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.
Events
- March 29 – BBC America launches in the United States.
- March 31 Sky Scottish ceases broadcasting.
- March 31 CMT Europe ceases broadcasting.
- April 3 The Children's Channel ceases broadcasting in the UK after fourteen years.
- April 6 Cable and Wireless viewers see the Nordic version of The Children's Channel. It ceased broadcasting 6 months later.
- April 7 – ntv7 starts broadcasting in Malaysia.
- April 9 – The Price is Right airs its 5,000th episode on CBS.
- April 16- CITV was supposed to air the tenth episode of ReBoot's third season. The episode was not aired. Timmy Mallett aired instead. ReBoot hasn't aired since.
- April 18 – Toon Disney, a United States cable network devoted to playing Disney cartoons 24 hours a day, launches.
- April 24 – A second special episode of Dallas airs on CBS seven years after the original series finished, titled Dallas: War of the Ewings.
- 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.
- May 31 – Sky Scottish, Part of The Sky network was closed. the channel was now Sky Sports News.
- 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.
- August 31 – PAX TV launches.
- September 23 – BBC Choice, the UK's first digital-only TV station, launches. BBC Parliament also launches on the same day.
- September 26 – Cupid premieres 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
Television shows
1940s
1950s
1960s
1970s
1980s
- Moneyline (1980–present)
- Entertainment Tonight (1981–present).
- What Now (1982–present)
- Brookside, UK (1982–2003)
- Timewatch, UK (1982–present)
- Taggart, UK (1983–present)
- The Bill, UK (1984–present)
- Jeopardy! (1964–1975, 1984–present)
- SportsDesk, Canada (1984–present)
- EastEnders, UK (1985–present).
- Neighbours, Australia (1985–present).
- The Oprah Winfrey Show (1986–present).
- Sally (1985–2002).
- Comic Relief (UK) (1986–present).
- Casualty (UK) (1986–present).
- The Bold and the Beautiful (1987–present).
- ChuckleVision (UK) (1987–present).
- Inspector Morse (UK) (1987–2000).
- The American Experience (1988–present).
- America's Most Wanted (1988–present).
- The Ward (UK) (1988–2000).
- Electric Circus (Canada) (1988–2003).
- Fair City, Ireland (1988–present)
- Les Guignols de l'info, France (1988–present)
- Home and Away, Australia (1988–present)
- Inside Edition (1988–present)
- Mystery Science Theater 3000 (1988–1999)
- Red Dwarf (UK) (1988–1999).
- This Morning (UK) (1988–present).
- Baywatch (1989–2001).
- COPS (1989–present).
- The Simpsons (1989–present).
- Hollywood Squares (1986–2004).
1990s
- America's Funniest Home Videos (1990–present)
- Doug (1991–1999)
- Law & Order (1990–present)
- One Foot in the Grave (UK) (1990–2000)
- Home Improvement (1991–1999)
- The Jerry Springer Show (1991–present)
- The Red Green Show (1991–2006)
- Rugrats (1991–2004)
- Barney & Friends (1992–present).
- Dateline NBC (1992–present).
- Mad About You (1992–1999).
- The Real World (1992–present).
- Frasier (1993–2004).
- Iron Chef, Japan (1993–1999)
- NYPD Blue (1993–2005)
- Homicide: Life on the Street (1993–1999)
- Late Night with Conan O'Brien (1993–2009)
- The Late Show with David Letterman (1993–present)
- The Nanny (1993–1999)
- Ricki Lake (1993–2004)
- Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999)
- Walker, Texas Ranger (1993–2001)
- WWF RAW Is War/WWF War Zone (1993–present).
- The X-Files (1993–2002).
- All That (1994–2005)
- ER (1994–2009)
- Friends (1994–2004)
- Inside the Actors Studio (1994–present)
- Time Team, UK (1994–present)
- Touched by an Angel (1994–2003).
- The Drew Carey Show (1995–2004).
- JAG (1995–2005)
- Modern Marvels (1995–present)
- Pamela Wallin Live, Canada (1995–1999).
- Pokémon, Japan/US (1997,1998–present).
- Sesame Park (Canada) (1995–2002).
- Sliders (1995–2000).
- Star Trek: Voyager (1995–2001).
- WCW Monday Nitro (1995–2001)
- 7th Heaven (1996–2007)
- Access Hollywood (1996–present)
- Après Match, Ireland (1996–present)
- Arthur (1996–present)
- Dexter's Laboratory (1996–2003).
- Everybody Loves Raymond (1996–2005)
- Hannity & Colmes (1996–2009)
- Angry Beavers (1997–2001).
- KaBlam! (1995–2000)
- Hey Arnold! (1996–2004).
- Judge Judy (1996–present).
- Nash Bridges (1996–2001).
- Spin City (1996–2002).
- The Daily Show (1996–present).
- 100% (game show) (UK) (1997–2001).
- Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997–2003).
- Y Clwb Rygbi, Wales (1997–present)
- Cow and Chicken (1997–1999)
- The Crocodile Hunter (1997–2004)
- Daria (1997–2001).
- Dharma & Greg (1997–2002).
- Disney's One Saturday Morning (1997–2001).
- Dream Team, UK (1997–2007)
- Family Affairs, UK (1997–2005).
- I Am Weasel (1997–1999).
- Johnny Bravo (1997–2004).
- Just Shoot Me! (1997–2003).
- King of the Hill (1997–2006).
- La Femme Nikita (1997–2001).
- Port Charles (1997–2003).
- South Park (1997–present).
- Stargate SG-1 (1997–present).
- Sunset Beach (1997–1999).
- The Practice (1997–2004)
- Teletubbies (UK) (1997–2001).
- Match Game (1962–1969, 1973–1984, 1990–1991, 1998–1999).
- 3rd Rock from the Sun (1996–2001).
Ending this year
Returning this year
Changes of network affiliation
Deaths
- January 5 - Sonny Bono, 62, singer and entertainer
- 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, actor/comedian (Saturday Night Live, The Simpsons, Newsradio), shot by his wife in a murder/suicide.
- September 23 – Mary Frann, 55, actress (Joanna on Newhart).
- September 28 – Eric Malling, 52, Canadian television journalist.
- October 3 - Roddy McDowell, 70, actor
- October 17 – Joan Hickson, 92, actress, Agatha Christie's Miss Marple.
- November 17 – Esther Rolle, 78, actress (Florida on Maude and Good Times).
- Dick O'Neill, 70, recurring actor (Family Matters, Home Improvement)
- December 6 – Michael Zaslow, 56, actor (Roger Thorpe, Guiding Light)
- December 13 - Lew Grade, 91, producer and TV station owner
- December 22 – Michelle Thomas, 30, actress (Myra on Family Matters, Justine on The Cosby Show).
- December 28 – Richard Paul, 58, American actor (Carter Country, Match Game)