2008 in American television
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The year 2008 in television involves some significant plans. Below is a list of television-related events in 2008.
Events
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| January 1 | CourtTV turns into TruTV |
| January 2 | An interim agreement between Worldwide Pants Incorporated and the Writers Guild of America allows The Late Show with David Letterman and The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson to return with their full writing staffs, in spite of the ongoing WGA strike. By contrast, NBC's The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, and Last Call with Carson Daly and ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live, which are all produced by their respective networks, went back on the air without writers (except for Jay Leno, who writes his own material). |
| January 7 | Due to the writers strike, plans to hold the 65th Golden Globe Awards ceremony were scrapped. A press conference which announced the winners was substituted for the program. |
| January 23 | Konnie Huq presents her last episode of Blue Peter after over ten years, having become the longest-running female presenter and third longest-running overall in the shows' 50 year history. |
| January 31 | A unique episode of the UK soap opera EastEnders is broadcast, consisting of just one character (Dot Branning) with a single monologue in the form of a taped message to her husband. This 'one-hander' is a first in UK soap history. |
| February 2 | VH1 Uno is discontinued by MTV Networks to expand distribution of mtvU beyond college campuses and onto regular cable systems. |
| February 3 | FOX's telecast of Super Bowl XLII surpasses Super Bowl XXX as the most watched Super Bowl game on television. It also becomes the second most watched television program trailing the 1983 M*A*S*H series finale and the highest rated telecast in Nielsen ratings since Super Bowl XXXIV. |
| February 8 | The CW Television Network and the WWE announced that WWE Friday Night Smackdown will leave the CW prime time schedule at the end of the 2007-2008 season. The news comes after negotiations between the CW and WWE failed to reach a deal to keep the show on the CW lineup. Three weeks later on February 26, MyNetwork TV announced that they are picking up the program and will add it to its lineup in September. |
| February 9 | Both the Writers Guild of America and Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers reach a tentative deal resolving the strike. Members vote three days later to end the strike. |
| February 12 | The BBC Three "Blobs" are played out for the last time in the early hours of the morning. A new set of idents debuted the same day, this is the channels first ever rebrand since launching in early 2003. |
| February 17 | The conversion of NTSC analog channels to DT channels using the ATSC system begins in the United States, with TV stations making last minute filings and their intentions about when they will start their switchover ahead of the February 17, 2009 mandatory date. Also, the US government starts mailing out (USD)$40.00 coupons/rebates to consumers to use in buying DTV converters before the switchover. |
| February 19 | BBC One drama Hotel Babylon returns for its third series. |
| February 24 | ABC's telecast of the 80th Academy Awards draws record low ratings in the history of the ceremony's telecast surpassing the ratings from the ceremony that took place in 2003. 31.76 million on average watched the show over its entire run with a Nielsen rating of 18.66 households watching. |
| April 3 | Kate Ritchie's final episode of Home and away is broadcast in Australia on Channel 7. She has played the role of Sally Fletcher for 20 years and 3 months, making her role the record for a woman in Australian Television. She has played the role since she was 8 years of age. The only remaining member of the cast now who has been in the show since its start in 1988, is Ray Meagher who plays Alf Stewart |
| April 5 | Doctor Who returns on BBC One. David Tennant returns as the Doctor and Catherine Tate plays Donna Noble, as the Doctor's companion. |
| April 20 | The 2008 BAFTA Television Awards are held at the London Palladium. Winners included Dame Eileen Atkins (Best Television Actress), Bruce Forsyth (Academy Fellowship), Harry Hill (Best Entertainment Performance), James Corden (Best Comedy Performance) and the BBC Three Sitcom Gavin & Stacey |
| May 16 | The Wilmington, North Carolina television market is selected by the FCC to be the first television market in the United States to sign off their analog channels for ATSC early, starting September 8. |
| May 21 | David Cook is selected as the winner of seventh season of American Idol. |
Future events
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| May 24 | The CW4Kids replaces Kids' WB! |
| June 5 | Emmerdale airs it's 5000th episode |
| June 7 - June 29 | Euro 2008 is held in Austria and Switzerland |
| June 15 | 62nd Tony Awards |
| June 20 | 35th Daytime Emmy Awards |
| August 8 - August 24 | 2008 Summer Olympics are held in China |
| September 21 | 60th Primetime Emmy Awards |
| October | Longest-running children's television programme, Blue Peter celebrates its 50th birthday |
Debuts (including scheduled)
Television shows
1940s
- Meet the Press (1947-present).
1950s
- Hallmark Hall of Fame (1951-present).
- CBS Evening News (1952-present).
- Guiding Light (1952-present).
- The Today Show (1952-present).
- Kōhaku Uta Gassen (Japan) (1953-present).
- NHK Nodojiman (Japan) (1953-present).
- Panorama (UK) (1953-present).
- Face the Nation (1954-present).
- The Early Show (1954-present).
- The Tonight Show (1954-present).
- As the World Turns (1956-present).
- NFL on CBS (1956-1994, 1998-present).
- What the Papers Say (UK) (1956-present).
- The Sky at Night (UK) (1957-present).
- Blue Peter (UK) (1958-present).
1960s
- Coronation Street (UK) (1960-present).
- Four Corners (Australia) (1961-present).
- It's Academic (1961-present).
- Biography (1962-present).
- The Late Late Show (Ireland) (1962-present).
- The World Tonight (1962-present).
- Doctor Who (UK) (1963-1989, 1996, 2005-present).
- General Hospital (1963-present).
- Days of Our Lives (1965-present).
- Play School (1966-present).
- Shoten (Japan) (1966-present).
- The Money Programme (UK) (1966-present).
- Washington Week (1967-present).
- 60 Minutes (1968-present).
- One Life to Live (1968-present).
- Sesame Street (1969-present).
1970s
- All My Children (1970-present).
- Monday Night Football (1970-present).
- NBC Nightly News (1970-present).
- Masterpiece Theatre (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).
- Nova (1974-present).
- Wish You Were Here...? (UK) (1974-present).
- Arena (UK) (1975-present).
- Good Morning America (1975-present).
- Saturday Night Live (1975-present).
- the fifth estate (Canada) (1975-present).
- The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer (1975-present).
- The Victory Garden (1975-present).
- Wheel of Fortune (1975-present).
- Austin City Limits (1976-present).
- Family Feud (1976-1985, 1988-1995, 1999-present).
- Live from Lincoln Center (1976-present).
- Inside the NFL (1977-present).
- 20/20 (1978-present).
- Grange Hill (UK) (1978-present).
- Antiques Roadshow (UK) (1979-present).
- CBS News Sunday Morning (1979-present).
- Eat Bulaga! (1979-present).
- Nightline (1979-present).
- Nightly Business Report (1979-present).
- This Old House (1979-present).
1980s
- Chain Reaction (1980, 1986-1991, 2006-present).
- Mystery! (1980-present).
- Entertainment Tonight (1981-present).
- This Week (1981-present).
- America This Morning (1982-present).
- CCTV New Year's Gala (China) (1982-present).
- Nature (1982-present).
- Timewatch (UK) (1982-present).
- Waratte Iitomo (Japan) (1982-present).
- What Now (1982-present).
- American Masters (1983-present).
- America Undercover (1983-present).
- Frontline (1983-present).
- Jeopardy! (1964-1975, 1978-1979, 1984-present).
- The Bill (UK) (1984-present).
- EastEnders (UK) (1985-present).
- Neighbours (Australia) (1985-present).
- Comic Relief (UK) (1986-present).
- The Oprah Winfrey Show (1986-present).
- Casualty (UK) (1986-present).
- CBS Morning News (1987-present).
- ChuckleVision (UK) (1987-present).
- Headbangers Ball (1987-1995, 2003-present).
- The Bold and the Beautiful (1987-present).
- TV Patrol World (1987-present).
- 48 Hours (1988-present).
- American Experience (1988-present).
- America's Most Wanted (1988-present).
- Fair City (Ireland) (1988-present).
- Home and Away (1988-present).
- The American Experience (1988-present).
- This Morning (1988-present).
- COPS (1989-present).
- Domingão do Faustão (Brazil) (1989-present).
- Inside Edition (1989-present).
- Primetime (1989-present).
- The New Yankee Workshop (1989-present).
- The Simpsons (1989-present).
- Family Fortunes (UK) (1980-2002, 2005 special, 2007-present).
1990s
1990-1993
- America's Funniest Home Videos (1990-present).
- Law & Order (1990-present).
- Sunday Night Baseball (1990-present).
- Charlie Rose (1991-present).
- The Jerry Springer Show (1991-present).
- American Justice (1992-present).
- Barney & Friends (1992-present).
- Dateline NBC (1992-present).
- Def Comedy Jam (1992-1997, 2006-present).
- Real Sex (1992-present).
- Shortland Street (NZ) (1992-present).
- The Real World (1992-present).
- Up to the Minute (1992-present).
- World News Now (1992-present).
- Late Night with Conan O'Brien (1993-present).
- Power Rangers (1993-present).
- The Late Show with David Letterman (1993-present).
- WWE Monday Night RAW (1993-present).
1994-1996
- Autopsy (1994-present).
- ER (1994-present).
- Globe Trekker (1994-present).
- NFL on FOX (1994-present).
- Time Team (UK) (1994-present).
- ASAP '06 (1995-present).
- Dinner and a Movie (1995-present).
- Goosebumps (1995-1998, 2007-present).
- MADtv (1995-present).
- Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel (1995-present).
- Road Rules (1995-2004, 2007-present).
- The Late Late Show (1995-present).
- Access Hollywood (1996-present).
- Arthur (1996-present).
- A Wedding Story (1996-present).
- Boxing After Dark (1996-present).
- Fox News Sunday (1996-present).
- Judge Judy (1996-present).
- Major League Baseball on FOX (1996-present).
- Silent Witness (UK) (1996-present).
- The Daily Show (1996-present).
1997-1999
- King of the Hill (1997-present).
- Midsomer Murders (UK) (1997-present).
- One Piece (1997-present).
- South Park (1997-present).
- The View (1997-present).
- The Wonderful World of Disney (1997-present).
- Celebrity Deathmatch (1998-2002, 2006-present).
- City Confidential (1998-present).
- Cold Case Files (1998-present).
- Comedy Central Presents (1998-present).
- Movie Surfers (1998-present).
- Pokémon (1998-present).
- The Correspondents (1998-present).
- Total Request Live (1998-present).
- True Life (1998-present).
- Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? (UK) (1998-present).
- Dragon Tales (1999-present).
- Early Today (1999-present).
- Ed, Edd n Eddy (1999-prsent).
- Futurama (1999-2003, 2008-present)
- Judge Mathis (1999-present).
- Holby City (1999-present).
- Making the Video (1999-present).
- Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999-present).
- Passions (1999-present).
- SpongeBob SquarePants (1999-present).
- Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (US) (1999-present).
- SmackDown! (1999-present).
2000s
2000
- Aqua Teen Hunger Force (2000-present).
- Between the Lions (2000-present).
- Big Brother (2000-present).
- Caillou (2000-present).
- CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2000-present).
- Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000-present).
- Girlfriends (2000-present).
- Making the Band (2000-2002, 2007-present)
- MTV Cribs (2000-present).
- Survivor (2000-present).
- The Weakest Link (UK) (2000-present).
- Trading Spaces (2000-present).
2001
- 24 (2001-present).
- According to Jim (2001-present).
- Adult Swim (2001-present).
- Great Hotels (2001-present).
- How It's Made (2001-present).
- JR Digs (Canada) (2001-present).
- Law & Order: Criminal Intent (2001-present).
- NASCAR on TNT (2001-present).
- Scrubs (2001-present).
- Secrets of the Dead (2001-present).
- Smallville (2001-present).
- The Amazing Race (2001-present).
- The Fairly OddParents (2001-present).
- The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy (2001-present).
- The Saturday Show (UK) (2001-present).
2002
- American Idol (2002-present).
- Angelina Ballerina (2002-present).
- Biker Build-Off (2002-present).
- Codename: Kids Next Door (2002-2008).
- Crank Yankers (2002-2005, 2007-present).
- CyberChase (2002-present).
- CSI: Miami (2002-present).
- Def Poetry (2002-present).
- Degrassi: The Next Generation (2002-present).
- DragonflyTV (2002-present).
- Harry Hill's TV Burp (UK) (2002-present).
- I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! (UK) (2002-present).
- Last Call with Carson Daly (2002-present).
- Lingo (2002-present).
- Max and Ruby (2002-present).
- Monk (2002-present).
- Most Haunted (2002-present).
- NBA on ABC (2002-present).
- NBA on TNT (2002-present).
- NOW (2002-present).
- Spooks (UK) (2002-present).
- The Bachelor (2002-present).
- The Shield (2002-present).
- The Wire (2002-2008).
- Without a Trace (2002-present).
2003
- American Chopper (2003-present).
- America's Next Top Model (2003-present)
- Battlestar Galactica (2003-present).
- Cold Case (2003-present).
- Dirty Jobs (2003-present).
- DVD on TV (2003-present).
- History Detectives (2003-present).
- Jimmy Kimmel Live (2003-present).
- Last Comic Standing (2003-present).
- Las Vegas (2003-2008).
- Made (2003-present).
- MXC (2003-present).
- MythBusters (2003-present).
- Nanalan' (2003-present).
- Nashville Star (2003-present).
- NCIS (2003-present).
- Nip/Tuck (2003-present).
- One Tree Hill (2003-present).
- Penn & Teller: Bullshit! (2003-present).
- Queer Eye for the Straight Guy (2003-present).
- Real Time with Bill Maher (2003-present).
- Reno 911! (2003-present).
- Sell This House (2003-present).
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2003-present).
- The Fabulous Life of... (2003-present).
- The Surreal Life (2003-present).
- The Venture Bros. (2003-present).
- Two and a Half Men (2003-present).
- VH1: All Access (2003-present).
- What Not to Wear (2003-present).
- World Poker Tour (2003-present).
2004
- American Hot Rod (2004-present).
- Astro Boy (2004-present).
- Best Week Ever (2004-present).
- Boston Legal (2004-present).
- Call for Help 2.0 (Canada) (2004-present).
- Cartoon Alley (2004-present).
- Casino Cinema (2004-present).
- Cathouse: The Series (2004-present).
- Corner Gas (Canada) (2004-present).
- CSI: New York (2004-present).
- Desperate Housewives (2004-present).
- Deadwood (2004-present).
- Drawn Together (2004-present).
- Entourage (2004-present).
- Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (2004-present).
- Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends (2004-present).
- Ghost Hunters (2004-present).
- Higglytown Heroes (2004-2008).
- House (2004-present).
- Instant Star (2004-present).
- LazyTown (2004-present).
- Lost (2004-present).
- Maya & Miguel (2004-present).
- Miguzi (2004-present).
- Nanny 911 (2004-present).
- Overhaulin' (2004-present).
- Passport to Europe (2004-present).
- Pimp My Ride (2004-present).
- Postcards from Buster (2004-present).
- Postman Pat (UK) (1981, 1996, 2004-present).
- Rescue Me (2004-present).
- Sea of Souls (UK) (2004-present}.
- Shameless (UK) (2004-present).
- Stargate Atlantis (2004-present).
- Survivorman (2004-present).
- The 4400 (2004-present).
- The Apprentice (2004-present).
- The Backyardigans (2004-present).
- The Batman (2004-2008).
- The Biggest Loser (2004-present).
- The First 48 (2004-present).
- The L Word (2004-present).
- The X Factor (UK) (2004-present).
- TNA iMPACT! (2004-present).
- Trading Spouses (2004-present).
- Wife Swap (2004-present).
- World Series of Blackjack (2004-present).
2005
- 30 Days (2005-present).
- 5 Takes (2005-present).
- Afterlife (UK) (2005-present).
- A Haunting (2005-present).
- American Dad! (2005-present).
- Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations (2005-present).
- A.T.O.M. (2005-present).
- Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005-2008).
- Battlestar Galactica (2005-present).
- Beauty and the Geek (2005-present).
- Ben 10 (2005-2008).
- Bones (2005-present).
- Breaking Bonaduce (2005-present).
- BSTV (2005-present).
- Camp Lazlo (2005-2008).
- Cash Cab (2005-present).
- Catscratch (2005-present).
- Celebrity Eye Candy (2005-present).
- Celebrity Fit Club (2005-present).
- Charlie and Lola (2005-present).
- Class of the Titans (2005-present).
- Criminal Minds (2005-present).
- Criss Angel Mindfreak (2005-present).
- Da Vinci's City Hall (Canada) (2005-present).
- Dancing With the Stars (US) (2005-present).
- Deadliest Catch (2005-present).
- Deal or No Deal (2005-present).
- Doodlebops (2005-present).
- Everybody Hates Chris (2005-present).
- Extras (2005-present).
- Family Guy (1999-2002, 2005-present).
- Flip This House (2005-present).
- G.I. Joe: Sigma 6 (2005-present).
- Game Head (2005-present).
- Game Show Moments Gone Bananas (2005-present).
- Ghost Whisperer (2005-present).
- Go, Diego, Go! (2005-present).
- Grey's Anatomy (2005-present).
- Hell's Kitchen (2005-present).
- Hogan Knows Best (2005-present).
- How I Met Your Mother (2005-present).
- IGPX (2005-present).
- Inked (2005-present).
- Intervention (2005-present).
- Iron Chef America (2005-present).
- It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2005-present).
- Johnny and the Sprites (2005-present).
- Kept (2005-present)
- Kudlow & Company (2005-present).
- Little Einsteins (2005-2008).
- Masters of Horror (2005-present).
- Mad Money (2005-present).
- Medium (2005-present).
- Miami Ink (2005-present).
- Mind of Mencia (2005-present).
- Moral Orel (2005-present).
- Move This House (2005-present).
- My Gym Partner's a Monkey (2005-present).
- My Name Is Earl (2005-present).
- My Super Sweet 16 (2005-present).
- Naruto (2005-present).
- Next (2005-present).
- Nip/Tuck (2005-present).
- NUMB3RS (2005-present).
- Parental Control (2005-present).
- Prison Break (2005-present).
- Robot Chicken (2005-present).
- Roobarb and Custard Too (2005-present).
- Run's House (2005-present).
- South of Nowhere (2005-present).
- So You Think You Can Dance (2005-present).
- Supernanny (2005-present).
- Supernatural (2005-present).
- Squidbillies (2005-present).
- The Andy Milonakis Show (2005-present).
- The Boondocks (2005-present).
- The Closer (2005-present).
- The Colbert Report (2005-present).
- The Life and Times of Juniper Lee (2005-present).
- The Office (2005-present).
- The Showbiz Show with David Spade (2005-present).
- The Suite Life of Zack & Cody (2005-present).
- The Ultimate Fighter (2005-present).
- The War at Home (2005-present).
- The X's (2005-present).
- Untold Stories of the E.R. (2005-present).
- Weeds (2005-present).
- Wild 'N Out (2005-present).
- Wonder Showzen (2005-present).
- Yu-Gi-Oh! GX (2005 - present).
- Zoey 101 (2005-2008).
2006
- 1 vs. 100 (2006-present).
- 10 Items or Less (2006-present).
- 30 Rock (2006-present).
- American Idol Rewind (2006-present).
- American Inventor (2006-present).
- America's Got Talent (2006-present).
- Biker Mice From Mars (1993-1996. 2006-present)
- Ben 10 (2006-2008).
- Beyond the Break (2006-present).
- Big Love (2006-present).
- Big Spender (2006-present).
- Brotherhood (2006-present).
- Brothers & Sisters (2006-present).
- Campus Ladies (2006-present).
- Choo-Choo Soul (2006-present).
- Class of 3000 (2006-present).
- Curious George (2006-present).
- Dallas SWAT (2006-present).
- Dexter (2006-present).
- Disney Channel Games (2006-present).
- Disorderly Conduct (2006-present).
- Driving Force (2006-present).
- ESPN on ABC (2006-present).
- Eureka (2006-present).
- Extreme Championship Wrestling (2006-present).
- Fantastic Four (2006-present).
- Friday Night Lights (2006-present).
- Frisky Dingo (2006-present).
- Future Weapons (2006-present).
- Gene Simmons Family Jewels (2006-present).
- Handy Manny (2006-present).
- Hannah Montana (2006-present).
- Heroes (2006-present).
- High Stakes Poker (2006-present).
- Honey, We're Killing the Kids (2006-present).
- Hotel Babylon (2006-present).
- Jackanory (1965-1996, 2006-present).
- Jericho (2006-2008).
- Judge Maria Lopez (2006-present).
- King of Cars (2006-present).
- Legion of Super Heroes (2006-2008).
- Little People, Big World (2006-present).
- Live at Gotham (2006-present).
- Maggi and Me (2006-present).
- Man vs. Wild (2006-present).
- Men In Trees (2006-present).
- Metalocalypse (2006-present).
- Mr. Meaty (2006-present).
- My Boys (2006-present).
- My Gym Partner's a Monkey (2006-present).
- NBC Sunday Night Football (2006-present).
- NHL on NBC (2006-present).
- Not Your Average Travel Show (2006-present).
- One Week to Save Your Marriage (2006-present).
- Pros vs Joes (2006-present).
- Psych (2006-present).
- Rachael Ray (2006-present).
- Rob & Big (2006-present).
- Robin Hood (2006-present).
- Saved (2006-present).
- Shaggy & Scooby-Doo Get a Clue! (2006-2008).
- Shalom in the Home (2006-present).
- Shark (2006-present).
- Shorty McShorts' Shorts (2006-present).
- Spider Riders (2006-present).
- Suburban Shootout (2006-present).
- Take Home Chef (2006-present).
- Talkshow with Spike Feresten (2006-present).
- TCM Underground (2006-present).
- That's the Question (2006-present).
- 'Til Death (2006-present).
- The Emperor's New School (2006-present).
- The Game (2006-present).
- The Hills (2006-present).
- The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency (2006-present)
- The New Adventures of Old Christine (2006-present).
- The Replacements (2006-present).
- The Unit (2006-present).
- The World Series of Pop Culture (2006-present).
- Tom and Jerry Tales (2006-2008).
- Torchwood (2006-present).
- Two-A-Days (2006-present).
- Ugly Betty (2006-present).
- Waterloo Road (2006-present).
- Web Junk 20 (2006-present).
- Who Wants to Be a Superhero? (2006-present).
- Wonder Pets (2006-present).
- Wowowee (Philippines) (2006-present).
- Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! (2006-present).
- Yo Momma (2006-present).
2007
- Back to You (2007-present).
- Blood+ (2007-2008).
- Cory in the House (2007-present).
- CW Now (2007-2008)
- Dirt (2007-present).
- Engaged and Underage (2007-present).
- Flash Gordon (2007 TV series) (2007-presnet).
- Just Jordan (2007-present).
- Keeping Up With The Kardashians (2007-present).
- M.I.High (2007-present).
- Moonlight (2007-present).
- The Naked Brothers Band (2007-present).
- Poker After Dark (2007-present).
- Rules of Engagement (2007-present).
- Samantha Who? (2007-present).
- The Sarah Silverman Program (2007-present).
- Wizards of Waverly Place (2007-present).
Changes of Network Affiliation