1989 in television

 

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The year 1989 in television involved some significant events. Below is a list of television-related events in 1989.

For the American TV schedule, see: 1989-90 United States network television schedule.

Events

• January 9 - Pat Sajak leaves Wheel of Fortune for a CBS late night talk show while remaining on the nighttime version. His daytime hosting role will be taken by Rolf Benirschke, then by Bob Goen.
• February 5 - The world's first commercial DBS system, Sky Television, goes on air in the United Kingdom.
• February 23 - Leslie Grantham makes his last appearance in EastEnders as Den Watts for fourteen years.
• May - Donna Mills makes her final regular appearance as villainess Abby on Knots Landing.
• May 19 - Sue Ellen plans to reveal a tell-all movie on J.R. Ewing, and hopes to make him "the laughingstock of Texas," in the season finale of Dallas.
• June 22 - John Craven signs off for the last time on the UK children's news programme John Craven's Newsround. The show continues under the name Newsround.
• July 31 - Canadian cable television network CBC Newsworld is launched.
• September 29 - Susan Sullivan's character, Maggie Gioberti Channing, is killed off on the season premiere of Falcon Crest.
• September 30 - NBC airs its final edition of the Major League Baseball Game of the Week (before the package moves over to CBS). Bob Costas and Tony Kubek call the action from Toronto's SkyDome, as the Toronto Blue Jays defeat the Baltimore Orioles to clinch the American League Eastern Division Title.
• October 4 - Jeremy Paxman makes his first appearance as presenter of BBC2's Newsnight.
• December 6 - The last episode of the original run of Doctor Who, 'Survival' (part three) is broadcast on BBC1. This marks the end of Sylvester McCoy's era as the Seventh Doctor.
• December 8 - Alan Bradley is run over by a Blackpool tram on Coronation Street, getting the programme's biggest ever audience at 26.93 million viewers, a record that remains to this day.
• December 18 - A seldom-seen 1956 Christmas special episode of I Love Lucy re-airs on CBS.
• December 29 - Deirdre Barlow confronts her husband Ken on Coronation Street before infamously throwing him out, ending their decade-long television marriage.
• David Spade, and Mike Myers join the cast of Saturday Night Live.
• Cliff and Nina Warner marry one another for the fourth (and seemingly final) time on All My Children, a record that has not been matched in the soap world.
• The ABT (Australian Broadcasting Tribunal) declares Nine Network executive Alan Bond "not a fit and proper person to own a television licence."

Debuts

• January - The newsmagazine series Inside Edition premieres in syndication.
• January 3 - The Arsenio Hall Show (1989–1994) premieres in syndication. His first musical guest is Luther Vandross.
• January 9 - The Pat Sajak Show (1989-1990) debuts on CBS.
• January 16 - Press Gang, a comedy/drama aimed at teenagers, begins its run on the ITV network in the UK (1989–1993).
• February 25 - Kousoku Sentai Turboranger premieres on TV-Asahi (1989-1990).
• March 5 - Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers premieres on Disney Channel, later to move into first-run syndication (1989-1993).
• March 11 - Cops premieres on FOX, which shows footage shot in real life situations with US police officers (1989—present)
• April 12 - Fast Forward premieres on commercial television in Australia (1989–1992).
• April 18 - Dragonball Z premieres on Fuji TV in Japan (1989–1995).
• April 24 - The New Mickey Mouse Club premieres on Disney Channel (1989-1994)
• June - That's Showbusiness premieres on BBC1 (1989–1996).
• June 10 - Tales from the Crypt premieres on HBO (1989–1996).
• July 5 - The Seinfeld Chronicles premieres on NBC. The show would later be retitled Seinfeld and become one of the most popular sitcoms in television history (1989–1998).
• August 16 - Acropolis Now premieres on the Seven Network in Australia (1989–1992).
• August 20 - Saved By The Bell premieres on NBC in prime time. The show was moved to Saturday Morning after 3 episodes, where it became the most popular teen sitcom of all time. (1989-1993)
• September 8 - Challenge Anneka premieres on BBC1 (1989–1995)
• September 12 - Life Goes On premieres on ABC (1989–1993).
• September 16 - American Gladiators premieres in syndication (1989-1996)
• September 22 -
  • Baywatch premieres on NBC (1989–2001).
  • Family Matters premieres on ABC (1989–1998).
• November 6 - About Face premieres on ITV (1989–1991).
• November 16 - Maid Marian and her Merry Men premieres on BBC1 (1989–1994).
• November 26 - America's Funniest Home Videos premieres on ABC with Full House star Bob Saget as host.
• December 17 - The Simpsons premieres on FOX with a special Christmas episode (1989— ). The characters had first appeared two years earlier as a segment on The Tracey Ullman Show. The regular run begins January 14, 1990.
• The Big Gig premieres on the ABC in Australia (1989–1992).

Television shows

1940s

• Meet the Press (1947— )
• Candid Camera (1948— )
• Bozo the Clown (1949— )
• Come Dancing (UK) (1949–1995)

1950s

• Hallmark Hall of Fame (1951— )
• Guiding Light (1952— )
• The Today Show (1952— )
• Panorama (UK) (1953— )
• Face the Nation (1954— )
• The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962–1992)
• This Is Your Life (UK) (1955–2003)
• As the World Turns (1956— )
• What the Papers Say (UK) (1956— )
• The Sky at Night (UK) (1957— )
• Blue Peter (UK) (1958— )
• Grandstand (UK) (1958-2007)

1960s

• Coronation Street (UK) (1960— )
• Four Corners (Australia) (1961— )
• It's Academic (1961— )
• The Late Late Show (Ireland) (1962-present).
• Doctor Who (UK) (1963–1989, 1996, 2005— )
• General Hospital (1963— )
• Another World (1964–1999)
• Top of the Pops (UK) (1964-2006)
• Days of Our Lives (1965— )
• Play School (1966— )
• The Money Programme (UK) (1966— )
• 60 Minutes (1968— )
• One Life to Live (1968— )
• Hee Haw (1969–1993)
• Sesame Street (1969— )

1970s

• All My Children (1970— )
• Monday Night Football (1970— )
• Masterpiece Theatre (1971— )
• Soul Train (1971— )
• Emmerdale (UK) (1972— )
• Newsround (UK) (1972— )
• The Price Is Right (1972— )
• Last of the Summer Wine (UK) (1973— )
• The Young and the Restless (1973— )
• Derrick (1974–1998)
• Wish You Were Here...? (UK) (1974— )
• Arena (UK) (1975— )
• Good Morning America (1975— )
• Jim'll Fix It (UK) (1975–1994)
• Saturday Night Live (1975— )
• the fifth estate (Canada) (1975— )
• Wheel of Fortune (1975— )
• 20/20 (1978— )
• Dallas (1978–1991)
• Grange Hill (UK) (1978— )
• Knots Landing (1979–1993)
• You Can't Do That on Television (Canada) (1979–1990)
• Antiques Roadshow (UK) (1979— )
• Nightline (1979— )
• This Old House (1979— )

1980s

• Entertainment Tonight (1981— )
• Falcon Crest (1981–1990)
• What Now (1982— )
• Timewatch (UK) (1982— )
• Cheers (1982–1993)
• Late Night with David Letterman (1982–1993)
• Newhart (1982–1990)
• The Journal (Canada) (1982–1992)
• Loving (1983–1995)
• Jeopardy! (1964–1975, 1984— )
• Mother and Son (Australia) (1984–1994)
• Murder, She Wrote (1984–1996)
• Night Court (1984–1992)
• Santa Barbara (1984–1993)
• The Bill (UK) (1984— )
• The Cosby Show (1984–1992)
• Who's the Boss? (1984–1992)
• 227 (1985–1990)
• EastEnders (UK) (1985— )
• Growing Pains (1985–1992)
• MacGyver (1985–1992)
• Mr. Belvedere (1985–1990)
• Neighbours (Australia) (1985— )
• Only Fools and Horses (UK) (1981–1983, 1985–1993, 1996–1997, 2001–2003)
• Sally (1985–2002)
• T-Bag and the Revenge of the T-Set and T-Bag's Christmas Carol (There were various T-Bag series between 1985 and 1992)
• The Golden Girls (1985–1992)
• ALF (1986–1990)
• Amen (1986–1991)
• Casualty (UK) (1986— )
• Comic Relief (UK) (1986— )
• Designing Women (1986–1993)
• Double Dare (1986–1993)
• Hey Dad...! (Australia) (1986–1994)
• L.A. Law (1986–1994)
• Mama's Family (1983–1984, 1986–1990)
• Matlock (1986–1995)
• Pee-wee's Playhouse (1986–1991)
• Perfect Strangers (1986–1993)
• The Oprah Winfrey Show (1986— )
• A Different World (1987–1993)
• Beadle's About (UK) (1987–1996)
• ChuckleVision (UK) (1987— )
• Full House (1987–1995)
• Going Live! (1987–1993)
• Inspector Morse (1987–2000)
• Knightmare (UK) (1987–1994)
• Married... with Children (1987–1997)
• Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994)
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987–1996)
• The Bold and the Beautiful (1987— )
• The Tracey Ullman Show (1987–1990)
• thirtysomething (1987–1991)
• America's Most Wanted (1988— )
• The American Experience (1988— )
• Red Dwarf (UK) (1988–1999)
• Fair City (1988— )
• Home and Away (1988— )
• This Morning (1988— )
• 48 Hours (1988— )
• The Adventures of Superboy (1988–1992)
• Children's Ward (UK) (1988–2000)
• Empty Nest (1988–1995)
• Family Feud (1976–1985, 1988–1995, 1999— )
• Garfield and Friends (1988–1995)
• Murphy Brown (1988–1998)
• Mystery Science Theater 3000 (1988–1999)
• Roseanne (1988–1997)
• The Comedy Company (Australia) (1988–1990)
• T. and T. (1988–1990)
• The Magical World of Disney (1988–1990)
• The Wonder Years (1988–1993)
• Electric Circus (1988–2003)
• Juke Box Jury (1959–1967, 1979, 1989–1990)
• Lonesome Dove (miniseries on CBS)

Ending this year

• January 13 - The last episode of the soap opera Ryan's Hope airs on ABC; in the final scene, matriarch Maeve Ryan (Helen Gallagher) sings Danny Boy at Ryan's Bar for the last time (1975–1989).
• March 9 - Webster (1983–1989).
• March 18 - It's a Living (1980–1982, 1985–1989).
• March 24 -
  • $ale of the Century (1983–1989).
  • Super Password (1984–1989).
• March 31 - Card Sharks (1978–1981, 1986–1989, 1986-1987, 2001-2002).
• May 1 - The Benny Hill Show (UK) (1955–1989).
• May 10 - Dynasty (1981–1989).
• May 14 -
  • Family Ties (1982–1989).
  • Moonlighting (1985–1989).
• May 21 - Miami Vice (1984–1989).
• May 22 - Kate and Allie (1984–1989).
• August 4 - Highway to Heaven (1984–1989).
• October 5 - Sonda (Poland) (1977-1989).
• October 7 - American Bandstand (1952–1989).
• October 9 - Major League Baseball on NBC (1947–1989).
• November 3 - The Phone Home Game (1983-1989) from The Price Is Right.
• December 6 - After 26 seasons, the original run of Doctor Who comes to an end on BBC1 with the broadcasting of episode three of the final serial, Survival. Following a one-off television movie in 1996, the show resumed in spring 2005 (1963–1989, 1996, 2005— ).
• Pinwheel (1979–1989)

Changes of network affiliation

• April 17 - The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd officially moves from NBC to Lifetime, the first time a network series is moved to cable television. Molly Dodd would continue for three seasons on Lifetime.
• July 17 - Wheel of Fortune moves from NBC's daytime lineup to CBS's daytime schedule.
• September 9 - The Gummi Bears moves from NBC to ABC and is combined in a one-hour block with The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. This arrangement lasts one year before the shows go their separate ways.

Births

• January 3 - Alex D. Linz, American actor
• March 17 - Amelia Jennings, Australian model
• March 25 - Alyson Michalka, American actress
• April 18 - Alia Shawkat, American actress
• June 18 - Renee Olstead, American actress
• October 1 - Brie Larson, American actress
• October 23 - Trevor and Travis Gruhot, twin actors
• December 2 - Cassie Steele, Canadian actress
• December 7 - Basia A'Hern, Anglo-Australian actress
• December 28 - Mackenzie Rosman, American actress

Deaths

• February 5 - Joe Raposo, 51, composer (various songs from Sesame Street and The Electric Company, as well as the Three's Company theme song)
• April 26 - Lucille Ball, 77, actress, comedian (I Love Lucy, The Lucy Show, Here's Lucy)
• May 1 - Douglass Watson, 68, soap opera actor (Mac on Another World)
• May 20 - Gilda Radner, 42, actress, comedian (Saturday Night Live)
• July 3 - Jim Backus, 76, actor (Thurston Howell on Gilligan's Island and voice of Mr. Magoo)
• July 10 - Mel Blanc, 81, voice actor who voiced Bugs Bunny and countless other characters
• July 18 - Rebecca Schaeffer, 21, actress (My Sister Sam)
• September 17 - Jay Stewart, 71, announcer of Let's Make a Deal and other game shows
• October 4 - Graham Chapman, 48, comedian (Monty Python's Flying Circus), one day before the 20th anniversary of that show's premiere.

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