1998 IN TELEVISION

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

Events

Debuts

Television shows

1940s

1950s

1960s

1970s

1980s

1990s

Ending this year

Changes of Network Affiliation

Deaths

Events

★ March 29 - BBC America launches in the United States.

★ April 9 - ''The Price is Right'' airs its 5,000th episode on CBS.

★ April 18 - Toon Disney, a United States cable network devoted to playing Disney cartoons 24 hours a day, launches.

★ May 11 - ''ZDTV'', a technology based cable channel (later TechTV, then G4techTV, now G4), is launched in the US.

★ May 18 - The British Academy Television Awards are awarded in the separate ceremony to the British Academy Film Awards for the first time.

★ July 15 - Zee TV, a Hindi television channel is launched in the USA.

★ July 31 - Former child star Gary Coleman is charged with assaulting a young female bus driver in a California shopping mall.

★ September 23 - BBC Choice, the UK's first digital-only TV station, launches. BBC Parliament also launches on the same day.

★ September 26 - Cupid premeires on US television.

★ October 1 - Digital satellite television launches in the UK, operated by Sky Digital. This sees the start of UK channels transmitting in 16:9 widescreen.

★ 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.

★ November 1 - FilmFour launches in the UK. The opening night is simulcast on Channel 4.

★ November 15 - Digital terrestrial television launches in the UK, operated by ONdigital.

★ December 7 - ITV2 launches in the UK.

★ December 14 - After a world-record-breaking 75 consecutive victories, Ian Lygo makes his final appearance on the UK game show ''100%'', after being forced to retire by the show's producers.

Debuts

★ January 20 – ''Dawson's Creek'' premieres on The WB (1998-2003).

★ March 17 - ''For Your Love'' premieres on NBC (1998-2002)

★ May 11 - ''Call For Help'' premieres on ZDTV (1998-2004).

★ June 6 - ''Sex and the City'' premieres on HBO (1998-2004).

★ June - ''Forgive or Forget'', hosted by Mother Love, premieres on syndication (1998-2000).

★ July 13 - ''The Sifl and Olly Show'' premieres on MTV (1998-1999).

★ July 19 - ''Oh Yeah! Cartoons'' premieres on Nickelodeon (1998-2001).

★ August 23 - ''That '70s Show'' premieres on FOX (1998-2006).

★ August 26 - ''Oh Baby'' debuts on Lifetime (1998-2000).

★ August 29 - ''SMTV Live'' premieres on ITV in the UK (1998-2003).

★ September 4 - ''Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?'' (1998-present) premieres on ITV. A year later, an American version will premiere.

★ September 8 - ''Pokémon'' premieres in syndication.

★ September 9 - ''First Wave'' premieres on Sci Fi Channel (1998-2000).

★ September 10 - ''PB&J Otter'' premieres on Playhouse Disney (1998-2000).

★ September 14 - ''Histeria!'' premieres on the WB. (1998-2000)

★ September 21 - ''The King of Queens'' premieres on CBS (1998-2007).

★ September 21 - ''Will & Grace'' premieres on NBC (1998-2006).

★ September 21 - ''Felicity'' premieres on The WB (1998-2002)

★ September 22 - ''Sports Night'' premieres on ABC

★ October 5 - ''CatDog'' premieres on Nickelodeon (1998-2001).

★ October 7 - ''Charmed'' premieres on The WB (1998-2006).

★ November 2 - ''Becker'' premieres on CBS (1998-2004).

★ November 18 - ''The Powerpuff Girls'' premieres on Cartoon Network (1998-2006).

★ December 26 - ''Rolie Polie Olie'' premieres on Playhouse Disney (1998-2002)

Television shows

1940s

★ ''Meet the Press'' (1947-present).

★ ''Candid Camera'' (1948-present).

1950s

★ ''Hallmark Hall of Fame'' (1951-present).

★ ''Guiding Light'' (1952-present).

★ ''The Today Show'' (1952-present).

★ ''Panorama'' (UK) (1953-present).

★ ''Face the Nation'' (1954-present).

★ ''The National'' (Canada) (1954-present)

★ ''The Tonight Show'' (1954-present).

★ ''This Is Your Life'' (UK) (1955-2003).

★ ''As the World Turns'' (1956-present).

★ ''What the Papers Say'' (UK) (1956-present).

★ ''The Sky at Night'' (UK) (1957-present).

★ ''Blue Peter'' (UK) (1958-present).

★ ''Grandstand'' (UK) (1958-2007).

1960s

★ ''Coronation Street'' (UK) (1960-present).

★ ''Four Corners'' (Australia) (1961-present).

★ ''It's Academic'' (1961-present).

★ ''The Late Late Show'' (Ireland) (1962-present).

★ ''General Hospital'' (1963-present).

★ ''Another World'' (1964-1999).

★ ''Top of the Pops'' (UK) (1964-2006).

★ ''Days of Our Lives'' (1965-present).

★ ''Play School'' (Australia) (1966-present).

★ ''The Money Programme'' (UK) (1966-present).

★ ''60 Minutes'' (1968-present).

★ ''One Life to Live'' (1968-present).

★ ''Sesame Street'' (1969-present).

1970s

★ ''All My Children'' (1970-present).

★ ''Monday Night Football'' (1970-present).

★ ''Masterpiece Theatre'' (1971-present).

★ ''Soul Train'' (1971-present).

★ ''Emmerdale'' (UK) (1972-present).

★ ''Newsround'' (UK) (1972-present).

★ ''The Price Is Right'' (1972-present).

★ ''Last of the Summer Wine'' (UK) (1973-present).

★ ''The Young and the Restless'' (1973-present).

★ ''Wish You Were Here...?'' (UK) (1974-present).

★ ''Arena'' (UK) (1975-present).

★ ''Good Morning America'' (1975-present).

★ ''Saturday Night Live'' (1975-present).

★ ''the fifth estate'' (Canada) (1975-present).

★ ''Wheel of Fortune'' (1975-present).

★ ''20/20'' (1978-present).

★ ''Grange Hill'' (UK) (1978-present).

★ ''Antiques Roadshow'' (UK) (1979-present).

★ ''Nightline'' (1979-present).

★ ''This Old House'' (1979-present).

1980s

★ ''Entertainment Tonight'' (1981-present).

★ ''What Now'' (1982-present)

★ ''Timewatch'' (UK) (1982-present)

★ ''Jeopardy!'' (1964-1975, '1984-present').

★ ''The Bill'' (UK) (1984-present).

★ ''EastEnders'' (UK) (1985-present).

★ ''Neighbours'' (Australia) (1985-present).

★ ''Sally'' (1985-2002).

★ ''The Oprah Winfrey Show'' (1986-present).

★ ''Comic Relief'' (UK) (1986-present).

★ ''Casualty'' (UK) (1986-present).

★ ''ChuckleVision'' (UK) (1987-present).

★ ''Inspector Morse'' (UK) (1987-2000).

★ ''The Bold and the Beautiful'' (1987-present).

★ ''America's Most Wanted'' (1988-present).

★ ''The American Experience'' (1988-present).

★ ''Fair City'' (1988-present).

★ ''Home and Away'' (Australia) (1988-present).

★ ''Inside Edition'' (1988-present)

★ ''This Morning'' (UK) (1988-present).

★ ''Red Dwarf'' (UK) (1988-1999).

★ ''Mystery Science Theater 3000'' (1988-1999).

★ ''The Ward'' (UK) (1988-2000).

★ ''Electric Circus'' (Canada) (1988-2003).

★ ''Baywatch'' (1989-2001).

★ ''COPS'' (1989-present).

★ ''The Simpsons'' (1989-present).

1990s

★ ''The X-Files'' (1993-2002).

★ ''Law & Order'' (1990-present).

★ ''America's Funniest Home Videos'' (1990-present).

★ ''One Foot in the Grave'' (UK) (1990-2000).

★ ''Home Improvement'' (1991-1999).

★ ''Rugrats'' (1991-2004).

★ ''The Jerry Springer Show'' (1991-present).

★ ''The Red Green Show'' (1991-2006).

★ ''Barney & Friends'' (1992-2002).

★ ''Dateline NBC'' (1992-present).

★ ''Mad About You'' (1992-1999).

★ ''The Real World'' (1992-present).

★ ''Frasier'' (1993-2004).

★ ''Ricki Lake'' (1993-2004).

★ ''Walker, Texas Ranger'' (1993-2001).

★ ''Late Night with Conan O'Brien'' (1993-present).

★ ''NYPD Blue'' (1993-2005).

★ '' (1993-1999).

★ '' (1993-1999).

★ ''The Late Show with David Letterman'' (1993-present).

★ ''The Nanny'' (1993-1999).

★ ''WWF RAW Is War/WWF War Zone'' (1993-present).

★ ''ER'' (1994-present).

★ ''Friends'' (1994-2004).

★ ''Time Team'' (UK) (1994-present).

★ ''Touched by an Angel'' (1994-2003).

★ ''JAG'' (1995-present).

★ ''Pamela Wallin Live'' (Canada) (1995-1999).

★ ''Pokémon'' (Japan, US) (1997,1998-present).

★ ''Sesame Park'' (Canada) (1995-2002).

★ ''Sliders'' (1995-2000).

★ '' (1995-2001).

★ ''The Drew Carey Show'' (1995-2004).

★ ''The Wheezer Bros.'' (1995-2001).

★ ''WCW Monday Nitro'' (1995-2001).

★ ''7th Heaven'' (1996-2006).

★ ''Access Hollywood'' (1996-present).

★ ''Dexter's Laboratory'' (1996-2003).

★ ''Doug'' (1991-1994, '1996-1999').

★ ''Everybody Loves Raymond'' (1996-2005).

★ ''Hey Arnold!'' (1996-2004).

★ ''Judge Judy'' (1996-present).

★ ''Spin City'' (1996-2002).

★ ''The Daily Show'' (1996-present).

★ ''100% (game show)'' (UK) (1997-2001).

★ ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' (1997-2003).

★ ''Cow and Chicken'' (1997-1999).

★ ''Daria'' (1997-2001).

★ ''Dharma & Greg'' (1997-2002).

★ ''Disney's One Saturday Morning'' (1997-2001).

★ ''Family Affairs'' (UK) (1997-2005).

★ ''Johnny Bravo'' (1997-2003).

★ ''Just Shoot Me!'' (1997-2003).

★ ''King of the Hill'' (1997-2006).

★ ''South Park'' (1997-present).

★ ''Stargate SG-1'' (1997-present).

★ ''Sunset Beach'' (1997-1999).

★ ''The Practice'' (1997-2004).

★ ''Teletubbies'' (UK) (1997-2001).

★ ''The Wonderful World of Disney'' (1997-present).

★ ''Match Game'' (1962-1969, 1973-1984, 1990-1991, '1998-1999').

Ending this year

★ January 22 - ''The Demon Headmaster'' (UK) (1996-1998).

★ January 25 - ''The NFL on NBC'' (1939-1998, with numerous interruptions)

★ May 14 - ''Seinfeld'' (1989-1998).

★ May 18 – ''Murphy Brown'' (1988-1998).

★ May 31 - ''The Larry Sanders Show'' (1992-1998).

★ June 26 – ''Step by Step'' (1991-1998).

★ July 17 – ''Family Matters'' (1989-1998).

★ July 25 - ''Weird Science'' (1994-1998).

★ October 16 - ''Derrick'' (Germany) (1974-1998).

★ November 25 - ''Babylon 5'' (1994-1998)

★ ''Timon and Pumbaa'' (1995-1998).

★ ''Dexter's Laboratory'' ('1996-1998', 2001-2003)

★ ''.

Changes of Network Affiliation

★ ''Between Brothers'', from FOX to UPN.

★ ''For Your Love'', from NBC to The WB.

★ ''Sailor Moon'', from USA Network to Cartoon Network.

Deaths

★ 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, star of ''Newsradio''.

★ September 23 - Mary Frann, 55, actress (Joanna on ''Newhart'').

★ September 28 - Eric Malling, 52, Canadian television journalist.

★ October 17 - Joan Hickson, 92, actress, Agatha Christie's Miss Marple.

★ November 17 - Esther Rolle, 78, actress (Florida on ''Maude'' and ''Good Times'').

★ December 22 - Michelle Thomas, 29, actress (Myra on ''Family Matters'', Justine on ''The Cosby Show'').