1979 in television

For the United States network television schedule, please see 1979-80 United States network television schedule.

Events

January 9 - The Music for UNICEF Concert is performed in New York City. The televised special airs the following night on NBC in the United States.
February 3 - Dead Man's Curve, a made-for-TV-movie about surf-rock singers Jan & Dean, airs on US television.
February 11 - In the US, 43 million viewers watch "Elvis!" on ABC, a made for TV movie starring Kurt Russell as Elvis.
March 6 - Another World becomes the first (and, to date, the only) soap opera to air regularly-scheduled ninety-minute telecasts. The time extension coincides with the death of long-running character John Randolph (played by Michael M. Ryan) in a house fire. The show goes back to 60-minute episodes in August 1980.
March 19- C-Span. a United States cable channel is launched.
August 10 - In the UK, the whole of the ITV network except in the Channel Islands, is affected by a technicians' strike for eleven weeks.
September 7 - ESPN begins broadcasting sports 24/7 and was the first cable channel to be launched.
September 19 - On the two-hour TV-movie season premiere event on Eight is Enough, both David and Susan Bradford married their respective loves in a double ceremony. The premiere grabbed a 40 share across the two hours.
October 24 - On ITV's first night back on air after the strike, Quatermass, the fourth and final serial featuring the heroic Professor Bernard Quatermass, begins its run on the network.
October 25 - The long-running soap opera Love of Life is taken off the air for emergency retooling, due to falling ratings. It is quickly reinstated and ends the following year.
Over 300 million households worldwide now own television sets.
December 1 - The Movie Channel begins broadcasting movies 24/7.
General Hospital tops the yearly daytime television ratings for the first time.
CFMT, Toronto's first multicultural channel, launches.
Un Pecado del Amor premieres in Guatemala.
First color television broadcasts in Greece.
BBC2 unveils the first computer-generated television presentation symbol in the world.

Debuts

January 8 - Password Plus premieres on NBC (1979-1982).
January 26 - The Dukes of Hazzard premieres on CBS (1979-1985).
January 26 - Hello, Larry, the third series McLean Stevenson has done since leaving M*A*S*H, premieres on NBC (1979-1980).
February 3 - You Can't Do That on Television premieres on CTV affiliate CJOH-TV (1979-1990).
February 8 - Angie premieres on ABC (1979-1980).
March 24 - Tales of the Unexpected, an Anglia Television series based on the short stories of Roald Dahl, debuts on ITV in the UK (1979-1985; 1987-1988).
April 1 - Pinwheel premieres on Nickelodeon making it the first Nickelodeon show. (1979-1989)
April 18 - Real People premieres on NBC (1979-1984).
August 24 - The Facts of Life, a spinoff of Diff'rent Strokes, premieres on NBC (1979-1988).
September 13 - Benson, a spinoff of Soap, premieres on ABC (1979-1986).
September 20 - Buck Rogers in the 25th Century premieres on NBC (1979-1981).
September 23 - Archie Bunker's Place, a continuation of All in the Family, premieres on CBS (1979-1983).
September 23 - Trapper John, M.D. premieres on CBS (1979-1986).
December 27 - Knots Landing, a spinoff of Dallas, premieres on CBS (1979-1993).
Antiques Roadshow premieres in the UK (1979-present).
The Mad Dash premieres (1979-present).
The New Music premieres (1979-present).
Nightline premieres on ABC (1979-present).
Smith and Smith premieres (1979-1985).
This Old House premieres on PBS (1979-present).