January 22 - R. Budd Dwyer shoots and kills himself at a televised press conference. The decision by some broadcasters to air the footage leads to a debate over boundaries in journalism.
May - The sitcom Mr. Belvedere is canceled after three seasons. Heavy backlash causes ABC executives to rethink the decision and bring the show back. Since the fall programming schedules were already written, Mr. Belvedere does not premiere until late October.
November - During a showing of the Doctor Who story Horror of Fang Rock, Chicago PBS station WTTW-TV Channel 11 is interrupted for eighty-eight seconds by a pirate television transmitter overriding the station's transmission signal to broadcast a video of himself in a Max Headroom mask being spanked. This incident has subsequently gained a degree of cult myth about it.
CBS becomes the last American network to cease a chime intonation at the beginning of telecasts; satellite feeds have made the tones obsolete (their job was to signal to the affiliates to start airing the network feed in sync with everyone else).
TelevangelistJim Bakker is involved in a sex scandal, which causes him to step down as the host of The P.T.L. Club .
In spite of initial network objections, Bob Barker, host of The Price is Right, ceases dying his hair brown and allows it to appear as its natural white on TV. He does this as a protest against the way animals are used to make the products.
Only Fools and Horses (UK) (1981-1983, 1985-1993, 1996-1997, 2001-2003) (the only episode aired this year was the Christmas special The Frog's Legacy).