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1984 in American television

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This article is a list of television-related events during 1984.

Events

DateEvent
January 2
January 9
Something About Amelia, a story concerning incest, is broadcast by ABC. Glenn Close, Ted Danson, and Roxana Zal are the main actors.
January 22
January 23
January 26
January 27
February 1
Lifetime is launched from the merger of Hearst/ABC's Daytime and Viacom's Cable Health Network.
In Bakersfield, California, CBS affiliate KPWR-TV changes its call letters to KGET, in preparation for an affiliation swap with NBC affiliate KERO-TV the following month.
February 10
February 20
February 25
February 26
CBS airs the network broadcast television premiere of Star Wars.
February 28
March 9-16
March 16
March 19
March 21
March 25
March 28
April 1
April 7
April
May 6
May 8
May 18
May 19
May 20
June 23
June 25
June 27
July 14
July 17
July 23
July 28
July 30
Dallas/Ft. Worth independent station KNBN-TV changes its call letters to KRLD-TV after being bought out by Metromedia.
September 9
September 10
September 14
September 16
September 17
September 18
September 20
September 24
CBS affiliate WJKA (now Fox affiliate WSFX-TV) in Wilmington, North Carolina signs-on the air, giving Wilmington in-market affiliates of all three commercial networks.
September 27
October 1
Nickelodeon retires their silver pinball logo (although it would continue to be used in sign-offs until early 1985) and begins using the orange splat as their logo.
American Movie Classics is initiated.
October 7
October 8
October 11
October 12
October 21
October 27
November 10
November 12
December 8
December 15
December 17
The ABC soap opera One Life to Live changes its opening sequence and theme song, which lasted until 1991.
ABC purchases a majority stake of ESPN from Getty Oil Corp.
KLDO-TV in Laredo, Texas signs-on as an ABC affiliate, giving Laredo in-market affiliates of all three commercial networks (it is now an Univision affiliate).
December 28
During an interview backstage at Madison Square Garden for the ABC newsmagazine 20/20, reporter John Stossel tells professional wrestler David Schultz that he thought pro wrestling was fake. Schultz responds by hitting Stossel in the head twice, knocking him to the floor each time. The attack attracts a large amount of media coverage and is later aired not only on 20/20, but also on other network outlets. ABC itself later reports receiving more than 1,000 calls from viewers inquiring about Stossel's health.

Programs

Debuting this year

DateTitleNetwork
January 3RiptideNBC
January 4Night Court
January 6Blue ThunderABC
January 20The MasterNBC
January 22AirwolfCBS
January 28Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer
March 6a.k.a. PabloABC
March 19Kate and AllieCBS
March 20Shaping UpABC
March 31Lifestyles of the Rich and FamousSyndication
AprilVideo Music BoxWNYC-TV
April 4Double TroubleNBC
April 12The Duck Factory
April 14My Little PonySyndication
June 4Danger MouseNickelodeon
July 2ScrabbleNBC
July 13BrothersShowtime
July 30Santa BarbaraNBC
September 5HeathcliffSyndication
September 7Kids Incorporated
September 8Dragon's LairABC
Mighty Orbots
Turbo Teen
Challenge of the GoBotsSyndication
September 10Voltron: Defender of the Universe
September 13GlitterABC
September 14Hawaiian Heat
September 15SnorksNBC
Pink Panther and Sons
The Get Along GangCBS
Muppet Babies
Pole Position
Pryor's Place
September 16E/R
Miami ViceNBC
Punky Brewster
September 17The TransformersSyndication
September 18HunterNBC
September 19Highway to Heaven
September 20The Cosby Show
Who's the Boss?ABC
September 22Cover UpCBS
Hot PursuitNBC
Finder of Lost LovesABC
September 23Paper Dolls
September 25Three's a Crowd
September 26It's Your MoveNBC
September 27Partners in Crime
September 30Tales from the DarksideSyndication
Murder, She WroteCBS
October 3Charles in Charge
October 7Out of ControlNickelodeon
October 8Trivia TrapABC
October 10DreamsCBS
October 26VNBC
December 30Crazy Like a FoxCBS

Resuming this year

TitleFinal airedPrevious networkNew titleReturning networkDate of return
People are Funny
Showoffs
Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids
Jeopardy!
Let's Make a Deal
Password Plus

Changing networks

ShowMoved fromMoved to
ShowoffsABCCBS
Fat Albert and the Cosby KidsCBSSyndication
Jeopardy!NBC

Ending this year

DateTitleDebut
March 10We Got It Made (returned in 1987)1983
April 2Automan
April 7Mama's Family (returned in 1986)
April 10a.k.a. Pablo1984
April 16Blue Thunder
April 27Masquerade1983
April 30That's Incredible!1980
May 15Oh Madeline1983
May 19Fantasy Island1978
May 22Hart to Hart1979
May 28One Day at a Time1975
June 1Tattletales1974
June 2Whiz Kids1983
June 14Lottery!
July 4Real People1979
July 11The Duck Factory1984
July 27Hollywood Squares (returned in 1986)1966
August 11Boone1983
September 1Monchhichis
The Little Rascals1982
Pac-Man
Richie Rich1980
Rubik, the Amazing Cube1983
The Littles
September 5Jennifer Slept Here
September 8The Flintstone Funnies1982
September 18Three's Company1977
September 24Happy Days1974
November 10The Puppy's Further Adventures1982
December 1The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast1974
The New Scooby and Scrappy-Doo Show1983
December 8Captain Kangaroo1955
Pole Position1984
Pryor's Place
December 11AfterMASH1983
December 25Welcome to Pooh Corner
December 25Paper Dolls1984
December 28The Edge of Night1956
December 28Hot Pursuit1984
December 29Partners in Crime1984

Entering syndication

ShowSeasonsIn ProductionSource
Benson
Bizarre
Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids
The Greatest American Hero
Hart to Hart
Trapper John, M.D.
Voyagers!

Made-for-TV movies and miniseries

  • V: The Final Battle

Networks and services

Launches

NetworkTypeClosure dateNotesSource
SportsvueCable televisionApril 3
Home Team Sports NetworkCable televisionApril 4
American Christian Television SystemCable televisionMay 15
NetSpanCable televisionJune 19
American Movie ClassicsCable televisionOctober 1
Cable Music ChannelCable televisionOctober 26
MGM/UA Premiere NetworkCable televisionNovember 10

Conversions and rebrandings

Old network nameNew network nameTypeConversion DateNotesSource
The Entertainment ChannelArts & Entertainment ChannelCable televisionFebruary 1
Alpha Repertory Television ServiceArts & Entertainment ChannelCable and satelliteFebruary 1
Cable Health NetworkLifetimeCable televisionFebruary 1
Daytime and Lifetime Medical TelevisionLifetimeCable televisionFebruary 1

Closures

NetworkTypeClosure dateNotesSource
Mobil Showcase NetworkCable televisionUnknown
SpotlightCable televisionFebruary 1
Cable Music ChannelCable televisionNovember 30

Television stations

Station launches

DateCity of License/MarketStationAffiliationChannelNotes/Ref.
January 21Santa Fe/Albuquerque, New MexicoKCHF11Religious independent
January 28Glenwood Springs, ColoradoKCWS3Independent
February 1Indianapolis, IndianaWPDS-TV59Independent
February 14Fort Walton Beach, FloridaWPAN53
February 18Nashville, TennesseeWCAY-TV30
February 22Green Bay, WisconsinWSCO14Religious independent
February 23Lake Havasu City, ArizonaK45AJ45Independent
February 26Medford, OregonKDRV12ABC
March 5Greensboro, North CarolinaWLXI61Independent
March 7Appleton/Green Bay, WisconsinWBOU32
March 25New Orleans, LouisianaWNOL-TV38
March 30Seattle, WashingtonKQFB20
April 1Greenville, South Carolina
(Spartanburg, South Carolina/Asheville, SC)WHNS21
April 16Concord, New HampshireWNHT21
April 17Dallas-Fort Worth, TexasKLTJ49TBN
May 5El Paso, TexasKINT26Spanish independent
May 12San Angelo, TexasKIDY6Independent
May 13Decatur, Illinois
(Champaign/Springfield, Illinois)WFHL23Religious independent
June 1Columbus, OhioWTTE28Independent
June 25Harlingen/Brownsville/McAllen, TexasKLUJ-TV44
June 29Wenatchee, WashingtonKCWT-TV27
July 5Florence, South CarolinaWGSE43
July 8New Orleans, LouisianaWLAE-TV32Educational independent
July 10Lake Havasu City, ArizonaK25AL25TBN
July 24Hopkinsville, KentuckyW43AG43Independent
July 31Las Vegas, NevadaKRLR21Independent
AugustJacksonville, IllinoisWJPT14PBS
August 1Hagerstown, MarylandWJAL68IndependentNow licensed to Silver Spring, Maryland
August 7Burlington, North Carolina
(Greensboro/Winston-Salem, North Carolina)WRDG16
August 22Chicago, IllinoisW13BE13
August 28Lebanon-Nashville, TennesseeWJFB66
September 9Toccoa, GeorgiaWNEG32
Tyler, TexasKLMG-TV51CBS
September 10Greenwood/Anderson, South CarolinaWNEH38PBSPart of South Carolina Educational Television
Jacksonville, FloridaW10AX10The Box
September 14Hartford, ConnecticutWTIC-TV61Independent
September 23Dayton, OhioWRGT-TV45
September 24Wilmington, North CarolinaWJKA26CBS
October 1Bozeman/Butte, MontanaKUSM-TV9PBSFlagship of Montana PBS
Kalamazoo, Michigan
(Battle Creek/Grand Rapids, Michigan)WGVK52
Macomb, IllinoisWMEC22
San Diego, CaliforniaKTTY69Independent
October 24Miami, FloridaW30AB30PBSTranslator of WPBT
October 31Asheville, North Carolina
(Greenville/Spartanburg, South Carolina)WASV62Independent
Casper, WyomingKFNB20ABC
NovemberColumbus, Georgia
(Auburn, Alabama)WXTX54Independent
November 24Richmond, VirginiaWVRN-TV63Religious independent
November 30Jackson, MississippiWDBD40Independent
December 2Cotati, CaliforniaKRCB22PBS
December 3Albany, New YorkWUSV45Independent
December 15Flint, MichiganWSMH66
December 17Laredo, TexasKLDO-TV27ABC
December 18K61CV61unknown
December 24Pensacola, Florida
(Mobile, Alabama)WJTC44Independent
December 31Tucson, ArizonaKDTU18
Unknown dateBillings, MontanaK05HS5Daystar
Minneapolis, MinnesotaK58BS58TBN

Network affiliation changes

DateCity of License/MarketStationChannelOld affiliationNew affiliationNotes/Ref.
February 1Bakersfield, CaliforniaKGET-TV17CBSNBC
Unknown dateCheyenne, WyomingKYCU-TV5CBSABC (primary)
NBC (secondary)

Births

DateNameNotability
January 2
January 4
January 6
Hilaria Baldwin
January 11
January 19
Mickey Sumner
January 24
January 25
January 26
February 1
Abbi Jacobson
February 3
February 7
February 8
February 11
February 14
February 15
February 19
February 20
Audra Mae
February 24
February 28
Melanie Chandra
February 29
March 2
March 4
March 7
Nicole Lapin
Alex Somers
March 10
March 12
March 13
March 14
March 16
March 20
Christy Carlson Romano
March 25
March 26
March 28
March 30
March 31
April 2
April 3
April 5
April 6
April 8
Kirsten Storms
April 10
Mandy Moore
April 11
April 16
April 18
April 19
April 20
Harris Wittels
April 21
Desmin Borges
April 22
April 23
April 24
April 25
Melonie Diaz
April 26
Ryan O'Donohue
April 27
April 29
Hallie Jackson
Taylor Cole
May 1
May 3
May 4
May 8
Van Robichaux
May 9
May 12
May 13
May 14
May 17
May 23
May 24
May 27
May 29
Kaycee Stroh
May 30
June 1
June 4
June 5
June 6
Brandon Scott Jones
June 8
June 10
June 13
June 15
June 17
June 18
Christopher Ragland
June 19
June 20
June 22
June 26
June 27
Khloé Kardashian
June 30
July 5
July 7
July 8
July 10
Aviva Baumann
July 11
Serinda Swan
Melanie Papalia
Rob Heaps
July 12
July 19
Kaitlin Doubleday
July 20
July 21
July 23
July 24
July 26
July 27
July 29
Todd Bosley
July 30
Gina Rodriguez
August 1
August 2
August 3
August 6
August 7
August 10
August 13
August 26
August 27
August 28
Michael Galeota
September 1
Ludwig Göransson
September 4
September 5
September 7
September 13
September 14
September 16
September 18
Brandon Maxwell
September 19
Lydia Hearst
September 22
September 23
Anneliese van der Pol
September 24
September 25
September 27
September 30
October 1
Josh Brener
Sam Saletta
October 3
Jessica Parker Kennedy
Chris Marquette
Nick Wright
October 4
James Landry Hébert
Nathalie Kelley
October 11
October 14
October 17
October 23
October 24
October 25
October 27
Emilie Ullerup
October 28
November 12
Jorge Masvidal
November 16
November 21
Jena Malone
November 22
November 23
Jarah Mariano
November 24
November 25
November 28
Trey Songz
November 29
December 4
December 10
December 11
December 12
December 14
December 15
December 16
December 17
December 19
December 20
December 22
December 25
December 30

Deaths

DateNameAgeNotability
February 16
March 1
March 24
March 31
May 2
May 16
June 15
August 8
September 17
September 24
October 18
December 7

References

References

  1. "The Last Farewell Summary". CBS Interactive Inc..
  2. (March 16, 1984). "On Top Of It: It's Official". [[Detroit Free Press]].
  3. (December 23, 1983). "New TV station coming to the Crescent". [[The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate.
  4. (March 25, 1984). "WNOL TV signs on: New station lineup has Spock to 'Rocky'". [[The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate.
  5. (March 23, 1984). "Robert Fransen to head new Channel 29 operation". [[Saint Paul Dispatch]].
  6. (May 1, 1984). "Hockey fans pay dearly to see Stars on Spectrum". [[Minnesota Star Tribune.
  7. (June 6, 1984). "Gunman captive, hostage free after TV station 'apologizes'". News & Record.
  8. (2005-02-15). "WALTE*R". Television Obscurities.
  9. (July 26, 1984). "New KRLD station represents new faces, designs and ideas". [[Fort Worth Star-Telegram]].
  10. (January 15, 1991). "KLMG-TV will become Fox affiliate". Longview News-Journal.
  11. (March 29, 1991). "Big changes in store as KLMG, Channel 51 switches to Fox". Longview News-Journal.
  12. (September 14, 1984). "New TV station causes unhappiness in Lufkin". Longview Morning Journal.
  13. Salas, Randy A.. (2005-02-08). "TV's 'Miami Vice' is still in fashion". www.azcentral.com.
  14. (April 15, 1994). "Will become WSFX: WJKA switching affiliation from CBS to Fox Television". [[Star-News.
  15. (September 20, 1994). "WJKA switches to WSFX, cuts CBS for Fox". Wilmington Morning Star.
  16. (September 25, 1984). "New station brings CBS-TV to Southeastern N.C.". Wilmington Morning Star.
  17. "CPD: October 7, 1984 Debate Transcript".
  18. Donnelley, Paul. (June 1, 2003). "Fade To Black: A Book Of Movie Obituaries". Omnibus Press.
  19. (October 14, 1994). "Jon-Erik Hexum's Fatal Joke".
  20. (October 14, 1984). "Actor Wounds Himself On Set of TV Series". [[The New York Times]].
  21. "CPD: October 21, 1984 Debate Transcript".
  22. (2006). "WRESTLING IS FAKE (watch before commenting)". Youtube.
  23. [http://americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1984/BC-1984-02-13.pdf Broadcasting - Feb. 13, 1984]
  24. "Fantasia Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More".
  25. "Fantasia – The Vogue".
  26. (2022-07-28). "WWE Profile Page - Baron Corbin".
  27. "Jorge Masvidal (Welterweight) MMA Profile".
  28. Marshall, Alex. (January 19, 2022). "Gaspard Ulliel, French Actor and 'Moon Knight' Star, Dies at 37". [[The New York Times]].
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