| List of years in television (table) |
|---|
| … 1999 . 2000 . 2001 . 2002 . 2003 . 2004 . 2005 … 2006 2007 2008 -2009- 2010 2011 2012 … 2013 . 2014 . 2015 . 2016 . 2017 . 2018 . 2019 … In radio: 2006 2007 2008 -2009- 2010 2011 2012 In film: 2006 2007 2008 -2009- 2010 2011 2012 In theatre: 2006 2007 2008 -2009- 2010 2011 2012 |
| Related time period or subjects |
| … 2006 . 2007 . 2008 - 2009 - 2010 . 2011 . 2012 … … 1970s . 1980s . 1990s -2000s- 2010s . 2020s . 2030s |
| Art . Archaeology . Architecture . Literature . Music . Science +... |
The following is a list of events affecting American television in 2009. Events listed include television show debuts, finales, cancellations, and new channel launches.
Contents |
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| January | |
| 1 | After 51 years as an NBC affiliate, KBTV/Beaumont-Port Arthur, Texas joins the Fox network. The NBC affiliation moves over to the DT subchannel of ABC affiliate KBMT. |
| Major League Baseball launches MLB Network, becoming the last of the 4 major American sports leagues to launch its own channel.[1] | |
| 3 | Fox replaces the 4Kids TV block, with two hours from 8–10 AM going to the affiliates, and 10AM-12PM becoming Weekend Marketplace (infomercials).[2] |
| 9 | Nickelodeon kicks off year-long celebration of SpongeBob SquarePants' 10th anniversary.[3] |
| 13 | American cable channel Comedy Central launched its HD version. Cablevision systems added it first. DirecTV added the HD version on January 21. Cox Cable systems announced it would add it by the end of the month. Dish Network added it on April 9. Viacom (owner of Comedy Central) hopes to reach carriage agreements for the HD channel with several more providers later in the year.[4] |
| 14 | The Simpsons (on this day in season 20) begins a new slogan: Best. 20 Years. Ever. |
| 15 | Hawaii became the first state in the United States to have all of its television stations switch to digital television.[5] |
| William Petersen appears for the last time as a regular cast member on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation as Supervisor Gil Grissom.[6] | |
| 19 | The Powerpuff Girls return to Cartoon Network for the tenth anniversary |
| 26 | Disgraced Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich goes on a media blitz appearing on The Today Show, The View, and Larry King Live while his impeachment trial continues in his homestate.[7] Blagojevich is later ousted from office on January 29. |
| February | |
| 1 | Super Bowl XLIII, which saw the Pittsburgh Steelers defeat the Arizona Cardinals 27–23 and give the Steelers their history-making sixth Super Bowl win ever for the franchise, is televised live on NBC in the United States. International coverage of the Super Bowl is also served by Sky Sports and BBC One (UK), CTV Television Network (Canada), TV Azteca (Mexico), ESPN Australia, Foxtel, and Austar (Australia), Das Erste (Germany), TV6 (Sweden), TV3 (Denmark), Sport TV (Portugal), CCTV-5 (China), and SBS (South Korea). |
| 2 | Programming blocks Nick Jr. and TEENick discontinued on Nickelodeon. |
| 10 | My Network TV announced that they will switch from a network to a syndication programming service for the 2009–2010 television season.[8] |
| 11 | President Obama signed the DTV Delay Act into law, officially moving the DTV transition in the United States cutoff date to June 12, 2009.[9] |
| 12 | Charter Communications files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy protection[10] |
| 13 | Toon Disney rebranded itself as Disney XD. |
| 15 | The Simpsons season 20 begins broadcasting in HD with the first HD episode as "Take My Life, Please". To celebrate this event, there is a new opening and Bart writes "HDTV is worth every cent" on the chalkboard for this episode. Reruns that were not in HD will not broadcast in HD. |
| 17 | 368 United States television stations permanently shut off their analog signals on the original February 17 date of the DTV transition in the United States and are now broadcasting exclusively in digital.[11] 53 stations qualify for nightlight service status, meaning they must use their analog signals only for DTV transition public service announcements and severe weather alerts.[12] All others must wait until June 12 to go all digital (see DTV Delay Act for further details). |
| 20 | After 16 years on the air, the last episode of Late Night with Conan O'Brien aired on NBC.[13] Conan's favorite band The White Stripes was the final guest. Will Ferrell (impersonating former U.S. President George W. Bush) and former sidekick/O'Brien's Tonight Show announcer Andy Richter made surprise appearances, and pre-recorded clips of John Mayer and Abe Vigoda were shown.[13] Late Night leaves Studio 6A at NBC's Rockefeller Center studios in New York after 27 years. |
| 22 | 81st Academy Awards are televised live on ABC. |
| March | |
| 1 | The traditional Nielsen ratings February sweeps are moved to March.[14] |
| 2 | Late Night with Jimmy Fallon premiered on NBC.[13] The Roots is the house band. Oscar winner Robert DeNiro, Grammy winner Van Morrison, and singer / actor Justin Timberlake were Jimmy's first guests. Former host Conan O'Brien also made a cameo appearance. Late Night moves to Studio 6B (the former WNBC-TV news studio) at NBC Studios in Rockefeller Center. |
| 9 | NBC owned-and-operated station WNBC launches New York Nonstop, an entertainment/lifestyle channel. |
| 16 | Ion Television affiliates launch their HD channel.[15] |
| 17 | The Simpsons season 20 episode In the Name of the Grandfather broadcasts on Sky1 in the United Kingdom. The episode later premiered in the United States on March 22. |
| 19 | President Barack Obama appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, marking the first time a sitting President has appeared on a late night talk show. |
| 23 | American satellite television provider DirecTV paid $4 billion to extend its exclusive contract for the NFL Sunday Ticket package until 2014.[16] After the 2014 season, DirecTV will have had exclusive U.S. rights for the package for 20 straight seasons, since the package's (and DirecTV's) inception in 1994. |
| April | |
| 2 | The TV Guide Network announces that they will no longer carry local television listing grids on their channel[17] |
| Emmy Award-winning medical drama ER airs its series finale on NBC after a one-hour retrospective. | |
| 7 | The television special Charlie Brown's All-Stars returns to American television for the first time since 1982.[18] |
| 16 | Sportscaster John Madden announces his retirement at age 73. |
| Bob Barker returns to the set of his former game show of 35 years, The Price Is Right, to promote his new book Priceless Memories.[19] | |
| 20 | The CW arrives in Guam with the on-air debut of KTKB-LP. |
| The CW affiliate WLGA/Columbus, Georgia becomes an independent station. The CW affiliation moves to a subchannel for NBC affiliate WLTZ, known as CW Ga-Bama. | |
| 23 | Nickelodeon Games and Sports for Kids is discontinued on Dish Network and replaced by a west coast feed of Cartoon Network. |
| 27 | ABC launches an HD subchannel network called Live Well HD Network. The channel will air on its O&Os first before expanding it to other affiliates at the end of the year.[20] |
| 28 | CBS series NCIS features the characters of a spin-off called NCIS: Los Angeles. A second-part episode is continued next Tuesday. |
| May | |
| 1 | May Sweeps begin. |
| The Fairly OddParents returns on Nickelodeon once again with a three day one hour movie called Wishology. | |
| 5 | The CW announces that it will turn over its Sunday night schedule to its affiliates for the 2009–2010 TV season[21] |
| 6 | Noggin and The N split up on Dish Network. |
| 20 | The Game is cancelled by The CW. With the cancellation of The Game, there is no longer a scripted series (comedy or drama) on American network television with a predominantly African-American cast. |
| Kris Allen is declared the winner of American Idol season 8. | |
| 29 | After 17 years on the air, the last episode of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno aired on NBC. Appearing on the show are incoming Tonight host Conan O'Brien and musician James Taylor.[13] Leno's depature from Tonight marks the end of the show's 37-year run at NBC Studios in Burbank, California. |
| June | |
| 1 | The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien premieres at 11:35 p.m. EDT on NBC, with Will Ferrell and Pearl Jam as the show's first guests. Tonight moves to Stage 1 at Universal Studios Hollywood in Universal City, California. |
| 12 | All remaining NTSC full service television stations in the United States stop broadcasting analog television and start broadcasting digital television signals only[22] (see DTV transition in the United States for further details). |
| 29 | American cable news channel MSNBC launches its high definition version, becoming the last of the Big 3 cable news channels to do so.[23] |
| The Michael Jackson themed episode for American Idol season 8 was re-aired due to Michael Jackson's death on June 25. | |
| July | |
| 7 | A memorial service for the singer Michael Jackson, who died on June 25, is broadcast live around the world, with an estimated audience of one billion.[24] |
| Sci Fi Channel renames itself "Syfy".[25] Warehouse 13 is the first show on the network (with the new name), which premiered on this day. | |
| 13 | New Vision Television files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy |
| 14 | The 2009 MLB All-Star Game broadcasts. The ceremonial first pitch is thrown by President Barack Obama. |
| 27 | Ben Silverman, co-chairman of NBC Entertainment and Universal Media Studios, announced that he is leaving the company.[26] |
| August | |
| 4 | After eight seasons, Paula Abdul confirmed to her fans on her Twitter page that she will no longer be a judge for American Idol season 9 and so on. |
| 5 | Laura Ling and Euna Lee, both Asian-American journalists for Current TV, are released from prison in North Korea through negotiations between the government and Bill Clinton. Both women were sentenced to 12 years hard labor for accidentely crossing the border from China while doing a story in 2008. |
| 8 | Sonia Sotomayor's swearing in as United States Supreme Court Justice marks the first time that a televised event was shown live at the Supreme Court instead of the White House. |
| 9 | ABC airs Who Wants to Be a Millionaire for 11 episodes in primetime as an event to commemorate the 10th Anniversary of the show. |
| 13 | ABC announced that All My Children will move its production from New York City to Los Angeles in 2010. This will mark the first time in its 40-year run (Its 40th anniversary will be in 2010) that the serial will switch studio production locations, and the first soap opera to do so since CBS' The Brighter Day in 1961.[27] |
| 18 | Rainbow Media launches a new theme channel named Wedding Central on its parent system Cablevision.[28] |
| Honolulu, Hawaii television outlets KGMB (CBS), KHNL (NBC) and KFVE (My Network TV) combine their operations under a SSA deal made between Raycom Media and MCG. As part of the deal, Raycom takes over KGMB's programming and newscast and swap channels with MCG, who oversee KFVE and move the station to KGMB's channel[29] | |
| 22 | VH1 cancels the reality shows Megan Wants a Millionaire and I Love Money after Ryan Jenkins, a contestant on both shows, is charged with the murder of his ex-wife, swimsuit model Jasmine Fiore,[30] and is later found dead himself in Hope, British Columbia.[31] |
| 27 | Lifetime Entertainment Services, the parent company of Lifetime Television, is acquired by A&E Television Networks.[32] |
| 28 | After 26 years, PBS airs Reading Rainbow for the last time.[33] The children's program, hosted by LeVar Burton, had been in reruns since 2006. |
| 31 | The Walt Disney Company acquires Marvel Entertainment[34][35] |
| The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson on CBS begins broadcasting in high-definition, along with a brand new opening, and a change to the theme song. | |
| September | |
| 1 | DirecTV removed sports channel Versus due to an ongoing carriage dispute about subscriber fees.[36][37] |
| Freedom Communications, the parent company of WPEC/West Palm Beach, Florida and WTVC/Chattanooga, Tennessee, among others, files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy[38] | |
| 7 | ESPN celebrates its 30th anniversary with a special 90 minute edition of SportsCenter.[39] |
| 9 | Ellen DeGeneres is named successor to Paula Abdul as judge of American Idol season 9.[40] |
| 10 | John Stossel leaves ABC and his co-hosting duties at 20/20 to join Fox Business Network and Fox News Channel[41] |
| 13 | The NFL introduces Red Zone Channel, a special channel with extended highlights available during the regular season. AT&T U-Verse, Comcast, Dish Network, and Verizon FiOS are the first carriers to provide the new channel.[42][43][44] |
| The final two episodes of King of the Hill air on Fox. They are not the final episodes, since the show currently airs on the Cartoon Network block Adult Swim. | |
| A tribute to Michael Jackson and Kanye West's interrupting Taylor Swift's speech were among the major highlights at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards[45] | |
| 14 | Liberman Broadcasting launches a new Spanish-language TV network called Estrella TV.[46][47] |
| For the first time ever, NBC launches a prime-time weeknight talk/variety show with Jay Leno as host, titled The Jay Leno Show, which airs during the 10:00 p.m. Eastern/9:00 p.m. Central timeslots.[13] | |
| 16 | For the first time ever on television, The Newlywed Game features a gay couple on their show. George Takei and his partner Brad Altman are the celebrity newlyweds that make history on the long-running game show.[48] |
| 18 | The final broadcast of Guiding Light, a CBS soap opera that began on radio in 1937 before moving to television in 1952 on CBS. In the last moments of the broadcast, supercouple Josh and Reva rode off into the sunset and "The End" would be the last thing viewers would see before it faded to black.[49] |
| 19 | CBS block KEWLopolis is renamed Cookie Jar TV by the Cookie Jar Group. |
| 20 | Barack Obama makes history by appearing on five Sunday news/talk shows on the same day: CBS's Face the Nation, ABC's This Week, CNN's State of the Union with John King, NBC/MSNBC's Meet The Press and on Univision. |
| Jimmy Mulville, head of the British production company Hat Trick Productions, announced plans to make a pilot for an American version of the long-running British satirical panel game Have I Got News for You.[50] | |
| Mad Men wins Outstanding Drama Series and 30 Rock wins Outstanding Comedy Series at the 61st Primetime Emmy Awards, hosted by Neil Patrick Harris and televised by CBS.[51] | |
| 21 | President Barack Obama appears on the Late Show with David Letterman, marking the first time a sitting U.S. president has been host David Letterman's guest.[52] |
| 22 | ABC World News Now on the ABC television network becomes the first overnight newscast to broadcast in high definition. |
| 25 | Tonight Show host Conan O'Brien suffers a concussion after hitting his head on the studio floor while taping a stunt with guest Teri Hatcher. Production on that day's episode is halted, and a rerun airs in its place. O'Brien returned to work the following Monday.[53] |
| 27 | The Simpsons season 21 begins broadcasting with the season premiere episode titled "Homer the Whopper." The season establishes The Simpsons as the longest running prime-time entertainment program in history, replacing Gunsmoke. |
| The Cleveland Show, a spin-off of Family Guy, premieres on Fox. The show was mentioned at the end of Family Guy season 7 episode "Baby Not on Board". The pilot episode shows Cleveland Brown's official departure from Family Guy. | |
| 28 | Viacom rebrands Noggin as Nick Jr., and The N as TeenNick, using former Nickelodeon block names to rebrand those channels.[54] All four networks (including the Nick@Nite block and Nicktoons) are rebranded with a new universal logo, replacing the iconic "orange splat" logo that had been in use since 1984. In addition, BET J is quietly rebranded as Centric.[55] |
| October | |
| 1 | |
| David Letterman admits on his Late Show to having sexual relationships with female members of his staff. He also tells the audience that he wrote a fraudulent check for $2 million to a 48 Hours producer who planned to blackmail him on the matter.[56] | |
| 5 | |
| ESPN's broadcast of Monday Night Football between the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings becomes the most-watched cable television program in history, with 15 million homes tuning in to see Vikings quarterback Brett Favre face his former team for the first time. The Vikings won the game 30–23 and Favre became the first quarterback in NFL history to beat all 32 teams.[57] | |
| 14 | |
| News Corporation announces that Fox Reality Channel will be replaced by National Geographic Wild in April 2010.[58] | |
| 21 | |
| Nickelodeon (Viacom) acquires global rights to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles from Mirage Studios for $60 million.[59] | |
| 25 | |
| Steve Phillips is fired by ESPN after the baseball analyst admits to having an affair with Brooke Hundley, a 22-year-old production assistant at the sports network. Hundley, who was later given a court restraining order after trying to stalk Phillips, his soon-to-be-ex-wife and son, was also fired.[60] | |
| 26 | |
| The newscasts of Honolulu television outlets KGMB and KHNL/KFVE are combined into one, becoming "Hawaii News Now." KGMB and KHNL will simulcast their early morning show "Sunrise", 5PM and 10PM newscast, with the exception of KGMB's 7AM portion of "Sunrise" and 6PM newscast, KHNL's relocated 5:30PM newscast and during the 7AM hour when they start airing NBC's Today Show, and during separate programming. KFVE's 6:30PM and 9PM newscasts remains intact. Also effective with this move is KGMB moving from DT channel 8 (PSIP RF channel 9) to DT 23 (PSIP 5) and vise versa for KFVE[61] | |
| 29 | |
| Washington, D.C. station WJLA-TV, an affiliate of ABC, airs a local special "Touch of Life: The Guide to Breast Self Examination" featuring uncensored self breast exams. The special is also continued the next day.[62] | |
| 30 | For the first time in its 27 year history, The Weather Channel begins showing weekly weather related movies, including The Perfect Storm and Misery.[63] |
| Epix, a new premium channel, launches, with Verizon FiOS being its first carrier. | |
| November | |
| 2 | |
| TNT announced it has purchased the rights to Southland's original seven episodes from NBC, as well as six completed episodes from what would have been its second season. Southland will begin airing on TNT on January 12, 2010.[64] The station has no plans to change the look of the show, but no additional episodes of the series have been ordered pending an assessment of ratings for the original 13.[65] | |
| 5 | Scripps Networks Interactive pays $1.1 billion for a 65% share of Travel Channel.[66] |
| 10 | First Lady Michelle Obama appears on the season premiere of Sesame Street, commemorating the PBS show's 40th birthday.[67] |
| 11 | CNN anchor Lou Dobbs, a mainstay at the channel since its start in 1980, announces he is leaving the network effective immediately.[68] |
| 19 | Oprah Winfrey announces that she will end her long-running talk show in 2011, after its 25th season.[69][70] |
| 26 | The NFL Network airs an expletive uttered by Denver Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels during the team's Thanksgiving night football game with the New York Giants. Play-by-play announcer Bob Papa apologized for the network's gaffe later in the broadcast.[71] |
| December | |
| 3 | It is announced that NBC Universal will become a joint venture between General Electric and Comcast, with GE retaining a 49 percent stake in the company and buying current NBC partner Vivendi's share. Comcast, meanwhile, will take a 51 percent controlling interest. The deal is subject to government approval.[72] |
| 7 | Comstar Media acquires semi-religious television and radio network FamilyNet.[73] |
| 8 | CBS announced that they're canceling As the World Turns (the last of the Procter & Gamble soaps) after more than 50 years on the air. The series will end its run on September 17, 2010.[74][75][76][77] |
| The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer is rebranded as PBS NewsHour.[78] | |
| 11 | After 20 years, Diane Sawyer leaves ABC's Good Morning America to succeed Charles Gibson as anchor of ABC World News beginning December 21. Chief political correspondent George Stephanopoulos replaces Sawyer as "GMA" co-anchor.[79] |
| 15 | The FCC considers an order that would close the "terrestrial loophole" which keeps fiber delivered channels such as Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia and 4SD off of satellite TV systems.[80] |
| 17 | The Times reports that Simon Cowell is expected to leave American Idol after season 9 so he can bring his British hit series The X Factor to America in 2011. Cowell, who will step down in May 2010, will be the second "American Idol" judge to exit the series, following Paula Abdul, who announced her departure in August after eight seasons.[81] |
| 18 | Charles Gibson retires as anchor of ABC World News and Diane Sawyer has took over as anchor on the following Monday.[79] |
| 23 | E! rehires Joan Rivers to host their specials in 2010. |
| 26 | After 17 seasons and 15 different incarnations, the Power Rangers series will end airing new episodes, though a "retro" 18th season in the form of a rebroadcast of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers (possibly newly remastered with a new opening and logo) will begin airing the following week on January 2, 2010. |
| 28 | DirecTV launched a new satellite which, when fully installed, will give the provider the capacity of up to 80 more HD channels. It will become fully operational early in the 2nd quarter of 2010.[82] |
| 31 | DirecTV and Rainbow Media reach a last minute carriage renewal agreement, keeping Rainbow's channels AMC, WE tv, IFC, Fuse TV, Sundance Channel, MSG Network and MSG Plus on the satellite system.[83] |
| Show | Network (Last Aired) | Last aired | Network (New/Returning) | Returning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nanny 911 | Fox | 2007 | CMT | January |
| I'm a Celebrity... Get Me out of Here! | ABC | 2003 | NBC | June |
| Who Wants to Be a Millionaire[121] | ABC | 2002 | ABC | August |
| Let's Make a Deal | NBC | 2003 | CBS | October |
| Soul Train Music Awards | WGN America/Syndication | 2008 | Centric[122] | November |
| Date | Show | Debut | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 9 | Hannity & Colmes | 1996 | |
| January 9 | Lipstick Jungle | 2008 | |
| January 9 | Stargate Atlantis | 2004 | |
| January 9 | The Big Spin | 1985 | [123] |
| January 11 | CNN Late Edition | 1993 | |
| January 19 | Momma's Boys | 2008 | |
| January 24 | Game Show in My Head | 2009 | |
| January 25 | The Drinky Crow Show | 2007 | |
| January 26 | Superstars of Dance | 2009 | |
| January 31 | Crusoe | 2008 | |
| February 2 | Bromance | 2008 | |
| February 12 | Greg Behrendt's Wake Up Call | 2009 | |
| February 20 | 13: Fear Is Real | 2009 | |
| February 20 | Late Night with Conan O'Brien | 1993 | |
| February 24 | Privileged | 2008 | |
| February 28 | Sushi Pack | 2007 | |
| February 28 | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles | 2003 | |
| March 4 | Knight Rider | 2008 | |
| March 8 | The L Word | 2004 | |
| March 10 | Homeland Security USA | 2009 | |
| March 12 | Kath & Kim | 2008 | |
| March 15 | Hole in the Wall | 2008 | |
| March 16 | Kyle XY | 2006 | |
| March 20 | Battlestar Galactica | 2004 | |
| March 22 | Flight of the Conchords | 2007 | [124] |
| March 25 | The Chopping Block | 2009 | |
| March 25 | Life With Derek | 2005 | |
| March 28 | D. L. Hughley Breaks the News | 2008 | |
| March 30 | The Replacements | 2006 | |
| April 1 | Life on Mars | 2008 | |
| April 2 | Eleventh Hour | 2008 | |
| April 2 | ER | 1994 | |
| April 7 | Trust Me | 2009 | |
| April 8 | Life | 2007 | |
| April 10 | Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles | 2008 | |
| April 23 | The Beast | 2009 | |
| May 1 | Howie Do It | 2009 | |
| May 2 | My Life as a Teenage Robot | 2003 | |
| May 3 | Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends | 2004 | |
| May 8 | Everybody Hates Chris | 2005 | |
| May 10 | The Unit | 2006 | |
| May 14 | My Name Is Earl | 2005 | |
| May 15 | Prison Break | 2005 | |
| May 15 | The Game | 2006 | |
| May 16 | MADtv | 1995 | [125] |
| May 16 | Talkshow with Spike Feresten | 2006 | |
| May 18 | Deal or No Deal | 2005 | |
| May 19 | Without a Trace | 2002 | |
| May 23 | Transformers Animated | 2007 | |
| May 26 | Reaper | 2007 | |
| May 29 | The Tonight Show with Jay Leno | 1992 | [126] |
| June 2 | According to Jim | 2001 | |
| June 6 | Worst Week | 2008 | |
| June 12 | The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet | 2007 | |
| June 12 | Best Week Ever | 2004 | |
| June 13 | Pushing Daisies | 2007 | |
| June 13 | The Naked Brothers Band | 2007 | |
| June 14 | Million Dollar Password | 2008 | |
| June 16 | Cupid | 2009 | |
| June 17 | The Unusuals | 2009 | |
| June 19 | Don't Forget the Lyrics! | 2007 | |
| June 25 | In the Motherhood | 2009 | |
| June 28 | Three Delivery | 2008 | |
| June 30 | Jail[127] | 2007 | |
| July 5 | Speed Racer: The Next Generation | 2008 | |
| July 8 | Reno 911! | 2003 | |
| July 11 | Eli Stone | 2008 | |
| July 11 | Harper's Island | 2009 | |
| July 19 | Valentine | 2008 | |
| July 23 | Samantha Who? | 2007 | |
| July 25 | Kings | 2009 | |
| August 7 | Surviving Suburbia | 2009 | [128] |
| August 7 | The Goode Family | 2009 | [128] |
| August 8 | Dirty Sexy Money | 2007 | |
| August 12 | The Philanthropist | 2009 | |
| August 16 | Easy Money | 2008 | |
| August 19 | Megan Wants a Millionaire | 2009 | |
| August 24 | Raising the Bar | 2008 | [129] |
| September 4 | Judge David Young | 2007 | [130] |
| September 5 | VeggieTales | 2006 | |
| September 13 | King of the Hill | 1997 | [131] |
| September 15 | The Cleaner | 2008 | |
| September 18 | Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? (primetime version) | 2007 | |
| September 18 | Guiding Light | 1952 | |
| September 22 | Ruby & The Rockits | 2009 | [132] |
| September 23 | The Beautiful Life | 2009 | [133] |
| October 23 | Defying Gravity | 2009 | |
| November 4 | Hank | 2009 | |
| November 8 | Ed, Edd n Eddy | 1999 | |
| November 11 | Lou Dobbs Tonight | 1980 | |
| November 21 | Sit Down, Shut Up | 2009 | |
| November 23 | Jon & Kate Plus 8 | 2007 | |
| December 4 | Monk | 2002 | |
| December 7 | Alice | 2009 | |
| December 7 | Rita Rocks | 2008 | |
| December 10 | The Jeff Dunham Show | 2009 | |
| December 17 | It's On with Alexa Chung | 2009 | [134] |
| December 20 | Random! Cartoons | 2008 | |
| December 24 | Raising the Bar | 2008 | |
| December 26 | Power Rangers | 1993 | [117] |
| December 26 | Kamen Rider: Dragon Knight | 2009 | [135] |
| Date | Name | Age | Notability |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 3 | Pat Hingle | 84 | American TV and film actor (Gunsmoke) |
| January 6 | Cheryl Holdridge | 64 | American TV actress (The Mickey Mouse Club) |
| January 8 | Don Galloway | 71 | American television actor (Ironside) |
| January 9 | Jon Hager | 67 | American television actor/singer (Hee Haw) |
| January 13 | Patrick McGoohan | 80 | American-born Irish actor (Danger Man, The Prisoner) |
| January 14 | Ricardo Montalbán | 88 | Mexican-born actor (Fantasy Island, "Space Seed" episode of Star Trek) |
| January 16 | Sir John Mortimer | 85 | British barrister, dramatist, screenwriter and author (Rumpole of the Bailey, Boston Legal) |
| January 19 | Bob May | 69 | American actor and stuntman (Lost in Space) |
| January 25 | Kim Manners | 58 | American TV producer-director (The X-Files, Supernatural) |
| January 31 | Clint Ritchie | 70 | American actor (One Life to Live) |
| February 6 | James Whitmore | 87 | American film/TV actor and commercial spokesman (The Practice) |
| February 6 | Philip Carey | 83 | American film/TV actor and commercial spokesman (Laredo, One Life to Live) |
| February 7 | Molly Bee | 69 | American TV actress and singer (Hometown Jamboree) |
| February 28 | Paul Harvey | 90 | American radio and TV news commentator (Good Morning America, The Rest of the Story syndicated news segments) |
| March 13 | Andrew Martin | 33 | American professional wrestler known as Test in the WWF/E & The Punisher in TNA |
| March 13 | Alan W. Livingston | 91 | American music executive, songwriter, and former president of Capitol Records (Creator of Bozo the Clown) |
| March 16 | Ron Silver | 62 | American television, film and stage actor, director, producer, and political activist (The West Wing) |
| March 17 | Morton Lachman | 90 | American TV writer and producer (All in the Family, Gimme a Break!, Kate & Allie) |
| March 18 | Natasha Richardson | 45 | British film, television and stage actress (Haven) |
| March 24 | George Kell | 86 | Former American baseball player and sportscaster (Detroit Tigers play-by-play announcer from 1959–1996).[136] |
| March 26 | Irving R. Levine | 86 | American journalist-correspondent for NBC News |
| March 29 | Maurice Jarre | 84 | Musical composer (Cimarron Strip, Jesus of Nazareth, Shōgun, The Murder of Mary Phagan) |
| March 29 | Andy Hallett | 33 | American singer and actor (Angel, Angel: Live Fast, Die Never) |
| April 1 | Miguel Ángel Suárez | 69 | Puetro Rican film and soap opera actor (Señora Tentacion) |
| April 2 | Tom Braden | 92 | American television journalist and commentator (Crossfire), whose book Eight Is Enough, recounting his experience raising his eight children, was adapted into the series of the same name |
| April 9 | Dan Miller | 67 | American TV news anchorman, reporter, and presenter (anchorman at WSMV/Nashville, Tennessee and KCBS-TV/Los Angeles, California; The Pat Sajak Show) |
| April 12 | Marilyn Chambers | 56 | American pornographic actress, producer, and politician (Women of the House, E! True Hollywood Story:"Blood Brothers: Jim & Artie Mitchell") |
| April 13 | Harry Kalas | 73 | Philadelphia Phillies radio and television play-by-play announcer since 1971, narrator of NFL Films and NFL on Westwood One play-by-play man.[137] |
| April 15 | Merle Harmon | 82 | American TV/radio sportscaster, commercial spokesman, and businessman (Play-by-play announcer for the Milwaukee Brewers and Texas Rangers; Sportscaster/commentator for ABC and NBC Sports programs, including MLB Game of the Week and Sportsworld, respectively) |
| April 25 | Beatrice Arthur | 86 | American actress (All in the Family, Maude, The Golden Girls) |
| May 1 | Danny Gans | 52 | American singer, comedian and musical impressionist (portrayed Dean Martin in the 1992 miniseries Sinatra) |
| May 4 | Dom DeLuise | 75 | American actor/comedian |
| May 13 | Frank Aletter | 83 | American actor (Bringing Up Buddy, The Cara Williams Show, Nancy, and several TV guest appearances) |
| May 18 | Wayne Allwine | 62 | American voice actor and voice of Mickey Mouse |
| May 21 | Joan Alexander | 94 | American television, film, radio, stage, voice actress and game show panelist (The Name's the Same, The New Adventures of Superman) |
| May 26 | Michael Ross | 89 | American TV comedy writer/producer (All in the Family, The Jeffersons, Three's Company) |
| June 3 | David Carradine | 72 | American television and film actor (Kung Fu and Kung Fu: The Legend Continues) |
| June 11 | Johnny Palermo | 27 | American television and film actor (Everybody Hates Chris) |
| June 19 | Ken Roberts | 99 | American radio and television voiceover announcer and actor (The Love of Life, The Secret Storm, The Electric Company) |
| June 23 | Ed McMahon | 86 | American TV comedian, game show host, and presenter (The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson and Star Search) |
| June 25 | Farrah Fawcett | 62 | American film and TV actress (Charlie's Angels) |
| June 25 | Michael Jackson | 50 | American entertainer and recording artist (also The Jackson 5) |
| June 28 | Billy Mays | 50 | American commercial/infomercial pitchman (OxiClean, Orange Glo, ESPN360.com etc.) |
| June 28 | Gale Storm | 87 | American television/film actress and singer (My Little Margie, The Gale Storm Show) |
| June 29 | Fred Travalena | 66 | American impressionist, comedian, actor and game show host (Anything For Money) |
| July 1 | Karl Malden | 97 | American actor (The Streets of San Francisco, The West Wing) |
| July 13 | Mark Mandala | 72 | American television executive (President of ABC from 1986 to 1994) |
| July 17 | Walter Cronkite | 92 | American television and radio journalist, reporter, author and narrator (Anchor of CBS Evening News from 1962 to 1981)[138] |
| July 21 | Les Lye | 84 | Canadian television actor and broadcaster (You Can't Do That On Television) |
| July 21 | Gidget The Taco Bell Chihuahua | 15 (105 in dog years) | Advertiser for Taco Bell |
| August 6 | John Hughes | 59 | American film producer, director and writer (Delta House, At Ease) |
| August 18 | Robert Novak | 78 | American journalist, writer and commentator (Crossfire) |
| August 19 | Don Hewitt | 86 | American television producer, creator of 60 Minutes [139] |
| August 19 | Ed Reimers | 96 | American television and radio voiceover announcer and actor (The voice behind Allstate Insurance's "You're In Good Hands" commercials; Maverick, Star Trek) |
| August 23 | Ryan Jenkins | 32 | Canadian businessman and reality television participant; Alleged killer of ex-wife Jasmine Fiore (Megan Wants a Millionaire) |
| August 25 | Edward M. Kennedy | 77 | American politician, statesman, author, and nararrator (Appeared as himself in Designing Women, Chicago Hope and the 1989 TV movie The Ted Kennedy Jr. Story) |
| August 26 | Dominick Dunne | 83 | American crime story writer and author, television/film screenwriter, producer and news contributor/commentator (Howdy Doody, Adventures in Paradise, The Two Mrs. Grenvilles), more recently host of Dominick Dunne's Power, Privilege, and Justice[140] |
| August 27 | Adam Goldstein | 36 | American club DJ (stagename "DJ AM"), remixer and reality television participant (Punk'd, The Simple Life) |
| September 4 | Buddy Blattner | 89 | American sportscaster (most recently for the Atlanta Hawks) [141] |
| September 9 | Army Archerd | 87 | American entertainment columnist for "Variety" and television personality (Entertainment Tonight, The Movie Show) [142] |
| September 10 | Frank Batten | 82 | American businessman, co-founder of The Weather Channel [143] |
| September 11 | Larry Gelbart | 81 | American television/film/broadway/stage producer, director and writer (creator of M*A*S*H, The Marty Feldman Comedy Machine, Caesar's Hour, The Red Buttons Show) [144] |
| September 12 | George Eckstein | 81 | American television writer and producer (The Fugitive, Gunsmoke) [145] |
| September 14 | Patrick Swayze | 57 | American film and television actor/singer (TV credits include The Beast and North and South) [146] |
| September 14 | Henry Gibson | 73 | American actor (Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In) [147] |
| September 15 | Fred Cusick | 90 | American sportscaster (Boston Bruins play-by-play announcer for 45 seasons) [148] |
| September 16 | Mary Travers | 72 | American singer/songwriter; member of Peter, Paul and Mary (The Jack Benny Program, What's My Line and Peter Paul & Mary TV concert specials) [149] |
| September 17 | Arnold Laven | 87 | American producer (creator of The Rifleman) [150] |
| September 21 | Robert Ginty | 60 | American actor (The Paper Chase, Falcon Crest and Hawaiian Heat) and director (China Beach, Xena: Warrior Princess, Nash Bridges, Charmed, and Tracker) [151] |
| October 14 | Lou Albano | 76 | American wrestler and actor (Mario on The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!) [152] |
| October 19 | Jay W. Johnson | 66 | American politician (Wisconsin's 8th congressional district) and television news anchor/reporter (Alumni of WFRV and WLUK/Green Bay, Wisconsin) |
| October 20 | Vic Mizzy | 93 | American songwriter (The Addams Family and Green Acres theme songs) [153] |
| October 22 | Soupy Sales | 83 | American children's television personality, actor, and comedian (Lunch with Soupy Sales, What's My Line, Junior Almost Anything Goes) [154] |
| October 28 | Lou Jacobi | 95 | Canadian-born American television and film actor (The Dean Martin Show, The Man From U.N.C.L.E., That Girl) [155] |
| November 3 | Carl Ballantine | 92 | American television and film actor, comedian, and magician (McHale's Navy, Night Court, Garfield & Friends)[156] |
| November 6 | Sid McCoy | American radio and television announcer, personality, jazz musician and music producer (Soul Train)[157] | |
| November 11 | David Lloyd | 75 | American television screenwriter (The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Bob Newhart Show, Taxi, Cheers, Frasier and Wings) |
| November 12 | Tom Sparks | 33 | American radio DJ at KSKI-FM/Sun Valley, Idaho and reality TV game show participant (Wipeout)[158] |
| November 15 | Dennis Cole | 69 | American television actor (Felony Squad; Bracken's World; The Young and the Restless)[159] |
| November 16 | Ken Ober | 52 | American television and radio actor, presenter, personality, and producer (Remote Control; The New Adventures of Old Christine) |
| November 16 | Edward Woodward | 79 | British-born television and film actor (The Equalizer)[160][161] |
| November 27 | Bill Bresnan | 75 | American cable TV pioneer (founder of Bresnan Communications) [162] |
| December 4 | Eddie Fatu | 36 | Samoan-American professional wrestler known as Umaga in the WWE |
| December 7 | Mark Ritts | 63 | American actor (Beakman's World) |
| December 9 | Gene Barry | 90 | American actor (Bat Masterson, Burke's Law, The Name of the Game, and L.A. 2017)[163][164] |
| December 10 | Aaron Schroeder | 83 | American songwriter (Scooby Doo, Where Are You! theme song)[165] |
| December 14 | Conard Fowkes | 76 | American actor (Dark Shadows,As The World Turns,The Secret Storm,The Edge of Night) |
| December 15 | Oral Roberts | 91 | American televangelist and educator[166] |
| December 16 | Roy E. Disney | 79 | American television station group owner/shareholder (Shamrock Holdings) and senior executive of The Walt Disney Company; Nephew of Walt Disney |
| December 17 | Alaina Reed Hall | 63 | American television/film/stage actress and singer (Sesame Street, 227)[167] |
| December 20 | Brittany Murphy | 32 | American actress-singer (Drexell's Class, King of the Hill)[168] |
| December 20 | Connie Hines | 79 | American television/film actress (Mister Ed, Love, American Style)[169][170] |
| December 20 | Arnold Stang | 90 | American television/film actor/voice actor (Texaco Star Theater, Top Cat)[171] |
| December 22 | Michael Currie | 81 | American television/film actor (Dark Shadows)[172] |
| December 24 | George Michael | 70 | American sportscaster (The George Michael Sports Machine)[173][174] |
| December 26 | Percy Sutton | 89 | American politician, lawyer, broadcaster, and owner of The Apollo Theater, the setting for Showtime at the Apollo |
| December 29 | Dave Diles | 78 | American television/radio sportscaster, journalist and analyst (ABC's Wide World of Sports, The Prudential College Football Scoreboard Show)[175] |
| December 30 | Erik Gates | 47 | American television personality and science contributor (Mythbusters)[176] |
| Years in television: 2009 |
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| Australia | Canada | United Kingdom | United States |
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