1992 in television

The year 1992 in television involved some significant events. Below is a list of television-related events in 1992.

Events

• January 10 - The Days of our Lives nighttime special One Stormy Night airs on NBC.
• April 12 - La Cinq ceases broadcasting in France for the very last time at midnight.
• May 22 - After 30 years, 66 year old Johnny Carson hosts The Tonight Show for the last time. By this time, NBC has announced that Carson's permanent guest host, Jay Leno, will replace him as host. Later, in 1993, David Letterman leaves for CBS.
• May 25 - Jay Leno debuts as the host of The Tonight Show.
• June 3 - US Presidential Candidate Bill Clinton appears on The Arsenio Hall Show. Clinton even plays the saxophone with the live band.
• June 23 - Another World airs its first and only primetime episode, called Summer Desire, right before the Daytime Emmy Awards.
• June 29 - Family Feud on CBS with Ray Combs becomes the hour-long Family Feud Challenge.
• August 8 - In Latin America, Sábado Gigante turns 30 years old, with a new show every week. The Guinness Book of Records recognized it as the longest continuously running television show in history.
• September 4 - In Australia, the Nine Network shows Australia's Naughtiest Home Videos, a spin-off from Australia's Funniest Home Video Show showing sexually explicit situations. Kerry Packer, who was told by friends the show was on, told the producers to "Get that shit off the air". Host Doug Mulray was fired and banned from Nine for life.
• September 7 - In France, France Télévisions debuts which rebranding 2 channels became France 2 and France 3 (replacing Antenne 2 and France Régions 3) for the very first time.
• September 24 - The Sci-Fi Channel is launched with a broadcast of Star Wars.
• October 1- Cartoon Network launches in the United States.
• October 1- Sky Movies Gold a channel dedicated to classic movies, launches.
• October 3 - Sinéad O'Connor stirs up controversy when she rips up a picture of Pope John Paul II on Saturday Night Live.
• October 4 - Ghostwriter debuts on PBS.
• October 31 - The controversial one-off drama Ghostwatch is broadcast on BBC1, a 'live' investigation into a haunted North London house.
• October 2 - Zee TV, the first Hindi satellite channel, is launched in India.
• November 1 - UK Gold is launched in the UK, a joint venture between the BBC and Thames Television.
• November 18- NBC's Seinfeld airs its most infamous episode, "The Contest", in which the four friends agree to abstain from all sexually related activity and see who could go without "it" the longest. It is never said who won the contest, however it is assumed to be a tie between Jerry Seinfeld's character, Jerry and Jason Alexander's character, George.
• December 1 - The Young and the Restless airs its milestone 5000th episode.
• December 28 - As part of a theme night devoted to (rival) broadcaster Granada Television, BBC2 airs the first new edition of University Challenge in five years, paving the way for a full-scale revival.
• In Belize, Channel 5 begins the nation's first daily news broadcast.
• Texas billionaire Ross Perot buys blocks of U.S. television time for his Presidential campaign.
• Growing Pains actress Tracey Gold loses a massive amount of weight due to anorexia nervosa and is placed in hospital care. As a result, she is written out of most of the final episodes.
• Kalimera Ellada on ANT1 debuts as one of its first morning show in Greek language television history.
• September 27 - Marlon Wayans and Alexandra Wentworth join the cast of In Living Color, Wayans only joins the cast for 13 episodes, Wentworth joins the cast full time this season, and the 1993-94 season, which was the fifth and final year of the series.
• The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air's cast member, Janet Hubert-Whitten becomes pregnant, and has conflicts with fellow cast members, salary dispute, as a result, Hubert-Whitten, is replaced by Daphne Maxwell Reid in 1993, Hubert-Whitten only appears in nine episodes of the 1992-93 season, and her last appearance is in the 1993 episode "The Way We Were".

Debuts

• January 7 - Joshua Jones premieres on BBC One (UK) (1992).
• January 12 - As Time Goes By premieres on BBC One (UK) (1992-2005).
• February 18 - Men Behaving Badly premieres on ITV (UK) (1992-1998).
• February 21 - Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger premieres on TV Asahi (1992-1993)
• February 27 - Us Girls premieres on BBC1.
• March 7 - Sailor Moon - premieres on TV Asahi in Japan (1992-1997).
• March 9 - Junglies premieres on ITV in the United Kingdom.
• March 31 - Dateline NBC premieres on NBC (1992-present).
• April 6 - Barney & Friends, a children's educational television show starring a giant purple dinosaur, premieres on PBS (1992-present).
• April 10 - Heartbeat premieres on ITV (UK) (1992-present).
• April 14 - MTV's Most Wanted premieres on MTV Europe (UK) (1992-1995).
• May 11 - The soap opera Gute Zeiten, schlechte Zeiten debuts on RTL Television in Germany (1992-present).
• May 21 - The Real World premieres on MTV (1992-present). The show is one of the first popular "reality television" series.
• May 25 -
  • Shortland Street premieres on TVNZ's TV2 in New Zealand (1992-present)
  • The Tonight Show with Jay Leno premieres on NBC (1992-2009).
• July 6 - Eldorado premieres on BBC One (UK) (1992-1993).
• July 8 - Melrose Place premieres on Fox (1992-1999)
• July 26 - TV Squash British satire which ran for one series debuts on ITV
• August 15 -
  • The Larry Sanders Show premieres on HBO (1992-1998).
  • SNICK debuts on Nickelodeon, with Clarissa Explains It All, Roundhouse, The Ren & Stimpy Show, and Are You Afraid of the Dark?.
• August 27 - Martin premieres on Fox (1992-1997).
• September 1 - Goof Troop premieres on ABC (also on The Disney Afternoon) (1992-1993).
• September 4 - Astro Farm premieres on ITV (UK) (1992).
• September 5 -
  • Batman: The Animated Series premiers.
  • What's Up Doc? premieres on ITV (UK) (1992-1995).
• September 11 - The Little Mermaid premieres on CBS (1992-1994).
• September 12 -
  • California Dreams premieres on NBC (1992-1996).
  • Eek! The Cat premieres on Fox Kids (1992-1997).
• September 19 - The Plucky Duck Show premieres on Fox Broadcasting Company (1992).
• September 22 - Hangin' with Mr. Cooper premieres on ABC (1992-1997).
• September 23 - Mad About You premieres on NBC (1992-1999).
• September 28 - The Big Breakfast premieres on Channel 4 (1992-2002).
• September 29 - Funnybones premieres on BBC 1 (UK) (1992).
• October 10 - Gladiators premieres on ITV (1992-2000) Return 2008 Sky One Gladiators
• October 31 - X-Men premiers.
• November 2 - Prime Time News replaces The National and The Journal on CBC Television (1992-1995).
• November 12 - Absolutely Fabulous premieres on BBC2 (1992-1996, 2001-2003).
• December 6 - A Touch of Frost premieres on ITV (UK) (1992-present).

Television shows

1940s

• Meet the Press (1947-present).
• Candid Camera (1948-present).
• Bozo the Clown (1949-present).
• Come Dancing (UK) (1949-1995).

1950s

• Hallmark Hall of Fame (1951-present).
• I Love Lucy (1951-1957).
• Guiding Light (1952-2009).
• The Today Show (1952-present).
• Panorama (UK) (1953-present).
• Face the Nation (1954-present).
• The Tonight Show (1954-present).
• This Is Your Life (UK) (1955-2003).
• As the World Turns (1956-present).
• What the Papers Say (UK) (1956-present).
• The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour (1957-1960).
• 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 Late Late Show (Ireland) (1962-present).
• General Hospital (1963-present).
• Bewitched (1964-1972).
• Another World (1964-1999).
• Top of the Pops (UK) (1964-2006).
• I Dream of Jeannie (1965-1970)
• Days of our Lives (1965-present).
• Play School (1966-present).
• The Money Programme (UK) (1966-present).
• 60 Minutes (1968-present).
• One Life to Live (1968-present).
• The Brady Bunch (1969-1974).
• Hee Haw (1969-1993).
• Sesame Street (1969-present).

1970s

• All My Children (1970-present).
• Monday Night Football (1970-present).
• Masterpiece Theatre (1971-present).
• Soul Train (1971-present).
• Emmerdale (UK) (1972-present).
• Newsround (UK) (1972-present).
• The Price Is Right (1972-present).
• Last of the Summer Wine (UK) (1973-present).
• The Young and the Restless (1973-present).
• Derrick (1974-1998).
• Wish You Were Here...? (UK) (1974-present).
• Arena (UK) (1975-present).
• Good Morning America (1975-present).
• Jim'll Fix It (UK) (1975-1994).
• Saturday Night Live (1975-present).
• the fifth estate (Canada) (1975-present).
• Wheel of Fortune (1975-present).
• Charlie's Angels (1976-1981)
• 20/20 (1978-present).
• Grange Hill (UK) (1978-2008).
• Knots Landing (1979-1993).
• Antiques Roadshow (UK) (1979-present).
• Nightline (1979-present).
• This Old House (1979-present).

1980s

• Entertainment Tonight (1981-present).
• What Now (1982-present)
• Timewatch (UK) (1982-present)
• Cheers (1982-1993).
• Late Night with David Letterman (1982-1993).
• Taggart, UK (1983-present)
• Loving (1983-1995).
• Jeopardy! (1964-1975, 1984-present).
• Mother and Son (Australia) (1984-1994).
• Murder, She Wrote (1984-1996).
• Santa Barbara (1984-1993).
• The Bill (UK) (1984-present).
• EastEnders (UK) (1985-present).
• Neighbours (Australia) (1985-present).
• Only Fools and Horses (UK) (1981-1983, 1985-1993, 1996-1997, 2001-2003) (the only episode aired this year was the Christmas special Mother Nature's Son).
• Sally (1985-2002).
• Designing Women (1986-1993).
• Double Dare (1986-1993).
• Hey Dad...! (Australia) (1986-1994).
• L.A. Law (1986-1994).
• Matlock (1986-1996).
• Perfect Strangers (1986-1993).
• The Oprah Winfrey Show (1986-present).
• Comic Relief (UK) (1986-present).
• Casualty (UK) (1986-present).
• Beadle's About (UK) (1987-1996).
• ChuckleVision (UK) (1987-present).
• A Different World (1987-1993).
• Full House (1987-1995).
• Going Live! (UK) (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-present).
• Unsolved Mysteries (1987-1998, 2001-2002, 2008-present).
• America's Most Wanted (1988-present).
• The American Experience (1988-present).
• Fair City (1988-present).
• Home and Away (1988-present).
• This Morning (1988-present).
• Red Dwarf (UK) (1988-1999).
• Children's Ward (UK) (1988-2000).
• Electric Circus (1988-2003).
• Empty Nest (1988-1995).
• Family Feud (1976-1985, 1988-1995, 1999-present).
• Garfield and Friends (1988-1995).
• Murphy Brown (1988-1998).
• Mystery Science Theater 3000 (1988-1999).
• Roseanne (1988-1997).
• The Wonder Years (1988-1993).
• 48 Hours (1988-present).
• Baywatch (1989-2001).
• Captain N: The Game Master (1989-1991).
• Cops (1989-present).
• Family Matters (1989-1998).
• Life Goes On (1989-1993).
• Maid Marian and her Merry Men (UK) (1989-1994).
• Press Gang (UK) (1989-1993).
• Seinfeld (1989-1998).
• Tales from the Crypt (1989-1996).
• The Arsenio Hall Show (1989-1994).
• The Simpsons (1989-present).

1990s

• In Living Color (1990-1994).
• Law & Order (1990-present).
• America's Funniest Home Videos (1990-present).
• America's Funniest People (1990-1994)
• One Foot in the Grave (UK) (1990-2000).
• Road to Avonlea (Canada) (1990-1996).
• The Crystal Maze (UK) (1990-1995).
• The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (UK) (1984-1988, 1991-1994).
• Back to the Future: The Animated Series (1991-1993)
• Doug (1991-1994, 1996-1999).
• Blossom (1991-1995).
• Home Improvement (1991-1999).
• Rugrats (1991-2004).
• Sisters (1991-1996).
• The House of Eliott (UK) (1991-1994).
• Hangin' with Mr. Cooper (1992-1997)
• The Jerry Springer Show (1991-present).
• The Red Green Show (Canada) (1991-present).
• The Ren & Stimpy Show (1991-1996).
• Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? (1991-1996).

Ending this year

• March 6 - Rainbow (UK) (1972-1992).
• March 19 - Danger Mouse (1981-1992).
• March 24 - Joshua Jones (UK) (1992).
• April 4 - Motormouth (UK) (1988-1992).
• April 10 - Spatz (UK) (1990-1992).
• April 25 -
  • Growing Pains (1985-1992).
  • Who's the Boss? (1984-1992).
• April 30 - After an eight year run the last episode of The Cosby Show airs. One of the show's time-slot rivals, Fox's The Simpsons, pays tribute to it with a brief animated segment (1984-1992).
• May 9 - The Golden Girls (1985-1992).
• May 17 - The Adventures of Superboy (1988-1992).
• May 21 - MacGyver (1985-1992).
• May 22 - The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962-1992).
• May 31 - Night Court (1984-1992).
• June 11 - McGee and Me! (1989-1992).
• July 14 - The Big Gig (Australia) (1989-1992).
• September 25 - The Channel Four Daily (UK) (1989-1992).
• November 4 - Acropolis Now (Australia) (1989-1992).
• November 5 - WWF Saturday Night's Main Event (1985-1992, 2006-present).
• November 16 - T-Bag and the Sunstones of Montezuma and Take Off with T-Bag (There were various T-Bag series between 1985 and 1992)
• November 26 - Fast Forward (Australia) (1989-1992).
• November 30 - The Sooty Show (UK) (1955-1992).
• December 5 - Darkwing Duck (1991-1992).
• December 14 - 'Allo 'Allo! (UK) (1982-1992).
• December 23 -
  • Dooby Duck's Disco Bus (UK) (1989-1992).
  • Watt on Earth (UK) (1991-1992).
• December 29 - Victor and Hugo (UK) (1991-1992).
• December 31 - TV-am (UK) (1983-1992).
• Police 5 (UK) (1962-1992).
• The Journal (Canada) (1982-1992).

Changes of Network Affiliation

• Davis Rules moves from ABC to CBS.
• Hi Honey, I'm Home! moves from ABC to Nick at Nite
• In the Heat of the Night moves from NBC to CBS.
• Matlock moves from NBC to ABC
• Jim Henson's Muppet Babies moves from CBS to Nickelodeon.

Births

• February 14 - Freddie Highmore, actor
• April 8 - Shelby Young, actress
• May 18 - Spencer Breslin, actor
• June 14 - Daryl Sabara, actor
• July 22 - Selena Gomez, actress
• August 2 - Hallie Kate Eisenberg, actress
• August 4 - Cole & Dylan Sprouse, actors
• October 9 - Tyler James Williams, actor
• October 12 - Josh Hutcherson, actor
• October 15 - Vincent Martella, actor
• October 30 - Tequan Richmond, actor

Deaths

• January 7 - Richard Hunt, 40, Muppet performer.
• January 26 - José Ferrer, 83, actor.
• February 2 - Bert Parks, 77, longtime host of the Miss America beauty pageant.
• February 20 - Dick York, 63, actor (Darren Stephens #1) on Bewitched.
• March 25 - Nancy Walker, 69, actress (Ida on Rhoda and Rosie the Bounty lady).
• March 26 - Barbara Frum, 54, legendary Canadian television journalist.
• April 20 - Benny Hill, 68, British comedian.
• May 12 - Robert Reed, 59, actor (Mike Brady) on The Brady Bunch, of AIDS.
• May 17 - Lawrence Welk, 89, accordionist and bandleader.
• June 22 - Chuck Mitchell, 64, actor.
• July 9 - Eric Sevareid, 79, news commentator.
• October 16 - Shirley Booth, 94, actress who starred as the character Hazel.
• October 22 - Cleavon Little, 53, actor.
• November 10 - Chuck Connors, 71, actor on The Rifleman.
• November 22 - Sterling Holloway, 87, actor, voice of Winnie-the-Pooh.
• December 18 - Mark Goodson, 77, prolific producer of game shows such as Match Game, Blockbusters and The Price is Right.
• December 24 - Pierre Culliford, 64, also known as "Peyo"; Belgian creator of The Smurfs.