- March 21
- TV show Dallas ends its second season in a cliffhanger as character J.R. Ewing is shot. [1] [129]
- March 24
- ABC-TV's nightly Iran Hostage crisis program renamed Nightline with Ted Koppel. [1]
- April 3
- The final episode of US TV show Barnaby Jones airs. [457]
- April 5
- CBS TV airs the final episode of Hawaii Five-O. [457]
- May 5
- Brazil issues a postage stamp commemorating the 30th anniversary of Brazilian Television. [700.1076]
- June 1
- CNN (Cable News Network) debuts, as the world's first 24-hour television news network, from its headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. [1] [129] [457]
- June 3
- ESPN begins televising college World Series games. [1]
- June 23
- NBC-TV debuts The David Letterman Show daytime TV show. [457]
- September 25
- Chevy Chase calls Cary Grant a homo on Tomorrow show (lawsuit follows). [1]
- September 28
- PBS premoeres Carl Sagan's 13-part TV series Cosmos. [457]
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- October 28
- Annette Funicello, Cubby O'Brien, Tommy Cole, Sherry Alberoni and Dickie Dodd join other Mouseketeers wearing black ears and white shirts to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Mickey Mouse Club. [457]
- November 19
- CBS TV bans Calvin Klein's jeans ad featuring Brooke Shields. [1]
- November 20
- CBS airs the 200th episode of the M*A*S*H TV show. [457]
- November 21
- 350 million people around the world tune in to television's primetime drama Dallas to find out who shot J.R. Ewing (Kristin Shepard, J.R.'s wife's sister and his former mistress). [1] [120] (82 million [457])
- November 27
- The 200th episode of US TV show The Waltons airs. [457]
- ABC airs the first episode of TV show Bosom Buddies, with Tom Hanks. [457]
- December 8
- The Bravo network debuts on cable TV in the US. [1] [457]
- December 12
- The first episode of US TV show Magnum, P.I. airs. [457]
- December 20
- NBC broadcasts New York Jets' 24-17 win over Miami Dolphins without audio. [1]
- December 30
- Wonderful World of Disney last airs on NBC-TV. [1] [457]
1981
- January 12
- ABC-TV debuts prime time soap opera Dynasty. [1] [457]
- January 14
- The Federal Communications Commissions frees radio stations to air as many commercials an hour as they wish. [457]
- January 15
- NBC-TV airs the first episode of TV show Hill Street Blues. [1] [457]
- February 6
- Brady Brides debuts on NBC TV. [1]
- February 25
- CBS live telecasts the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences presentation of the 23rd Annual Grammy Awards. Some winners:
- Record of the Year: Christopher Cross for "Sailing";
- Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female: Bette Midler for "The Rose";
- Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male: Kenny Loggins for "This Is It";
- Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female: Pat Benatar for "Crimes Of Passion";
- Best Rock Vocal Performance, Male: Billy Joel for "Glass Houses";
- Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal: Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet Band for "Against The Wind";
- Best Country Vocal Performance, Female: Anne Murray for "Could I Have This Dance?";
- Best Country Vocal Performance, Male: George Jones for "He Stopped Loving Her Today".
[1] [457] [1344]
- March 6
- After 19 years hosting the CBS Evening News, Walter Cronkite signs off for the last time. [1] [5] [119]
- March 9
- Dan Rather succeeds Walter Cronkhite as primary anchorman of CBS-TV News. [1] [457]
- March 18
- ABC airs the first episode of TV show The Greatest American Hero. [457]
- March 24
- ABC TV premieres Nightline TV show with Ted Koppel. [457]
- April 15
- NBC airs the final episode of Buck Rogers in the 25th Century. [457]
- April 20
- Final performance of TV show Soap airs. [1]
- May 6
- NBC airs the 100th episode of TV show Quincy, M.E.. [457]
- May 15
- NBC debuts the Canadian TV show SCTV Network, a 90-minute variety/comedy show. [1] [457]
- June 4
- CBS TV airs the final episode of TV show The Waltons. (Six TV movies follow between 1982 and 1997.) [457]
- August 1
- MTV music video TV begins broadcasting in the United States and airs its first video, Video Killed The Radio Star by the Buggles. [5] [119] [457]
- September 7
- Judge Wapner and the People's Court premier on TV. [1]
- September 14
- Entertainment Tonight premieres in syndication. [1] [457]
- September 26
- Disney's weekly TV show moves to CBS, making it the first prime-time series to have appeared on all three major networks. The show is renamed Walt Disney, airing on Saturdays from 8:00 to 9:00. [6]
- October 8
- ABC-TV airs the Cagney and Lacey made-for-TV movie. [457]
- October 26
- The 10th season of TV show M*A*S*H begins on CBS. [457]
- November 10
- Walt Disney Productions and Westinghouse Broadcasting announce an agreement to produce a family-oriented cable television service. [6]
- November 16
- Luke and Laura marry on the U.S. TV soap opera General Hospital; it is the highest-rated hour in daytime television history. [1] [119]
- November 24
- CBS-TV airs the first episode of TV show Simon & Simon. [457]
- December 4
- CBS-TV debuts the nighttime soap Falcon Crest. [1] [457]
- December 31
- The second CNN cable channel, "Headline News", debuts in the US. [1] [457]
1982
- January 1
- ITV companies Central Independent Television, Television South and Television South West start broadcasting, replacing ATV, Southern Television and Westward Television respectively. [116]
- January 7
- NBC TV debuts series Fame. [1] [457]
- February 1
- NBC-TV debuts Late Night With David Letterman. [457]
- February 2
- Late Night with David Letterman TV show premieres on NBC. [1]
- February 11
- ABC-TV airs the final segment of the 18-hour miniseries The Winds of War. An estimated 140 million people watched one or more nights of the program, making it the most-watched television program in history. [457]
- February 24
- CBS live telecasts the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences presentation of the 24th Annual Grammy Awards. Some winners:
- Record of the Year: Kim Carnes for "Bette Davis Eyes";
- Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal: The Manhattan Transfer for "Boy From New York City";
- Best Pop Instrumental Performance: Larry Carlton and Mike Post for "The Theme From Hill Street Blues";
- Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female: Pat Benatar for "Fire And Ice";
- Best Rock Vocal Performance, Male: Rick Springfield for "Jessie's Girl";
- Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal: The Police for "Don't Stand So Close To Me";
- Best Country Vocal Performance, Female: Dolly Parton for "9 To 5";
- Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal: The Oak Ridge Boys for "Elvira".
[1] [457] [1345]
- February 25
- PBS-TV airs the final episode of The Lawrence Welk Show. (PBS keeps re-airing the tapes for another 25 years.) [1] [457]
- March 7
- NCAA Tournament Selection televised live for first time. [1]
- March 17
- The CBS TV network debuts the series Herbie, the Love Bug. [6]
- March 19
- CBS airs the 100th episode of Dallas TV show. [457]
- March 26
- TV soap opera Capitol premieres. [1]
- April 14
- The CBS TV network airs the last episode of the TV series Herbie, the Love Bug. Only five episodes were produced. [6]
- April 21
- CBS airs the final episode of TV show WKRP in Cincinnati. [457]
- May 2
- The Weather Channel (United States) airs on cable television for the first time. [116]
- May 12
- The final episode of US TV show The Incredible Hulk airs. [457]
- May 20
- ABC-TV aires the final episode of TV show Barney Miller. [457]
- May 27
- ABC airs the final episodes of TV shows Mork and Mindy and Bosom Buddies. [457]
- June 10
- ABC airs the TV sitcom Taxi for the final time. (The show moves to NBC in the fall.) [457]
- September 22
- NBC debuts comedy TV show Family Ties, starring Michael J. Fox. [457]
- September 26
- NBC TV airs the first episode of TV show Knight Rider, starring David Hasselhoff. [116] [457]
- October 1
- NBC airs the first episode of TV show Remington Steele. [457]
- October 10
- PBS debuts TV series Nature. [457]
- October 25
- CBS debuts the TV sitcom Newhart, starring Bob Newhart. [457]
- October 26
- NBC premieres the TV hospital drama St. Elsewhere. [457]
- November 2
- Channel 4, the fourth terrestrial television channel, is launched in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland with the first program broadcast being the game show Countdown. [5] [116]
- December 31
- NBC airs the last episode of the TV soap The Doctors, after a 19-year run. [1] [457]
1983
- January 7
- CBS airs the 100th episode of The Dukes of Hazzard. [457]
- January 17
- PBS begins airing the TV series Frontline. [457]
- January 23
- Debut of TV show The A-team, with George Peppard as John Hannibal Smith, and Mr. T as Sergeant Bosco B.A. Baracus. [1] [457] [830.15]
- February 1
- Canadian arts pay-TV network C-Channel debuts. [457]
- February 21
- The 200th episode of TV show The Jeffersons airs. [457]
- February 25
- CBS live telecasts the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences presentation of the 25th Annual Grammy Awards. Some winners:
- Record of the Year: Toto for "Rosanna";
- Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal: Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes for "Up Where We Belong";
- Best Pop Instrumental Performance: Ernie Watts for "Chariots Of Fire Theme";
- Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female: Pat Benatar for "Shadows Of The Night";
- Best Rock Vocal Performance, Male: John Cougar Mellencamp for "Hurts So Good";
- Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal: Survivor for "Eye Of The Tiger";
- Best Rhythm and Blues Vocal Performance, Male: Marvin Gaye for "Sexual Healing";
- Best Country Vocal Performance, Male: Willie Nelson for "Always On My Mind".
[457] [1346]
- February 28
- Final TV episode of MASH airs (CBS); record 125 million watch. [1]
- March 7
- TNN (The Nashville Network) begins on Cable TV. [1]
- The CBS TV network debuts the Disney TV series Small and Frye. [6]
- March 13
- CNN premieres the Larry King Live TV show. [457]
- March 25
- The Disney TV show Gun Shy debuts. (The show lasts only a month, with six episodes produced.) [6]
- During the anniversary show Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever Michael Jackson thrills the audience by dancing and singing while performing his hit song Billie Jean. The highlight of his act is his signature move: the moonwalk, which he performs in public for the first time. [115]
- April 6
- The Disney-produced TV show Zorro and Son first airs on CBS. [6]
- April 18
- The Disney Channel, a cable-TV network, begins broadcasting, at 7:00 AM, with a show called Good Morning, Mickey. The service runs for 18 hours per day. [6]
- April 19
- The last episode of the Disney TV show Gun Shy airs. [6]
- April 25
- Nightline TV show expands from half hour to a full hour. [1]
- May 10
- ABC airs the last episode of Laverne and Shirley. [1] [457]
- May 11
- NBC airs the final episode of TV show Quincy, M.E.. [457]
- June 1
- The CBS TV network airs the last episode of Zorro and Son. Only five episodes were aired. [6]
- June 15
- The CBS TV network airs the sixth and last episode of the TV series Small and Frye. [6]
- June 26
- ABC TV debuts the daytime drama Loving. (It runs for 3,169 episodes through late 1995.) [457]
- June 30
- Canadian pay-TV arts network C-Channel ends. [457]
- July 29
- NBC TV debuts Friday Night Videos TV show. [1] [457]
- September 5
- Tom Brokaw becomes lead anchor for NBC Nightly News. [115]
- September 19
- The syndicated TV game show Wheel of Fortune debuts. [457]
- CBS-TV airs the final episode of M*A*S*H, attracting a record viewership. [457]
- September 24
- The CBS TV network airs the Walt Disney TV show for the last time, entitled Walt Disney's Mickey and Donald. [6]
- October 2
- The 10th season of CBS-TV show The Jeffersons begins. [457]
- October 23
- The game show GO! premieres on NBC. [115]
- November 3
- The Nashville Network (TNN) debuts on US cable TV. [457]
- November 20
- In the U.S., an estimated 100 million people watch the controversial made-for-television movie The Day After, depicting a nuclear war and its effects on the United States. [1] [5]
- December 2
- Michael Jackson's music video for "Thriller" is broadcast for the first time. [115]
- December 25
- The ABC TV network airs Walt Disney World's Very Merry Christmas Parade for the first time. [6]
1984
- January 3
- ABC airs the 100th episode of Hart to Hart. [457]
- NBC airs the first episode of Riptide. [457]
- January 4
- NBC TV premieres the zany sitcom Night Court starring Harry Anderson. [1] [457]
- January 9
- TV's Bloopers and Practical Jokes premieres on NBC TV. [1]
- January 17
- US Supreme Court rules (5-4) private use of home VCRs to tape TV programs for later viewing does not violate federal copyright laws. [1]
- January 22
- Apple Computer runs its "1984" 60 second TV commercial during the NFL SuperBowl football game, introducing the Macintosh computer, without showing the computer, or listing features. Apple Computer runs the ad publicly only once, but dozens of news and talk shows replay it, making it one of the most memorable advertisements in TV history. [4]
- January 24
- The ABC network agreed to pay a record US$386 million for US TV rights to the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics. [457]
- January 27
- Pop star Michael Jackson's scalp is seriously burned by pyrotechnics during filming of a Pepsi television commercial. [1] [114]
- January 31
- Edwin Newman retires from NBC News after 35 years with the network. [1]
- February 28
- CBS live telecasts the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences presentation of the 26th Annual Grammy Awards. Some winners:
- Record of the Year: Michael Jackson for "Beat It";
- Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female: Irene Cara for "Flashdance - What A Feeling";
- Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male: Michael Jackson for "Thriller";
- Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal: The Police for "Every Breath You Take";
- Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female: Pat Benatar for "Love Is A Battlefield";
- Best Rock Vocal Performance, Male: Michael Jackson for "Beat It";
- Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal: The Police for "Synchronicity";
- Best Rhythm and Blues Vocal Performance, Female: Chaka Khan for "Chaka Khan";
- Best Rhythm and Blues Vocal Performance, Male: Michael Jackson for "Billie Jean";
- Best Rhythm and Blues Instrumental Performance: Herbie Hancock for "Rockit";
- Best Video, Short Form: Duran Duran for "Girls On Film/Hungry Like The Wolf".
[1] [457] [1347]
- March 19
- CBS debuts TV sitcom Kate and Allie, starring Jane Curtin and Susan Saint James. [1] [457]
- March 29
- CBS airs the 100th episode of Knots Landing TV show. [457]
- April 15
- British comedian/magician Tommy Cooper suffers a massive heart attack while live on TV, dying at age 61 (born 1921). [1] [114]
- April 21
- Nightline TV show reverts back from 1 hour to 1/2 hour. [1]
- May 6
- The final episode of TV show The Jeffersons airs. [457]
- May 22
- The final episode of US TV show Hart to Hart airs. [457]
- June 27
- The Federal Communications Commission reduces regulation of U.S. commercial TV by lifting most programming requirements and ending day-part restrictions on advertising. [457]
- US Supreme Court ends NCAA monopoly on college football telecasts. [1]
- July 30
- NBC TV debuts soap opera Santa Barbara. [1] [457]
- August 21
- Film and TV actor Clint Eastwood is given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. [457]
- September 6
- US TV show Today Show begins live remote telecasts from Moscow, USSR. [1]
- September 14
- The first MTV Video Music Awards are held in Radio City Music Hall, New York City; Bette Midler and Dan Aykroyd host. [1] [114]
- September 16
- The first episode of US TV show Miami Vice debuts. [1] [457]
- September 19
- NBC debuts the Highway to Heaven TV show. [457]
- September 20
- NBC-TV debuts The Cosby Show starring Bill Cosby. [457]
- ABC airs the first episode of TV show Who's the Boss?. [457]
- October 4
- NBC TV debuts the sitcom Night Court, starring Harry Anderson. [457]
- December 28
- TV soap Edge of Night ends 28-year run. [1]
- December 30
- CBS TV begins airing the comedy detective TV series Crazy Like a Fox, starring Jack Warden. [457]
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