The year '1980 in television' involved some significant events.
Below is a list of
television-related events in
1980.
''For the
American TV schedule, see:
1980-81 American network television schedule.''
Events
★
January 25 -
Black Entertainment Television launches in the United States as a block of programing on the
USA Network, it wouldn't be until
1983 that BET becomes a full fledged channel.
★
February 1 - The
soap opera ''
Love of Life'' airs its last episode, after twenty-nine years on the air.
★
February 3 and 10 - A six-hour retrospective of
Bob Hope's more than 30 years of entertaining at military bases and hospitals in the U.S. and abroad airs on NBC.
★
February 14 -
Walter Cronkite announces his retirement from the ''
CBS Evening News''.
★
February 15 -
New Zealand's Television One and Television Two go to air under the newly formed
Television New Zealand.
★
March 7 - Colour television was introduced in
Portugal.
★
March 21 - On the season finale of the soap opera ''
Dallas'', the infamous character
J.R. Ewing is shot by an unseen assailant leading to the
catchphrase "Who Shot JR?"
★
April 4 -
Violet Carson makes her last appearance as
Ena Sharples on ''
Coronation Street''.
★
April 7 - ''
The Oldest Living Graduate'', a live drama on
NBC, is broadcast; the network hadn't aired a program like it since
1962. The production is aired from
Southern Methodist University and stars
Henry Fonda,
George Grizzard, and
Cloris Leachman.
★
May 24 - The Not Ready For Prime Time Players appear in their final episode on ''
Saturday Night Live'', and many feel it is the end of an era for the venerable series.
★
June 1 - The
Cable News Network (CNN) begins broadcasting.
★
June 23 - ''
The David Letterman Show'' debuts on NBC. Letterman's humor doesn't go over well with a morning audience, and the show is soon cancelled. Letterman would go on to host a late night show two years later.
★
June 30 - The
ABC game show
Family Feud moves from airing at 11:30 AM/ET to 12 noon. It is one of the few shows that survived in the 12 noon timeslot considering the fact that many shows that were slated for the noon timeslot on the networks were subject to being pre-empted for local news broadcasts in many markets.
★
Summer -
SAG and
AFTRA go out on strike, effecting television programmes in the
United States and
Canada forever. Some television shows were permitted to begin airing in late
October while many Canadian shows were held back until well into
April,
1982.
★
July 18 -
Brazil's
Rede Tupi network ends operations.
★
August 1 - After a failed experiment, the soap opera ''
Another World'' airs its last regularly scheduled ninety-minute episode. The show returns to sixty minutes on
August 4.
★
October 24 - On
United Nations Day,
Multicultural television begins in
Australia, courtesy of the
Special Broadcasting Service.
★
November 15 -
Saturday Night Live debuts with a new cast and new writers under the reins of new Exceutive Producer
Jean Doumanian.
★
November 21 - The mystery of "Who Shot J.R.?" is solved on the soap opera series, ''Dallas''. (Sue Ellen's sister Kristin, played by
Mary Crosby, did the deed), drawing a record number of viewers.
★
November 22 -
Eddie Murphy debuts on
Saturday Night Live, appearing in a non-speaking role in the sketch, "In Search Of The Negro Republican"
★
December 9 - The cult single drama ''
The Flipside of Dominick Hide'' is first broadcast as part of the ''
Play for Today'' series on BBC1.
★
December 12 - The burial of
John Lennon takes place. It is strictly a private matter and none of the other
Beatles attends.
★
December 30 - After 26 years on the air and 20 seasons on one network, NBC announces that the longest-running prime-time TV series, ''
Disney's Wonderful World'', will not be on the network's fall 1981 schedule. It will be picked up by
CBS.
★
CBS's Top-Rated show, Spin-Off of
All in the Family,
The Jeffersons, ranks at #3 on the
Nielsen Ratings for three seasons in a row: 1979-80, 1980-81 and 1981-82.
Debuts
★
January 14 - ''
3-2-1 Contact'' premieres on
PBS (1980-1992).
★
January 29 - ''
Kingswood Country'' premieres on
ATN-7 in
Australia (1980-1984).
★
February 3 - ''
Denshi Sentai Denjiman'' premieres on TV-Asahi (1980-1981).
★
February 5 - ''
Mystery!'' premieres on PBS (1980-present).
★
March 3 - ''
That's Incredible!'' (1980-1984).
★
March 16 - ''
Galactica 1980'' (1980)
★
April 11 - ''
Fridays'' premieres on
ABC (1980-1982).
★
May 30 - ''
The Other 'Arf'' premieres on
ITV starring
Lorraine Chase (1980-1984).
★
August 4 - ''
Texas'', the first soap opera to air hour-long episodes from the beginning, debuts in the slot largely vacated by ''Another World'' (1980-1982).
★
September 13 - ''
Solid Gold'' premieres in syndication (1980-1988).
★
September 19 - ''
Yes You Can'' premieres (1980-1983).
★
September 28 - ''
Cosmos'', a 13-part science-and-space-exploration series hosted by
Carl Sagan, premieres on PBS.
★
October 27 - ''
Blockbusters'' premieres on
NBC in the
United States ('1980-82', 1987)
★
October 30 - ''
It's a Living'' premieres on ABC ('1980-1982', 1985-1989).
★
November 11 - ''
Too Close for Comfort'' premieres on ABC (1980-1986).
★
November 27 - ''
Bosom Buddies'' premieres on ABC (1980-1982).
★
December 11 - ''
Magnum, P.I.'' premieres on
CBS (1980-1988).
★ ''
Bizarre'' premieres on CTV (1980-1985).
★ ''
Home Fires'' premieres on CBC (1980-1982).
==
Miniseries==
★ ''
Beulah Land''
★ ''
The Dream Merchants''
★ ''
Shogun''
★ ''The Last Outlaw''
★ ''The Timeless Land''
★ ''Water under the Bridge''
Television shows
1940s
★ ''
Meet the Press'' (1947-present).
★ ''
Candid Camera'' (1948-present).
★ ''
Bozo the Clown'' (1949-present).
★ ''
Come Dancing'' (
UK) (1949-1995)
1950s
★ ''
Truth or Consequences'' (1950-1988).
★ ''
Search for Tomorrow'' (1951-1986).
★ ''
Hallmark Hall of Fame'' (1951-present).
★ ''
American Bandstand'' (1952-1989).
★ ''
Guiding Light'' (1952-present).
★ ''
The Today Show'' (1952-present).
★ ''
Panorama'' (UK) (1953-present).
★ ''
The Good Old Days'' (UK) (1953-1983).
★ ''
Face the Nation'' (1954-present).
★ ''
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson'' (
1962-
1992).
★ ''
Captain Kangaroo'' (1955-1984).
★ ''
The Lawrence Welk Show'' (1955-1982).
★ ''
This Is Your Life'' (UK) (1955-2003).
★ ''
As the World Turns'' (1956-present).
★ ''
The Edge of Night'' (1956-1984).
★ ''
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 Mike Douglas Show'' (1961-1981).
★ ''
The Late Late Show'' (
Ireland) (1962-present).
★ ''
Doctor Who'' (UK) (1963-1989, 1996, 2005-present).
★ ''
General Hospital'' (1963-present).
★ ''
The Doctors'' (1963-1982).
★ ''
Another World'' (1964-1999).
★ ''
Crossroads'' (UK) (1964-1988, 2001-2003).
★ ''
Top of the Pops'' (UK) (1964-2006).
★ ''
Days of Our Lives'' (1965-present).
★ ''
World of Sport'' (UK) (1965-1985).
★ ''
Play School'' (1966-present).
★ ''
The Money Programme'' (UK) (1966-present).
★ ''
60 Minutes'' (1968-present).
★ ''
One Life to Live'' (1968-present).
★ ''
Hee Haw'' (1969-1993).
★ ''
Sesame Street'' (1969-present).
★ ''
The Benny Hill Show'' (UK) (1969-1989)
1970s
★ ''
All My Children'' (1970-present).
★ ''
Monday Night Football'' (1970-present).
★ ''
Play for Today'' (UK) (1970-1984).
★ ''
Masterpiece Theatre'' (1971-present).
★ ''
Old Grey Whistle Test'' (UK) (1971-1987).
★ ''
Soul Train'' (1971-present).
★ ''
Are You Being Served?'' (UK) (1972-1985).
★ ''
Emmerdale Farm'' (UK) (1972-present).
★ ''
John Craven's Newsround'' (UK) (1972-present).
★ ''
M
★ A
★ S
★ H'' (1972-1983).
★ ''
The Price Is Right'' (1972-present).
★ ''
The Waltons'' (1972-1981).
★ ''
Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids'' (1972-1984).
★ ''
Last of the Summer Wine'' (UK) (1973-present).
★ ''
Match Game'' (1962-1969, '1973-1984',
1990-
1991,
1998-1999).
★ ''
Schoolhouse Rock!'' (1973-1986).
★ ''
Superstars'' (UK) (1973-1985, 2003-2005).
★ ''
The Tomorrow Show'' (1973-1982).
★ ''
The Young and the Restless'' (1973-present).
★ ''
Countdown'' (Australia) (1974-1987).
★ ''
Derrick'' (1974-1998).
★ ''
Happy Days'' (1974-1984).
★ ''
Little House on the Prairie'' (1974-1983).
★ ''
The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast'' (1974-1984).
★ ''
Tiswas'' (UK) (1974-1982).
★ ''
Wish You Were Here...?'' (UK) (1974-present).
★ ''
Arena'' (UK) (1975–present).
★ ''
Barney Miller'' (1975-1982).
★ ''
Good Morning America'' (1975-present).
★ ''
Jim'll Fix It'' (UK) (1975-1994).
★ ''Match Game PM'' (1975-1981).
★ ''
One Day at a Time'' (1975-1984).
★ ''
Runaround'' (UK) (1975-1981).
★ ''
Ryan's Hope'' (1975-1989).
★ ''
Saturday Night Live'' (1975-present).
★ ''
The Don Lane Show'' (Australia) (1975-1983).
★ ''
the fifth estate'' (
Canada) (1975-present).
★ ''
The Jeffersons'' (1975-1985).
★ ''
Wheel of Fortune'' (1975-present).
★ ''
Alice'' (1976-1985).
★ ''
Charlie's Angels'' (1976-1981).
★ ''
Family Feud'' (1976-1985, 1988-1995, 1999-present).
★ ''
Laverne & Shirley'' (1976-1983).
★ ''
Multi-Coloured Swap Shop'' (UK) (1976-1982).
★ ''
Quincy, M.E.'' (1976-1983).
★ ''
Second City Television (SCTV)'' (Canada) (1976-1984).
★ ''
The Muppet Show'' (UK) (1976-1981).
★ ''
The P.T.L. Club'' (1976-1987).
★ ''
CHiPs'' (1977-1983).
★ ''
Eight is Enough'' (1977-1981).
★ ''
Fantasy Island'' (1977-1984).
★ ''
In Search of...'' (1977-1982).
★ ''
Lou Grant'' (1977-1982).
★ ''
Soap'' (1977-1981).
★ ''
The Love Boat'' (1977-1986).
★ ''
Three's Company'' (1977-1984).
★ ''
20/20'' (1978-present).
★ ''
3-2-1'' (UK) (1978-1987).
★ ''
Battle of the Planets'' (1978-1985).
★ ''Dallas'' (1978-1991).
★ ''
Diff'rent Strokes'' (1978-1986).
★ ''
Grange Hill'' (UK) (1978-present).
★ ''
Mork & Mindy'' (1978-1982).
★ ''
Taxi'' (1978-1983).
★ ''
WKRP in Cincinnati'' (1978-1982).
★ ''
Archie Bunker's Place'' (1979-1983).
★ ''
Benson'' (1979-1986).
★ ''
Buck Rogers in the 25th Century'' (1979-1981).
★ ''Disney's Wonderful World'' (1979-1981).
★ ''
Knots Landing'' (1979-1993).
★ ''
Real People'' (1979-1984).
★ ''
Tales of the Unexpected'' (UK) ('1979-1985', 1987-1988)
★ ''
The Dukes of Hazzard'' (1979-1985).
★ ''
The Facts of Life'' (1979-1988).
★ ''
Trapper John, M.D.'' (1979-1986).
★ ''
You Can't Do That on Television'' (Canada) (1979-1990).
★ ''
Antiques Roadshow'' (
UK) (1979-present).
★ ''
Nightline'' (1979-present).
★ ''
This Old House'' (1979-present).
Ending this year
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