelodeon Nick Jr.	[145]
	Eye Candy	MTV
January 13	Wrestling with Death	WGN America	[146]
	Big Giant Swords	Discovery Channel	[147]
	Jack Vale Offline	HLN	[148]
January 14	Man Seeking Woman	FXX	[149]
	The Story Behind	Pop	[150]
January 16	12 Monkeys	Syfy	[151]
	The Adventures of Puss in Boots	Netflix	[152]
	World's Funniest Fails	Fox	[140]
January 17	Bella and the Bulldogs	Nickelodeon	[153]
January 18	K.C. Undercover	Disney Channel	[154]
	Star vs. the Forces of Evil		[155]
January 19	The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore	Comedy Central	[156]
January 21	Best New Restaurant	Bravo	[157]
January 22	Backstrom	Fox	[140]
	This Is Not Happening	Comedy Central	[158]
January 29	Duff Till Dawn	Food Network	[159]
	Fortitude	Pivot	[160]
February 4	Fresh Off the Boat	ABC	[161]
February 5	Allegiance	NBC	[162]
February 6	Miles from Tomorrowland	Disney Channel	[163]
February 8	Better Call Saul	AMC	[164]
February 11	Schitt's Creek	Pop	[150]
February 13	Penn Zero: Part-Time Hero	Disney Channel Disney XD	[165]
February 17	Our Little Family	TLC	[166]
	Repeat After Me	ABC	[167]
February 19	The Odd Couple	CBS	[168]
February 20	Richie Rich	Netflix	[169]
February 24	Outlaw Country	WGN America	[146]
February 25	Dinner at Tiffani's	Cooking Channel	[170]
February 28	Good Witch	Hallmark Channel	[171]
March 1	Battle Creek	CBS	[172]
	The Last Man on Earth	Fox	[140]
	Secrets and Lies	ABC	[173]
March 4	CSI: Cyber	CBS	[172]
March 5	American Crime	ABC	[173]
	Dig	USA Network	[174]
March 6	Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt	Netflix	[175]
	In an Instant	ABC	[176]
March 9	The Returned	A&E	[177]
March 10	Powers	PlayStation Network	[178]
March 14	Transformers: Robots in Disguise	Cartoon Network	[179]
March 15	The Royals	E!	[180][181]
March 17	iZombie	The CW	[182]
	One Big Happy	NBC	[162]
March 20	Bloodline	Netflix	[183]
March 23	The Late Late Show with James Corden	CBS	[88]
	Sin City Saints	Yahoo! Screen	[184]
March 25	Big Time in Hollywood, FL	Comedy Central	[158]
March 29	Harvey Beaks	Nickelodeon	[185]
March 31	Weird Loners	Fox	[140]
	Younger	TV Land	[186]
April 2	Lip Sync Battle	Spike	[187]
April 3	The Grace Helbig Show	E!	[188]
April 5	Happyish	Showtime	[189]
April 6	Make It Pop	Nickelodeon	[190]
April 9	The Comedians	FX	[191]
April 10	Daredevil	Netflix	[192]
April 14	Other Space	Yahoo! Screen	[193]
April 17	Cedric's Barber Battle	The CW	[182]
	The Messengers
May 8	Grace and Frankie	Netflix	[194]
May 14	Wayward Pines	Fox	[195]
May 20	500 Questions	ABC	[196]
May 26	The Island	NBC	[197]
	I Can Do That		[198]
May 27	Bullseye	Fox	[199]
	The Briefcase	CBS	[200]
May 28	Aquarius	NBC	[201]
June 1	The Whispers	ABC	[196]
June 8	Sense8	Netflix	[202]
June 16	Proof	TNT	[203]
	Clipped	TBS
June 18	The Astronaut Wives Club	ABC	[204]
June 19	Killjoys	Syfy	[205]
June 21	Ballers	HBO	[206]
	The Brink
June 25	Boom!	Fox	[207]
June 30	Scream	MTV	[208]
	Zoo	CBS	[209]
July 8	Million Dollar Listing San Francisco	Bravo	[210]
July 9	Dates	The CW	[211]
	One Bad Choice	MTV	[212]
July 16	Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll	FX	[213]
	Geeks Who Drink	Syfy	[205]
July 22	Home Free	Fox	[214]
July 26	Untitled Bruce Jenner reality series	E!	[215]
July 31	Cold Justice: Sex Crimes	TNT	[203]
July	Total Drama Presents: The Ridonculous Race	Cartoon Network	[216]
August 3	Significant Mother	The CW	[211]
August 5	A Wicked Offer
August 8	The Carmichael Show	NBC	[198]
	Mr. Robinson		[162]
August 17	Public Morals	TNT	[203]
August 31	Todrick	MTV	[212]
	Girl Code Live		[212]
September 8	Late Show with Stephen Colbert	CBS	[124]
Summer TBA	Fear the Walking Dead	AMC	[217]
	Ice & Coco	Fox O&Os	[218]
	All That Jazz	TLC	[219]
November	The Lion Guard	Disney Junior	[220]
TBA	Supergirl	CBS	[221]
	The Wonder List	CNN	[222]
	Another Period	Comedy Central	[223]
	The Daily Show with Trevor Noah
	Goldie & Bear	Disney Junior	[224]
	Guardians of the Galaxy	Disney XD	[225]
	Lego Star Wars: Droid Tales		[226]
	Pickle & Peanut		[227]
	Bordertown	Fox	[228]
	Westworld	HBO	[229]
	11/22/63	Hulu	[230]
	Casual		[231]
	American Documentary	IFC	[232]
	American Storage		[232]
	Follow the Rules	MTV	[212]
	Greatest Party Story Ever
	Middle of the Night Show
	The Shannara Chronicles
	Narcos	Netflix	[233]
	Fresh Beat Band of Spies	Nickelodeon	[234]
	Shimmer & Shine		[234]
	Pig Goat Banana Cricket		[235]
	School of Rock		[236]
	100 Things to Do Before High School		[237]
	Halo	Showtime	[238]
	Ash vs. Evil Dead	Starz	[239]
	Blunt Talk		[240]
	Olympus	[241]
	Angie Tribeca	TBS	[242]
	Your Family or Mine		[243]
	The Jim Gaffigan Show	TV Land	[244]
	Humans	Xbox Live	[245]
	The FAB Life	Syndication	[246][247]

Made-for-TV movies and miniseries

Premiere date	Title	Channel	Source
January 17	Whitney	Lifetime	[248]
	Bridal Wave	Hallmark Channel	[249]
January 24	Love By The Book		[249]
January 31	Beautiful & Twisted	Lifetime	[250]
February 8	The Jinx	HBO	[251]
February 12	The Slap	NBC	[162]
February 13	Bad Hair Day	Disney Channel	[252]
February 16	The Book of Negroes	BET	[253]
February 21	Bagboy	Adult Swim	[254]
April 5	A.D.: The Bible Continues	NBC	[162]
	American Odyssey
	Sinatra: All or Nothing at All	HBO	[255]
April 29	The Casual Vacancy		[256]
May 16	Bessie		[257]
July 22	Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No!	Syfy	[205]
Summer	Heroes Reborn	NBC	[258]
	The Spoils Before Dying	IFC	[259]
	Teen Beach 2	Disney Channel	[260]
November 8	Flesh and Bone	Starz	[261]
December 3	The Wiz Live	NBC	[262]
TBA	Grease Live	Fox	[263]
	Descendants	Disney Channel	[264]

Programs returning in 2015

The following shows will return with new episodes after being canceled or ended their run previously:

Show	Last aired	Previous channel	New/returning/same channel	Return date	Source
Oggy and the Cockroaches	1999	Fox Kids	Nickelodeon	February 23	[265]
Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?	2011	Syndication	Fox	May 26	[266]
BattleBots	2002	Comedy Central	ABC	June 21	[196]
Celebrity Family Feud	2008	NBC
NASCAR on NBC	2006		Same/NBCSN	July 5	[267]
Heroes	2010		Same	Summer	[258]
The X-Files	2003	Fox		TBA	[268]
The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret	2012	IFC			[269]
Project Greenlight	2001	HBO			[270]
Unforgettable	2014	CBS	A&E		[271]
Coach	1997	ABC	NBC		[272]

Programs changing networks

The following shows aired new episodes on a different network than previous first-run episodes.

Show	Moved from	Moved to	Source
Community	NBC	Yahoo! Screen	[273]
Billy on the Street	Fuse	truTV	[274]
Longmire	A&E	Netflix	[275]
Married at First Sight	fyi	fyi / A&E	[276]

Milestone episodes in 2015

Show	Network	Episode #	Episode title	Episode air date	Source
Blue Bloods	CBS	100th	"Baggage"	January 9	[277]
Mike & Molly			"Mike Check"	February 2	[278]
Nuestra Belleza Latina	Univision		"Fifty Shades of Cat Fights and Zombies"	February 8
American Greed	CNBC		"The Dirtiest Con"	February 19
Steve Harvey	Syndicated	500th		April 27	[279]

Programs ending in 2015

End date	Show	Channel	First aired	Status	Source
January 2	Moyers & Company	PBS	2012	Ended	[280]
January 3	Huckabee	Fox News Channel	2008		[5]
January 22	A to Z	NBC	2014	Canceled	[281]
	Bad Judge
January 29	The McCarthys	CBS			[282]
	Parenthood	NBC	2010	Ended	[283]
February 7	Red Band Society	Fox	2014	Canceled
February 10	Ground Floor	TBS	2013		[284]
February 15	Mulaney	Fox	2014
February 18	The Mentalist	CBS	2008	Ended	[285]
February 19	Two and a Half Men		2003		[168]
February 24	Parks and Recreation	NBC	2009		[286]
February 27	Ronan Farrow Daily	MSNBC	2014	Canceled	[287]
	The Reid Report
March 5	Allegiance	NBC	2015		[288]
March 6	The Queen Latifah Show	Syndication	2013		[289]
March 16	Eye Candy	MTV	2015		[290]
March 20	Glee	Fox	2009	Ended	[291]
March 24	Kroll Show	Comedy Central	2013		[292]
March 25	Kickin' It	Disney XD	2011		[293]
March 27	Hart of Dixie	The CW		Canceled	[294]
	Let's Ask America	Syndication	2012		[295]
March 28	The Suze Orman Show	CNBC	2002	Ended	[296]
March 31	Cougar Town	TBS	2009		[297]
April 10	Helix	Syfy	2014	Canceled	[298]
April 14	Justified	FX	2010	Ended	[299]
	Brickleberry	Comedy Central	2012	Canceled	[300]
	Sirens	USA Network	2014		[301]
April 17	The Daily Buzz	Broadcast syndication Youtoo	2002		[302]
May 10	Revenge	ABC	2011		[303]
May 17	Mad Men	AMC	2007	Ending	[304]
May 20	Late Show with David Letterman	CBS	1993		[305]
August 6	The Daily Show with Jon Stewart	Comedy Central	1999		[306]
September 19	Sábado Gigante	Univision	1962		[129]
Fall TBA	The League	FXX	2009		[307]
TBA	Nurse Jackie	Showtime			[308]
	Falling Skies	TNT	2011		[309]
	Hot in Cleveland	TV Land	2010		[310]
	Strike Back	Cinemax			[311]
	Melissa & Joey	ABC Family		Canceled	[312]

Television stations

Station launches

Date	Market	Station	Channel	affiliation	Source
January 2	Quincy/Hannibal/Keokuk, IL-MO-IA	KHQA-DT3	7.3	Grit TV	[313]

Stations changing network affiliation

Date	Market	Station	Channel	Prior affiliation	New affiliation	Source
January 1	Indianapolis/Kokomo, Indiana	WTTV/WTTK	4.1/29.1	The CW	CBS	[314]
	Indianapolis, Indiana	WISH-TV	8.1	CBS	The CW	[315]
	Derry/Manchester, New Hampshire/ Boston, Massachusetts	WBIN-TV	50.2	Live Well Network	Antenna TV	[316]
	Atlantic City, New Jersey	WMGM-TV	40.1	NBC	Soul of the South Network	[317]
January 16	Milwaukee	WDJT-TV	58.4	TouchVision	Decades	[318]
January 26	Jonesboro, Arkansas	KAIT	8.2	Weather	NBC	[319]
	Casper, Wyoming	KWYF-LD	26.1	The CW	Me-TV	[320]
		KFNB	20.2	None	The CW
TBD	Green Bay, Wisconsin	WBAY-TV	2.3	Live Well Network	Decades	[126]

Deaths

Date	Name	Age	Notability	Source
Jan. 2	Donna Douglas	82	Actress, singer, and children's book author, best known as Elly May Clampett on The Beverly Hillbillies (other credits include playing the key character in The Twilight Zone episode "The Eye of the Beholder," Love, American Style, Hee Haw and The Nanny)	[321]
	Robert Magruder		American actor and television/radio voiceover personality, known for his narration of the filmed investigations on Cheaters	[322]
Jan. 4	Stuart Scott	49	ESPN personality (anchor of SportsCenter, studio host for NFL and NBA coverage on both ESPN and ABC)	[323]
Jan. 8	Rod Taylor	84	Australian-born American actor (Credits include Hong Kong, Bearcats!, and The Oregon Trail)	[324]
Jan. 9	Bud Paxson	80	American radio and television owner and executive (founder of WNYP-TV/Jamestown, NY, Home Shopping Network, Paxson Communications and PAX TV)	[325]
Jan. 10	Taylor Negron	57	American actor, comedian, playwright, poet, and painter (Credits includes regular roles in So Little Time and Smart Guy; guest roles in Seinfeld, Friends, and Curb Your Enthusiasm)	[326]
Jan. 13	H. Wesley Kenney	89	American producer and director, was executive producer for Days of Our Lives (1977-1979, also directed from 1968-1979); The Young and the Restless (1982-1987); General Hospital (1987-1989, was also head writer briefly during the 1988 WGA strike); and directed episodes of All in the Family.	[327]
Jan. 15	Darrell Winfield	85	Model and rancher known as the Marlboro Man in the 1960-1980s.	[328]
Jan. 17	Don Harron	90	Canadian actor, writer, and radio personality (best known for appearances as Charlie Farquharson on Hee Haw)	[329]
	Greg Plitt	37	American fitness model and actor (starred in the Bravo series Work Out)	[330]
Jan. 18	Tony Verna	81	Producer/director (notably with CBS Sports and live events including Live Aid) and inventor of instant replay	[331]
Jan. 20	Bette Rogge	92	Talk show host
Jan. 22	Peggy Charren	86	Children's television advocate and co-founder of Action for Children's Television	[332]
Jan. 24	Joe Franklin	88	Host of The Joe Franklin Show, the longest continuously running talk show in television history, from 1950 to 1993	[333]
Feb. 11	Bob Simon	73	Correspondent for CBS News (most notably for 60 Minutes)	[334]
Feb. 12	Gary Owens	80	American disc jockey and voice actor, was the announcer for Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In, other credits include Roger Ramjet, Space Ghost, Dynomutt, Dog Wonder, Garfield and Friends and SWAT Kats: The Radical Squadron, also wrote for Jay Ward Productions and served as vice president of Gannett Company	[335]
Feb. 13	Stan Chambers	91	American reporter, worked at KTLA from 1947-2010.	[336]
Feb. 16	Lesley Gore	68	American singer/songwriter, actress, and LGBT activist (credits include In The Life and Batman)	[337]
Feb. 19	Harris Wittels	30	American comedian, actor, writer, producer and musician. Writer for The Sarah Silverman Program, writer and executive producer for Parks and Recreation.	[338]
Feb. 23	Ben Woolf	34	American actor, best known for playing Meep in American Horror Story: Freak Show	[339]
Feb. 24	Mirjana Puhar	19	American model and reality television participant (America's Next Top Model)	[340]
Feb. 27	Leonard Nimoy	83	Television, film and stage actor, best known as Spock on the original Star Trek TV series and its film adaptations; other roles include the lead in the TV movie Baffled!, Morris Meyerson in A Woman Called Golda, Paris in Mission: Impossible, host of In Search of… and Standby: Lights, Camera, Action, among numerous other roles	[341]
March 1	Daniel von Bargen	64	Actor, best known for recurring roles in Seinfeld, Malcolm in the Middle, Guiding Light, and All My Children	[342]
March 2	Jenna McMahon	89	Actress (The Funny Side, Love, American Style) and writer (The Carol Burnett Show, The Facts of Life, Mama's Family)	[343]
March 4	Harve Bennett	84	American producer and writer (The Mod Squad, The Invisible Man, Rich Man, Poor Man, Gemini Man, The Six Million Dollar Man, The Bionic Woman, Salvage 1, Time Trax and Invasion America)	[344]
March 5	Gordon Kent		American writer, producer and animator (Alvin and the Chipmunks, CBS Storybreak, Teen Wolf, G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, Garbage Pail Kids, Timeless Tales from Hallmark, Taz-Mania and Bonkers)	[345]
March 8	Sam Simon	59	American producer, director, and writer (Taxi, Cheers, It's Garry Shandling's Show, The Tracey Ullman Show, The Simpsons, The George Carlin Show and The Drew Carey Show)	[346]
March 9	Eugene Patton	82	Stagehand at NBC Studios, Burbank and personality on The Gong Show ("Gene Gene the Dancing Machine"). First African American member of the International Alliance of Theatrical and Stage Employees, Local 33.	[347]
March 10	Windell Middlebrooks	36	American actor, seen in Miller High Life beer ads and on several TV series (The Suite Life on Deck, Hannah Montana, My Name Is Earl, Chocolate News, Entourage, Scrubs, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Body of Proof)	[348]
March 17	Christie Schoen Codd	38	Husband-and-wife film/TV workers (Christie was an actress, stuntwoman, caterer and reality TV contestant; Joseph was a stage grip on TV and film projects)	[349]
	Joseph Codd	45
March 20	Lisa Colagrossi	49	News reporter on WABC-TV/New York City. Also worked at WKMG-TV/Orlando (where she won two local Emmy Awards); and WKYC-TV/Cleveland	[350]
March 21	John Litvack	69	Director (soap operas including The Edge of Night and The Guiding Light), producer (Hill Street Blues, Smallville), and executive with CBS, NBC, Walt Disney Television, and The WB	[351]
	Alberta Watson	60	Canadian actress (notable roles including La Femme Nikita, 24, and Nikita)	[352]
March 25	George Fischbeck	92	TV meteorologist, most notably at KABC-TV from 1972 to 1990	[353]
March 27	Rod Hundley	80	Former NBA player and broadcaster for the New Orleans/Utah Jazz, Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Lakers, and TVS Television Network	[354]
March 28	Richard L. Bare	101	Director/writer (work on several series, most notably The Twilight Zone and Green Acres)	[355]
April 2	Robert H. Schuller	88	American minister and televangelist (founder of Crystal Cathedral Ministries; co-host of the Hour of Power, 1970-2008)	[356]
April 4	Lisa Simon	64	Producer/director, most notably for work on Sesame Street	[357]
April 6	James Best	88	Actor, best known as Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane on The Dukes of Hazzard	[358]
	Ben Powers	64	Actor, best known as Keith Anderson on Good Times	[359]
April 7	Stan Freberg	88	Advertising executive, satirist and voice actor (participated in Time for Beany, developed commercials for Jeno's pizza rolls, Cheerios, Sunsweet prunes, Heinz soup, Jacobsen Mowers, and Encyclopædia Britannica)	[360]
April 7	Geoffrey Lewis	79	Actor in film and television, including regular roles on Flo, Gun Shy, Falcon Crest, Land's End. Father of Juliette Lewis.	[361]
April 9	Richard Dysart	86	Actor, best known for his Emmy Award-winning role as Leland McKenzie on L.A. Law	[362]
April 21	Steve Byrnes	56	NASCAR reporter and announcer for TNN, CBS, and Fox Sports	[363]
April 22	Lois Lilienstein	78	Musical performer who starred on The Elephant Show and Skinnamarink TV as a member of children's trio Sharon, Lois & Bram	[364]
April 23	Sawyer Sweeten	19	Actor, best known as Geoffrey Barone on Everybody Loves Raymond	[365]
April 26	Jayne Meadows	95	Stage, film, and television actress who had recurring appearances on I've Got a Secret and What's My Line?. Also appeared live in Las Vegas with her husband, Steve Allen.	[366]
April 27	Suzanne Crough	52	Actress, best known as Tracy Partridge on The Partridge Family	[367]

References

Years in television: 2015 Albania Australia Brazil Canada Croatia Denmark France Germany Ireland Israel Japan Netherlands New Zealand Philippines Portugal Scotland South Africa Spain Sweden United Kingdom United States