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The year 1979 in television involved some significant events. Below is a list of television-related events in 1979.

For the American TV schedule, see: 1979-80 American network television schedule.

Events

• January 9 – The Music for UNICEF Concert is performed in New York City. The televised special airs the following night on NBC in the United States.
• February 11 – In the US, 43 million viewers watch Elvis, a made for TV movie starring Kurt Russell as Elvis Presley, on ABC.
• March 6 – Another World becomes the first (and, to date, the only) soap opera to air regularly-scheduled ninety-minute telecasts. The time extension coincides with the death of long-running character John Randolph (played by Michael M. Ryan) in a house fire. The show goes back to 60-minute episodes in August 1980.
• March 6 – Villain Roger Thorpe (played by Michael Zaslow) rapes his wife Holly (Maureen Garrett) on Guiding Light, the first time spousal rape was shown on U.S. television.
• March 19 – C-Span. a United States cable channel is launched.
• April 22 – Friendly Fire, a TV movie starring Carol Burnett as a mother who wants to know how her son died in Vietnam, airs on ABC.
• August 10 – In the UK, the whole of the ITV network except in the Channel Islands, is affected by a technicians' strike for eleven weeks.
• September 7 – ESPN begins broadcasting sports 24/7 and was the first cable channel to be launched.
• September 19 – On the two-hour TV-movie season premiere event on Eight is Enough, both David and Susan Bradford married their respective loves in a double ceremony. The premiere grabbed a 40 share across the two hours.
• October 24 – On ITV's first night back on air after the strike, Quatermass, the fourth and final serial featuring Professor Bernard Quatermass, begins its run on the network.
• Over 300 million households worldwide now own television sets.
• December 1 – The Movie Channel begins broadcasting movies 24/7.
• General Hospital tops the yearly daytime television ratings for the first time.
• CFMT, Toronto's first multicultural channel, launches.
• Un Pecado del Amor premieres in Guatemala.
• First color television broadcasts in Greece.
• BBC2 unveils the first computer-generated television presentation symbol in the world. US broadcaster NBC unveils their first computer-generated symbol later that year.
• Berlinda Tolbert and Mike Evans who both portray Lionel and Jenny Willis Jefferson, rejoins the cast of The Jeffersons, Mike Evans returns to the series, after the television show he co-created, Good Times, was cancelled, Tolbert and Evans joins the cast until Spring of 1981.

Debuts

• January 8 – Password Plus premieres on NBC (1979–1982).
• January 26 – The Dukes of Hazzard premieres on CBS (1979–1985).
  • Hello, Larry, the third series McLean Stevenson has done since leaving M*A*S*H, premieres on NBC (1979–1980).
• January 28 – Thomas & Sarah premiered on LWT. It lasted only one series.
  • You Can't Do That on Television premieres on CTV affiliate CJOH-TV (1979–1990).
  • CBS News Sunday Morning premieres on CBS (1979–present).
• February 1 – Makin' It premiered on ABC, lasting eight episodes.
• February 3 – Battle Fever J premieres on TV Asahi (1979–1980)
• February 7 – Supertrain premieres on NBC (1979).
• February 8 – Angie premieres on ABC (1979–1980).
• February 9 – Hana no Ko Lunlun premieres on TV Asahi (1979–1980)
• February 26 – Flatbush premieres on CBS, lasting three episodes
• February 27 – In Australia, Prisoner: Cell Block H launches at 8.30pm on Network 10.
• March 24 – Tales of the Unexpected, an Anglia Television series based on the short stories of Roald Dahl, debuts on ITV in the UK (1979–1985; 1987–1988).
• April 4 – The Ultraman premieres on TBS in Japan (1979–1980).
• April 7 – Mobile Suit Gundam (1979–1980), the first part of Gundam anime metaseries (1979–2009), airs in Japan on Nagoya Broadcasting Network.
• April 18 – Real People premieres on NBC (1979–1984).
• July 8 – The Sunday Game, a weekly Gaelic games broadcast, premieres on RTÉ Two (1979–present).
• August 24 – The Facts of Life, a spinoff of Diff'rent Strokes, premieres on NBC (1979–1988).
• August 25 – Hart to Hart premieres on ABC (1979–1984).
• September 10 – Syndicated version of Match Game debuts. This version lasts until 1982 with the MG/Hollywood Squares Hour following it up in 1983–1984.
• September 13 – Benson, a spinoff of Soap, premieres on ABC (1979–1986).
• September 20 – Buck Rogers in the 25th Century premieres on NBC (1979–1981).
• September 22 – Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo premieres on ABC (1979–1980).
• September 23 – Archie Bunker's Place, a continuation of All in the Family, premieres on CBS (1979–1983).
• September 25 – California Fever premieres, lasting 10 episodes
  • Trapper John, M.D. premieres on CBS (1979–1986).
• November 8 – The Iran Crisis—America Held Hostage, later to be known as Nightline, premieres on ABC (1979–present).
• December 27 – Knots Landing, a spinoff of Dallas, premieres on CBS (1979–1993).
• Antiques Roadshow premieres on BBC1 (1979–present).
• The Mad Dash premieres on CTV.
• The NewMusic premieres on CityTV.
• Smith and Smith premieres (syndicated in Canada, 1979–1985).
• This Old House premieres on PBS (1979–present).

Miniseries

• Backstairs at the White House
• Roots: The Next Generations

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).
• Love of Life (1951–1980).
• Search for Tomorrow (1951–1986).
• Hallmark Hall of Fame (1951–present).
• American Bandstand (1952–1989).
• Guiding Light (1952–present)
• Hockey Night in Canada (1952–present)
• The Today Show (1952–present)
• Panorama (UK) (1953–present).
• The Good Old Days (UK) (1953–1983).
• Face the Nation (1954–present).
• 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)
• ABC's Wide World of Sports (1961–1998)
• Four Corners, Australia (1961–present)
• It's Academic (1961–present)
• The Mike Douglas Show (1961–1981)
• The Late Late Show, Ireland (1962–present)
• Professional Bowlers Tour (1962–1997)
• The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962–1992)
• The World Tonight, Philippines (1962–present)
• Doctor Who, UK (1963–1989, 1996, 2005–present)
• The Doctors (1963–1982)
• General Hospital (1963–present)
• Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom (1963–1988, 2002–present)
• 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).
• The Money Programme (UK) (1966–present).
• Play School (1966–present).
• 60 Minutes (1968–present).
• Hawaii Five-O (1968–1980).
• Magpie, UK (1968–1980)
• Mister Rogers' Neighborhood (1968–2001)
• One Life to Live (1968–present)
• The Benny Hill Show, UK (1969–1989)
• Hee Haw (1969–1993).
• Sesame Street (1969–present).
• The Wonderful World of Disney (1969–1979) ends on September 2 to resume on September 9 as Disney's Wonderful World (1979–1981).

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 (1971–2006)
• Are You Being Served? (UK) (1972–1985).
• Emmerdale Farm (UK) (1972–present).
• Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids (1972–1984).
• John Craven's Newsround (UK) (1972–present).
• M*A*S*H (1972–1983).
• The Price Is Right (1972–present)
• The Waltons (1972–1981)
• Barnaby Jones (1973–1980).
• Last of the Summer Wine (UK) (1973–present).
• Match Game '79 (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).
• The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast (1974–1984).
• Derrick (1974–1998).
• Dinah! (1974–1980).
• Happy Days (1974–1984).
• Little House on the Prairie (1974–1983).
• The Rockford Files (1974–1980).
• Tiswas (UK) (1974–1982).
• Wish You Were Here...? (UK) (1974–present).
• Arena (UK) (1975–present).
• Barney Miller (1975–1982).
• The Don Lane Show (Australia) (1975–1983).
• the fifth estate (Canada) (1975–present).
• Good Morning America (1975–present).
• The Jeffersons (1975–1985).
• Jim'll Fix It (UK) (1975–1994).
• King of Kensington (Canada) (1975–1980).
• Match Game PM (1975–1981).
• One Day at a Time (1975–1984).
• Ryan's Hope (1975–1989).
• Runaround (UK) (1975–1981).
• Saturday Night Live (1975–present).
• 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).
• The Muppet Show, UK (1976–1981)
• The P.T.L. Club (1976–1987)
• Quincy, M.E. (1976–1983)
• Second City Television (SCTV), Canada (1976–1984)
• CHiPs (1977–1983).
• Eight is Enough (1977–1981).
• Fantasy Island (1977–1984).
• In Search of... (1977–1982).
• Lou Grant (1977–1982).
• The Love Boat (1977–1986).
• Soap (1977–1981).
• This Week in Baseball (1977–1998, 2000–present)
• 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).
• Juke Box Jury (1959–1967, 1979, 1989–1990).

Ending this year

• March 2 – The All-New Jeopardy (1978–1979)
• March 16 – Makin' It (1979)
• April 8 – All in the Family (1971–1979) – continues as Archie Bunker's Place.
• April 20 – Match Game '79 (1973–79)
• April 28 – What's Happening!! (1976–1979).
• April 29 – Battlestar Galactica (1978–1979).
• May 15 – Starsky and Hutch (1975–1979)
• June 8 – Welcome Back, Kotter (1975–1979).
• August 1 – Good Times (1974–1979).
• September 11 – Wonder Woman (1976–1979).
• October 25 – Fawlty Towers (1975, 1979) (UK).

Births

• January 2 — Morena Baccarin, US actress (born in Brazil).
• January 2 — Suranne Jones, UK actress.
• January 4 – Lisa Huo
• January 16 — Aaliyah, US singer/actress. (d. 2001)
• January 24 – Tatyana Ali, US actress.
• January 26 — Sara Rue, US actress.
• February 11 — Brandy, US singer/actress.
• February 21 — Jennifer Love Hewitt, US actress.
• March 12 — John-Paul Lavoisier, US actor
• March 25 — Lee Pace, US actor
• April 4 – Heath Ledger, Australian actor (d. 2008)
• April 9 — Keshia Knight Pulliam, US actress.
• April 12 — Claire Danes, US actress.
• May 5 – Vincent Kartheiser, American actor.
• May 9 – Rosario Dawson, American actor.
• August 22 — Jennifer Finnigan, US actress (born in Canada).
• September 9 — Nikki DeLoach, US actress
• September 24 — Justin Bruening, US actor
• October 8 — Kristanna Loken, US actress and model.
• October 23 – Rebecca Loudonsack, British actress
• November 13 – Ron Artest, American basketball player.
• November 23 — Kelly Brook, British television presenter and model.
• December 2 — Melissa Archer, US actress.
• December 11 – Rider Strong, US actor.
• December 15 — Adam Brody, US actor.
• December 26 – Chris Daughtry, US singer.

Deaths

• January 11 – Jack Soo, actor (Nick Yemana) on Barney Miller.
• January 16 – Ted Cassidy, 6'9" actor (Lurch) on The Addams Family.
• January 27 – Dick Wesson, actor, announcer on The Wonderful World of Disney.
• July 29 – Bill Todman, game show producer.
• August 17 – Vivian Vance, actress (Ethel Mertz) on I Love Lucy.