See also: 1978 in television, other events of 1979, 1980 in television, and the list of 'years in television'.

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

Events

• February 3 - Dead Man's Curve , a made-for-TV-movie about surf-rock singers Jan & Dean, airs on US television.
• February 11 - In the US, 43 million viewers watch "Elvis!" on ABC, a made for TV movie starring Kurt Russell as Elvis.
• March 5 - Another World becomes the first (and, to date, the only) soap opera to air regularly-scheduled ninety-minute telecasts. This does not last more than a year, however.
• 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.
• October 24 - On ITV's first night back on air after the strike, Quatermass, the fourth and final serial featuring the heroic Professor Bernard Quatermass, begins its run on the network.
• October 25 - The long-running soap opera Love of Life is taken off the air for emergency retooling, due to falling ratings.
• Over 300 million households worldwide now own television sets.
• General Hospital tops the yearly daytime television ratings for the first time.
• CFMT (now OMNI.1) began launching Toronto's first multicultural channel.
• Un Pecado del Amor premieres in Guatemala.
• First color television broadcasts in Greece.

Debuts

• January 26 - The Dukes of Hazzard premieres on CBS (1979-1985).
• February 3 - You Can't Do That on Television premieres on CTV affiliate CJOH-TV (1979-1990).
• February 8 - Angie premieres on ABC (1979-1980).
• April 18 - Real People premieres on NBC (1979-1984).
• August 24 - The Facts of Life, a spinoff of Diff'rent Strokes, premieres on NBC (1979-1988).
• 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 23 - Archie Bunker's Place, a continuation of All in the Family, premieres on CBS (1979-1983).
• September 23 - Trapper John, M.D. premieres on CBS (1979-1986).
• December 27 - Knots Landing, a spinoff of Dallas, premieres on CBS (1979-1993).

Television shows

• Meet the Press (1947-present).
• Candid Camera (1948-present).
• Truth or Consequences (1950-1988).
• Love of Life (1951-1980).
• Search for Tomorrow (1951-1986).
• American Bandstand (1952-1989).
• Guiding Light (1952-present).
• The Today Show (1952-present).
• Panorama (UK) (1953-present).
• The Good Old Days (UK) (1953-1983).
• Face the Nation (1954-present).
• The Tonight Show (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-present).
• Coronation Street (UK) (1960-present).
• Four Corners (Australia) (1961-present).
• The Mike Douglas Show (1961-1981).
• The Late Late Show (Ireland) (1962-present).
• Doctor Who (UK) (1963-1989, 1996, 2005-present).
• General Hospital (1963-present).
• The Doctors (1963-1982).
• Another World (1964-1999).
• Crossroads (UK) (1964-1988, 2001-2003).
• Top of the Pops (UK) (1964-present).
• Days of Our Lives (1965-present).
• World of Sport (UK) (1965-1985).
• Play School (1966-present).
• The Money Programme (UK) (1966-present).
• 60 Minutes (1968-present).
• Hawaii Five-O (1968-1980).
• Magpie (UK) (1968-1980).
• One Life to Live (1968-present).
• Hee Haw (1969-1993).
• Sesame Street (1969-present).
• The Benny Hill Show (UK) (1969-1989).
• The Wonderful World of Disney (1969-1979) ends on September 2 to resume on September 9 as Disney's Wonderful World (1979-1981).
• 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-present).
• 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).
• The Tomorrow Show (1973-1982).
• The Young and the Restless (1973-present).
• Countdown (Australia) (1974-1987).
• Derrick (1974-1998).
• Happy Days (1974-1984).
• Little House on the Prairie (1974-1983).
• The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast (1974-1984).
• The Rockford Files (1974-1980).
• Tiswas (UK) (1974-1982).
• Wish You Were Here...? (UK) (1974-present).
• Barney Miller (1975-1982).
• Good Morning America (1975-present).
• 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).
• Superstars (UK) (1975-1985, 2003-present).
• The Don Lane Show (Australia) (1975-1983).
• the fifth estate (Canada) (1975-present).
• The Jeffersons (1975-1985).
• 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).
• Quincy, M.E. (1976-1983).
• Second City Television (SCTV) (Canada) (1976-1984).
• The Muppet Show (UK) (1976-1981).
• The P.T.L. Club (1976-1987).
• CHiPs (1977-1983).
• Eight Is Enough (1977-1981).
• Fantasy Island (1977-1984).
• In Search of... (1977-1982).
• Lou Grant (1977-1982).
• Soap (1977-1981).
• The Love Boat (1977-1986).
• 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

• September 11 - Wonder Woman (1976-1979).
• All in the Family (1971-1979) - continues as Archie Bunker's Place.
• Good Times (1974-1979).
• Fawlty Towers (1975, 1979).
• Welcome Back, Kotter (1975-1979).
• What's Happening!! (1976-1979).
• Battlestar Galactica (1978-1979).

Births

• January 1 - Morena Baccarin, US actress (born in Brazil).
• January 2 - Suranne Jones, UK actress.
• January 24 - Tatyana Ali, US actress.
• January 26 - Sara Rue , US actress.
• February 21 - Jennifer Love Hewitt, US actress.
• April 9 - Keshia Knight Pulliam, US actress.
• April 12 - Claire Danes, US actress.
• July 11 - Julie Stoffer, US actress.
• August 22 - Jennifer Finnigan, US actress (born in Canada).
• October 8 - Kristanna Loken, US actress and model.
• November 23 - Kelly Brook, British television presenter and model.
• December 2 - Melissa Archer, US actress.

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.
• February 28 - Mister Ed.
• July 29 - Bill Todman, game show producer.
• August 17 - Vivian Vance, actress (Ethel Mertz) on I Love Lucy.