The year 1998 in television involved some significant events. Below is a list of television-related events in 1998.
For the American TV schedule, see: 1998-99 United States network television schedule.
Events
- March 29 - BBC America launches in the United States.
- April 9 - The Price is Right airs its 5,000th episode on CBS.
- April 16- CITV was supposed to air the tenth episode of ReBoot's third season. The episode was not aired. Timmy Mallet aired instead. ReBoot hasn't aired since.
- April 18 - Toon Disney, a United States cable network devoted to playing Disney cartoons 24 hours a day, launches.
- May 11 - ZDTV, a technology based cable channel (later TechTV, then G4techTV, now G4), is launched in the US.
- May 18 - The British Academy Television Awards are awarded in the separate ceremony to the British Academy Film Awards for the first time.
- July 15 - Zee TV, a Hindi television channel is launched in the USA.
- July 31 - Former child star Gary Coleman is charged with assaulting a young female bus driver in a California shopping mall.
- August 31 - PAX TV launches, with very little or no sex, gay or other adult things.
- September 23 - BBC Choice, the UK's first digital-only TV station, launches. BBC Parliament also launches on the same day.
- September 26 - Cupid premieres on US television.
- October 1 - Digital satellite television launches in the UK, operated by Sky Digital. This sees the start of UK channels transmitting in 16:9 widescreen.
- October 2 - Kimberlin Brown makes her final contractual appearance as the villainess Sheila Carter on the soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful. Brown will return for non-contractual encores to reprise the character in 2002 and 2003.
- November 1 - FilmFour launches in the UK. The opening night is simulcast on Channel 4.
- November 15 - Digital terrestrial television launches in the UK, operated by ONdigital.
- December 7 - ITV2 launches in the UK.
- December 14 - After a world-record-breaking 75 consecutive victories, Ian Lygo makes his final appearance on the UK game show 100%, after being forced to retire by the show's producers.
Debuts
Television shows
1940s
1950s
1960s
1970s
1980s
1990s
Ending this year
Changes of network affiliation
Deaths
- January 21 - Jack Lord, 77, star of Hawaii Five-O.
- February 19 - Grandpa Jones, 84, star of Hee Haw, comedian and musician.
- February 28 - Dermot Morgan, 45, star of Father Ted.
- May 28 - Phil Hartman, 49, actor/comedian (Saturday Night Live, The Simpsons, Newsradio), shot by his wife in a murder/suicide.
- September 23 - Mary Frann, 55, actress (Joanna on Newhart).
- September 28 - Eric Malling, 52, Canadian television journalist.
- October 17 - Joan Hickson, 92, actress, Agatha Christie's Miss Marple.
- November 17 - Esther Rolle, 78, actress (Florida on Maude and Good Times).
- Dick O'Neill, 70, recurring actor (Family Matters, Home Improvement)
- December 22 - Michelle Thomas, 29, actress (Myra on Family Matters, Justine on The Cosby Show).
- December 28 - Richard Paul, 58, American actor (Carter Country, Match Game)