1998 in American television
The following is a list of events affecting American television during 1998. Events listed include television series debuts, finales, cancellations, and channel initiations, closures and rebrandings, as well as information about controversies and disputes.
Events
January
February
Date |
Event |
9 |
Prevue Channel (now Pop) revamps its programming to include short-form segments. The revamp lasts until January 31, 1999, when the channel is renamed TV Guide Channel. |
March
Date |
Event |
10 |
Showtime launches a new multiplex channel, Showtime Extreme, which airs action and adventure films, thrillers, gangster films and sporting events. The channel's launch coincided with Viacom's channels (excluding the Showtime networks) moving from USSB to DirecTV. |
29 |
BBC Worldwide debuts BBC America. |
April
May
June
Date |
Event |
11 |
United Video Satellite Group, parent company of the Prevue Channel (now Pop), acquires TV Guide from News Corporation for $800 million and 60 million shares of stock worth an additional $1.2 billion. In recognition of this, Prevue Channel will rebrand to the TV Guide Channel on February 1, 1999.[1][2] |
29 |
Lifetime Movie Network, a movie channel from Lifetime, debuts. |
August
Date |
Event |
15 |
More than a year after its acquisition by News Corporation's Fox Kids Worldwide, Inc., The Family Channel is re-initiated as Fox Family Channel, with the network now targeting a younger family-oriented audience than that of its predecessor. |
A pre-season football game in Vancouver, British Columbia between the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks is CBS's first NFL football broadcast since January 1994. |
16 |
KATH-LP in Juneau, Alaska signs on the air, giving the Juneau market its first full-time NBC affiliate. The sign-on was delayed for a month due to delays in receiving the equipment required to place the station on the local GCI cable system (Sister station KSCT-LP in Sitka, the market's former Fox affiliate, had already switched to NBC).[3][4] |
31 |
Pax TV (now named Ion Television), a family-oriented broadcast network owned by Paxson Communications, begins broadcasting. The network was originally carried for Paxson-owned stations by a number of paid programming services (as well as the overnight Christian block The Worship Network), branded as the Infomall Television Network until at the time of its network launch.[5] |
September
Date |
Event |
14 |
The revived edition of Hollywood Squares resumes syndication. Tom Bergeron serves as host. |
21 |
The WB launches its programming service of cable-only networks, branded as the 100+ Station Group. It was originally known as The WeB, which was from its launch until March of next year. Several cable providers that carried The WB's programming on WGN Superstation feed (until it was dropped the following September) were replaced by its own service.[6] |
October
November
Date |
Event |
20 |
The Rugrats Movie, based on Nickelodeon's hit series Rugrats is released in theaters. The movie introduces the character of Dil Pickles, who became a main character in Rugrats the following January. The Rugrats Movie was a commercial success, making a grand total of $100,494,675 domestically and another $40,400,000 in international markets.[7] |
Programs
Debuts
Ending this year
Entering syndication this year
Returning this year
Change of network affiliation
Miniseries
Births
Date | Name | Notability |
January 4 |
Coco Jones |
Actress (So Random!, Good Luck Charlie) |
January 23 |
Rachel Crow |
Actress |
January 24 |
Ariel Winter |
Actress (Modern Family) |
February 15 |
Zachary Gordon |
Actor (Bubble Guppies, Diary of a Wimpy Kid) |
March 22 |
Paola Andino |
Actress (Every Witch Way) |
April 6 |
Peyton List |
Actress (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Jessie, Bunk'd) |
Spencer List |
Actor |
April 9 |
Elle Fanning |
Actress and sister of Dakota Fanning |
April 24 |
Ryan Newman |
Actress (Zeke and Luther, See Dad Run, The Thundermans) |
June 16 |
Lauren Taylor |
Actress (Best Friends Whenever) and singer |
June 19 |
Atticus Shaffer |
Actor (The Middle, Steven Universe) |
June 24 |
Coy Stewart |
Actor (Bella and the Bulldogs) |
July 7 |
Dylan Sprayberry |
Actor (Teen Wolf) |
July 8 |
Jaden Smith |
Actor and son of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith |
July 9 |
Robert Capron |
Actor (Diary of a Wimpy Kid) |
July 10 |
Haley Pullos |
Actress (General Hospital) |
July 22 |
Madison Pettis |
Actress (Cory in the House, Life with Boys, Lab Rats, The Fosters) |
July 24 |
Bindi Irwin |
Australian actress (Dancing with the Stars season 21 [winner]) |
Logan Grove |
Actor (Gumball on The Amazing World of Gumball (2011–14)) |
August 1 |
Khamani Griffin |
Actor (All of Us, Carpoolers) |
August 8 |
Shawn Mendes |
Canadian singer |
August 13 |
Devan Leos |
Actor (Mighty Med) |
August 25 |
China Anne McClain |
Actress (Tyler Perry's House of Payne, Jonas , A.N.T. Farm, Descendants: Wicked World) and singer |
September 4 |
Elizabeth Elias |
Actress (Every Witch Way) |
October 28 |
Nolan Gould |
Actor (Modern Family) |
November 22 |
Eric Unger |
Actor |
November 23 |
Bradley Steven Perry |
Actor (Good Luck Charlie, Mighty Med, Descendants: Wicked World, Lab Rats: Elite Force) |
November 24 |
Peyton Meyer |
Actor (Girl Meets World) |
December 2 |
Annalise Basso |
Actress |
Amber Montana |
Actress (The Haunted Hathaways) |
December 22 |
G Hannelius |
Actress (Dog with a Blog) and singer |
December 23 |
Jackie Radinsky |
Actor (Bella and the Bulldogs) |
December 29 |
Paris Berelc |
Actress (Mighty Med, Lab Rats: Elite Force) |
Deaths
Date | Name | Age | Notability |
January 4 |
Mae Questel |
89 |
Actress (voice of Olive Oyl in Popeye the Sailor) |
January 5 |
Sonny Bono |
62 |
Singer and entertainer (The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour) |
January 21 |
Jack Lord |
77 |
Actor (Steve McGarrett on Hawaii Five-O) |
February 3 |
Fat Pat |
27 |
American rapper |
February 6 |
Carl Wilson |
51 |
Singer-songwriter (The Beach Boys) and brother of Brian Wilson |
February 19 |
Grandpa Jones |
84 |
Comedian and musician (Hee Haw) |
February 23 |
Philip Abbott |
74 |
Actor (The F.B.I.) |
March 10 |
Lloyd Bridges |
85 |
Actor (Mike Nelson on Sea Hunt) |
April 17 |
Linda McCartney |
56 |
Musician (guest star on The Simpsons) (Paul McCartney's wife) |
May 14 |
Frank Sinatra |
82 |
Singer, actor, and producer |
May 28 |
Phil Hartman |
49 |
Actor, comedian (Saturday Night Live, The Simpsons, NewsRadio) |
July 6 |
Roy Rogers |
86 |
Singer and actor (The Roy Rogers Show) |
July 21 |
Robert Young |
91 |
Actor (Father Knows Best, Marcus Welby, M.D.) |
July 30 |
Buffalo Bob Smith |
80 |
Children's show host (Howdy Doody) |
August 2 |
Shari Lewis |
65 |
Puppeteer (Lamb Chop's Play-Along) |
September 23 |
Mary Frann |
55 |
Actress (Joanna on Newhart) |
October 2 |
Gene Autry |
91 |
Musical performer (The Gene Autry Show) |
October 3 |
Roddy McDowall |
70 |
Actor (Tales of the Gold Monkey) |
November 17 |
Dick O'Neill |
70 |
Actor (Family Matters, Home Improvement) |
Esther Rolle |
78 |
Actress (Florida on Maude and Good Times) |
December 6 |
Michael Zaslow |
56 |
Actor (Roger Thorpe on Guiding Light) |
December 14 |
Norman Fell |
74 |
Actor (Stanley Roper on Three's Company) |
December 22 or 23 |
Michelle Thomas |
30 |
Actress (Myra on Family Matters, Justine on The Cosby Show) |
December 25 |
Richard Paul |
58 |
Actor (Carter Country, Match Game) |
See also
References
- ↑ "News Lite: TV Guide Deal Sets Up Broadcast Opportunity". Los Angeles Daily News. HighBeam Research. June 12, 1998. Retrieved June 25, 2016.
- ↑ "The $2 Billion Acquisition of TV Guide". Folio. HighBeam Research. January 1, 1999. Retrieved June 25, 2016.
- ↑ "Juneau-based television station to hit airwaves soon". Juneau Empire. June 26, 1998. Retrieved June 25, 2016.
- ↑ "New local television station to hit airwaves Monday". Juneau Empire. August 16, 1998. Retrieved June 25, 2016.
- 1 2 Lisa de Moraes (August 29, 1998). "On Monday, the Genesis of PAX TV". The Washington Post. The Washington Post Company. Retrieved February 25, 2013 – via HighBeam Research. (Subscription required (help)).
- ↑ "A Salute to The WB 100+ Station Group on its Fifth Anniversary" (PDF). TelevisionWeek. September 22, 2003 – via RussellMyerson.com.
- ↑ "THE RUGRATS MOVIE". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved June 25, 2016.
- ↑ from Broadcasting & Cable
- ↑ from Broadcasting & Cable
- ↑ from Broadcasting & Cable
- ↑ from Broadcasting & Cable
- ↑ from Broadcasting & Cable
- ↑ from Broadcasting & Cable
- ↑ from Broadcasting & Cable