- January 23
- Barney Miller premieres on ABC TV. [1]
- January 24
- Hot l Baltimore situation comedy premieres on ABC TV. [1]
- February 26
- First televised kidney transplant (Today Show). [1]
- May 17
- NBC pays US$5 million for rights to show Gone with the Wind one time. [1]
- May 19
- In Los Angeles, California, the 27th Annual Emmy Awards (primetime programming) are presented.
- Outstanding Lead Actor in a Special Program - Drama or Comedy: Laurence Olivier for Love Among the Ruins
- Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series: Robert Blake for Baretta
- Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series: Tony Randall for The Odd Couple
- Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series: Peter Falk for the Columbo series of The NBC Mystery Movie
- Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series: Jean Marsh for Upstairs, Downstairs
- Outstanding Lead Actress in a Special Program - Drama or Comedy: Katharine Hepburn for Love Among the Ruins
- Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series: Jessica Walter for Amy Prentiss
- Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series: Valerie Harper for Rhoda
- Outstanding Continuing or Single Performance by a Supporting Actor in Variety or Music: Jack Albertson for Cher
- Outstanding Single Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Comedy or Drama Special: Anthony Quayle for QB VII
- Outstanding Continuing Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Drama Series: Will Geer for The Waltons
- Outstanding Single Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Comedy or Drama Series: Patrick McGoohan for Columbo: By Dawn's Early Light
- Outstanding Continuing Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series: Edward Asner for Mary Tyler Moore
- Outstanding Continuing Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series: Betty White for Mary Tyler Moore
- Outstanding Continuing or Single Performance by a Supporting Actress in Variety or Music: Cloris Leachman for Cher
- Outstanding Single Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Comedy or Drama Special: Juliet Mills for QB VII
- Outstanding Continuing Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Drama Series: Ellen Corby for The Waltons
- Outstanding Single Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Comedy or Drama Series: Zohra Lampert for episode Queen of the Gypsies of Kojak and Cloris Leachman for episode Phyllis Whips Inflation of Mary Tyler Moore
- Outstanding Directing in a Comedy-Variety or Music Series: Dave Powers for The Carol Burnett Show
- Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series: Gene Reynolds for episode O.R.. of M*A*S*H
- Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series: Bill Bain for episode A Sudden Storm of Upstairs, Downstairs
- Outstanding Directing in a Special Program - Drama or Comedy: George Cukor for Love Among the Ruins
- Outstanding Directing in a Comedy-Variety or Music Special: Bill Davis for An Evening with John Denver
- Outstanding Achievement in Technical Direction: Ernie Buttelman, Jim Angel, Jim Balden, Ron Brooks, and Art LaCombe for The Missiles of October
- Outstanding Writing in a Special Program - Drama or Comedy - Original Teleplay: James Costigan for Love Among the Ruins
- Outstanding Writing in a Comedy-Variety or Music Series: Ed Simmons, Gary Belkin, Roger Beatty, Arnie Kogen, Bill Richmond, Gene Perret, Rudy De Luca, Barry Levinson, Dick Clair, and Jenna McMahon for The Carol Burnett Show
- Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series: Howard Fast for episode The Ambassador of Benjamin Franklin
- Outstanding Writing in a Comedy-Variety or Music Special: Bob Wells, John Bradford, Cy Coleman for Shirley MacLaine: If They Could See Me Now
- Outstanding Writing in a Special Program - Drama or Comedy - Adaptation: David W. Rintels for Clarence Darrow
- Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series: Ed Weinberger and Stan Daniels for episode Mary Richards Goes to Jail of Mary Tyler Moore
- Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography for Entertainment Programming for a Series: Richard C. Glouner for Columbo: Playback
- Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography for Entertainment Programming for a Special: David M. Walsh for Queen of the Stardust Ballroom
- Outstanding Individual Achievement in Art Direction or Scenic Design - For a Single Episode of a Comedy, Drama or Limited Series: Charles Lisanby and Robert Checchi for episode The Ambassador of Benjamin Franklin
- Outstanding Achievemnet in Art Direction or Scenic Design - For a Single Episode of a Comedy-Variety or Music Series or a Comedy-Variety or Music Special: Robert Kelly and Robert Checchi for Cher
- Outstanding Achievement in Costume Design: Guy C. Verhille for The Legend of Lizzie Borden and Margaret Furse for Love Among the Ruins
- Outstanding Achievement in Film or Tape Sound Mixing: Marshall King for The American Film Institute Salute to James Cagney
- Outstanding Film Editing for Entertainment Programming for a Special: Byron 'Buzz' Brandt and Irving Rosenblum for QB VII and John A. Martinelli for The Legend of Lizzie Borden
- Outstanding Achievement in Video Tape Editing: Gary Anderson and Jim McElroy for Judgment: The Court Martial of Lieutenant William Calley
- Outstanding Film Editing for Entertainment Programming for a Series - For a Single Episode of a Comedy Series: Douglas Hines for episode An Affair To Forget of Mary Tyler Moore
- Outstanding Film Editing for Entertainment Programming for a Series - For a Single Episode of a Drama Series: Donald R. Rode for episode Mirror, Mirror On The Wall of Petrocelli
- Outstanding Achievement in Film Sound Editing: Marvin I. Kosberg, Richard Burrow, Milton C. Burrow, Jack Milner, Ron Ashcroft, James Ballas, Josef von Stroheim, Jerry Rosenthal, William Andrews, Edward L. Sandlin, David M. Horton, Alvin Kajita, Tony Garber, and Jeremy Hoenack for QB VII
- Outstanding Special - Comedy-Variety or Music: An Evening with John Denver
- Outstanding Classical Music Program: Profile in Music: Beverly Sills Festival
- Outstanding Achievement in Music Composition for a Special: Jerry Goldsmith for QB VII
- Outstanding Comedy-Variety or Music Series: The Carol Burnett Show
- Outstanding Achievement in Music Composition for a Series: Billy Goldenberg for episode The Rebel of Benjamin Franklin
- Outstanding Drama Series: Upstairs, Downstairs
- Outstanding Limited Series: Benjamin Franklin
- Outstanding Special - Drama or Comedy: The Law
- Outstanding Achievement in Any Area of Creative Technical Crafts: Edie Panda for episode The Ambassador of Benjamin Franklin
- Outstanding Achievement in Graphic Design: Phill Norman for QB VII
- Special Classification of Outstanding Program and Individual Achievement: Masterpiece Theatre and The American Film Institute Salute to James Cagney
- Outstanding Comedy Series: Mary Tyler Moore
- Outstanding Children's Special: Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus
- Outstanding Achievement in Choreography: Marge Champion for Queen of the Stardust Ballroom
- Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction or Scenic Design - For a Dramatic Special or Feature Length Film Made for Television: Carmen Dillon and Tessa Davies for Love Among the Ruins
[1] [219]
- May 26
- The NBC TV network airs the last The Smothers Brothers Show TV show in the USA. [179.903]
- July 4
- The ABC TV network airs the last The Odd Couple TV show in the USA. [179.732]
- July 7
- TV soap opera Ryan's Hope premieres. [1]
- August 16
- The CBS TV network begins airing the The Dick Cavett Show 60-minute discussion/variety TV show in the USA. [179.247]
- August 27
- The CBS TV network airs the last Mannix TV show in the USA. A total of 194 episodes aired. [179.614]
- September 1
- CBS airs the last Gunsmoke TV show. A total of 633 episodes were broadcast over twenty years. [1] [179.403]
- September 6
- The CBS TV network airs the last The Dick Cavett Show in the USA. [179.247]
- December 13
- First time Saturday Night Live TV show uses a time delay (Richard Pryor hosts). [1]
- December 16
- First broadcast of One Day at a Time on CBS TV. [1]
1976
- January 1
- NBC Television replaces the 20-year old 'peacock' logo with a new abstract capital "N". [1] [457]
- January 5
- MacNeil-Lehrer Report premieres on PBS. [1]
- January 14
- The Bionic Woman with Lindsay Wagner debuts on ABC (later NBC). [1]
- January 16
- Donny and Marie [Osmond] musical variety show premieres on ABC TV. [1]
- January 27
- Laverne and Shirley, spin-off from Happy Days, premieres on ABC TV. [1]
- February 1
- Rich Man, Poor Man mini-series premieres on ABC TV. [1]
- The CBS TV network resumes airing The Sonny and Cher Show 60-minute variety TV show in the USA, despite their real-life divorce. [1] [179.906]
- February 2
- ABC airs the 60-minute special The Honeymooners Second Honeymoon. [1] [179.442]
- Rich Little Show debuts on NBC-TV. [1]
- May 11
- The ABC TV network airs the last Marcus Welby, M.D. TV show in the USA. 172 episodes aired. [1] [179.619]
- May 17
- In Los Angeles, California, the 28th Annual Emmy Awards (primetime programming) are presented, hosted by Mary Tyler Moore and John Denver.
- Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama or Comedy Special: Anthony Hopkins for The Lindbergh Kidnapping Case
- Outstanding Lead Actor for a Single Appearance in a Drama or Comedy Series: Edward Asner for Rich Man, Poor Man
- Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series: Peter Falk for the Columbo series
- Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series: Jack Albertson for Chico and the Man
- Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series: Hal Holbrook for Lincoln
- Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama or Comedy Special: Susan Clark for Babe
- Outstanding Lead Actress for a Single Appearance in a Drama or Comedy Series: Kathryn Walker for episode John Adams, Lawyer of The Adams Chronicles
- Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series: Michael Learned for The Waltons
- Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series: Rosemary Harris for Notorious Woman
- Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series: Mary Tyler Moore for Mary Tyler Moore
- Outstanding Continuing Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Drama Series: Anthony Zerbe for Harry O
- Outstanding Continuing or Single Performance by a Supporting Actor in Variety or Music: Chevy Chase for Saturday Night Live
- Outstanding Single Performance by a Supporting Actor in Comedy or Drama Special: Ed Flanders for A Moon for the Misbegotten
- Outstanding Continuing Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series: Ted Knight for Mary Tyler Moore
- Outstanding Single Performance by a Supporting Actor in Comedy or Drama Series: Gordon Jackson for episode The Beastly Hun of Upstairs, Downstairs
- Outstanding Continuing Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series: Betty White for Mary Tyler Moore
- Outstanding Single Performance by a Supporting Actress in Comedy or Drama Series: Fionnula Flanagan for Rich Man, Poor Man
- Outstanding Continuing or Single Performance by a Supporting Actress in Variety or Music: Vicki Lawrence for The Carol Burnett Show
- Outstanding Continuing Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Drama Series: Ellen Corby for The Waltons
- Outstanding Single Performance by a Supporting Actress in Comedy or Drama Special: Rosemary Murphy for Eleanor and Franklin
- Outstanding Achievement in Technical Direction and Electronic Camerawork: Leonard Chumbley, Walter Edel, John Feher, and Steve Zink for The Adams Chronicles
- Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series: Gene Reynolds for episode Welcome to Korea of M*A*S*H
- Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series: David Greene for Rich Man, Poor Man
- Outstanding Achievement in Music Direction: Seiji Ozawa for Central Park in the Dark/A Hero's Life
- Outstanding Directing in a Comedy-Variety or Music Series: Dave Wilson for Saturday Night Live
- Outstanding Achievement in Lighting Direction: Bill Klages, Lon Stucky for Mitzi and a Hundred Guys and John Freschi for Mitzi... Roarin' in the 20's
- Outstanding Directing in a Special Program - Drama or Comedy: Daniel Petrie for Eleanor and Franklin
- Outstanding Directing in a Comedy-Variety or Music Special: Dwight Hemion for Steve and Eydie: Our Love Is Here to Stay
- Outstanding Writing in a Special Program - Drama or Comedy - Original Teleplay: James Costigan for Eleanor and Franklin
- Outstanding Writing in a Comedy-Variety or Music Series: Anne Beatts, Chevy Chase, Al Franken, Tom Davis, Lorne Michaels, Marilyn Suzanne Miller, Michael O'Donoghue, Herbert Sargent, Tom Schiller, Rosie Shuster, and Alan Zweibel for Saturday Night Live
- Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series: Sherman Yellen for episode John Adams, Lawyer of The Adams Chronicles
- Outstanding Writing in a Comedy-Variety or Music Special: Jane Wagner, Lorne Michaels, Ann Elder, Christopher Guest, Earl Pomerantz, Jim Rusk, Lily Tomlin, Rod Warren, and George Yanok for The Lily Tomlin Special
- Outstanding Writing in a Special Program - Drama or Comedy - Adaptation: David W. Rintels for Fear on Trial
- Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series: David Lloyd for episode Chuckles Bites The Dust of Mary Tyler Moore
- Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography for Entertainment Programming for a Special: Paul Lohmann, Edward R. Brown for Eleanor and Franklin
- Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography for Entertainment Programming for a Series: Harry L. Wolf for episode Keep Your Eye On The Sparrow of Baretta
- Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction or Scenic Design - Single Episode of a Comedy, Drama or Limited Series: Tom H. John, John A. Wendell, and Wes Laws for Beacon Hill
- Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction or Scenic Design - Single Episode of a Comedy-Variety or Music Series or a Comedy-Variety or Music Special: Raymond Klausen, Robert Checchi for Cher
- Outstanding Achievement in Costume Design for a Drama Special: Joe I. Tompkins for Eleanor and Franklin
- Outstanding Achievement in Costume Design for Music-Variety: Bob Mackie for Mitzi... Roarin' in the 20's
- Outstanding Achievement in Costume Design for a Drama or Comedy Series: Jane Robinson and Jill Silverside for episode Recovery of Jennie: Lady Randolph Churchill
- Outstanding Achievement in Film Sound Mixing: Don J. Bassman, Donald F. Johnson for Eleanor and Franklin
- Outstanding Achievement in Tape Sound Mixing: Dave Williams for The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
- Outstanding Achievement in Film Editing for Entertainment Programming for a Series - For a Single Episode of a Comedy Series: Stanford Tischler and Fred W. Berger for episode Welcome to Korea of M*A*S*H
- Outstanding Achievement in Film Editing for Entertainment Programming for a Series - For a Single Episode of a Drama or Limited Series: Samuel E. Beetley and Ken Zemke for episode The Quality of Mercy of Medical Story
- Outstanding Achievement in Film Editing for Entertainment Programming for a Special: Michael Kahn for Eleanor and Franklin
- Outstanding Achievement in Video Tape Editing for a Series: Girish Bhargava, Manford Schorn for The Adams Chronicles
- Outstanding Achievement in Video Tape Editing for a Special: Nick Giordano for Alice Cooper: The Nightmare
- Outstanding Achievement in Film Sound Editing - For a Single Episode of a Regular or Limited Series: Doug Grindstaff, Al Kajita, Marvin I. Kosberg, Hans Newman, Leon Selditz, Richard Friedman, Stan Gilbert, Hank Salerno, Larry Singer, and William Andrews for episode The Quality of Mercy of Medical Story
- Outstanding Achievement in Film Sound Editing - For a Special Program: Charles L. Campbell, Lawrence E. Neiman, Colin C. Mouat, Larry Carow, Donald L. Warner Jr., John W. Singleton, Thomas McMullen, Joe Divitale, Carl Kress, John Kline, and John Hanley for The Night That Panicked America
- Outstanding Comedy-Variety or Music Series: Saturday Night Live
- Outstanding Achievement in Music Composition for a Series: Alex North for Rich Man, Poor Man
- Outstanding Special - Comedy-Variety or Music: Gypsy in My Soul
- Outstanding Individual Achievement in Special Musical Material: Ken Welch, Mitzie Welch, and Arthur Malvin for Cinderella Gets It On of The Carol Burnett Show
- Outstanding Classical Music Program: Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic of Great Performances
- Outstanding Achievement in Music Composition for a Special: Jerry Goldsmith for Babe
- Outstanding Special - Drama or Comedy: Eleanor and Franklin
- Outstanding Achievement in Graphic Design and Title Sequences: Norman Sunshine for Addie and the King of Hearts
- Outstanding Individual Achievement in Daytime Programming: Rene Lagler, Richard Harvey for Dinah!
- Outstanding Comedy Series: Mary Tyler Moore
- Outstanding Children's Special: Huckleberry Finn and You're a Good Sport, Charlie Brown
- Outstanding Drama Series: Police Story
- Outstanding Achievement in Make-Up: Del Armstrong and Michael Westmore for Eleanor and Franklin
- Outstanding Limited Series: Upstairs, Downstairs
- Special Classification of Outstanding Program and Individual Achievement: Bicentennial Minutes, Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, and The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
- Outstanding Individual Achievement in Any Area of Creative Technical Crafts: Don Sahlin, Kermit Love, Caroly Wilcox, John Lovelady, and Rollin Krewson for Sesame Street and Jean Burt Reilly and Billy Laughridge for Eleanor and Franklin
- Outstanding Edited Sports Series: ABC's Wide World of Sports
- Outstanding Individual Achievement in Children's Programming: Bud Nolan and Jim Cookman for Bound for Freedom
- Outstanding Individual Achievement in Religious Programming: Joseph J.H. Vadala for A Determining Force
- Outstanding Achievement in Choreography: Tony Charmoli for Gypsy in My Soul
- Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction or Scenic Design - Dramatic Special or Feature Length Film Made for TV: Jan Scott and Antony Mondello for Eleanor and Franklin
- Special Award - Outstanding Achievement in Engineering: Eastman Kodak - For the development of Eastman Ektachrome Video News and Sony Corporation - For the U-matic video cassette concept
- Citation - Outstanding Achievement in Engineering: Tektronix - For leadership in development of of equipment verifying television transmission performance in the vertical interval.
[1] [220]
- June 14
- Gong Show premieres on TV (syndication). [1]
- August 30
- Tom Brokaw becomes news anchor of the Today Show. [1]
- October 24
- First Jewish film and TV festival. [1]
- November 7
- Film Gone With the Wind first shown on television. [1]
- December 1
- Sex Pistols use profanity on TV, gets them branded as "rotten punks". [1]
- December 17
- Superstation WTBS in Atlanta goes national. [1]
- December 18
- Wonder Woman TV show debuts on ABC. [1]
- December 31
- TV soap Somerset ends six-year run. [1]
1977
- January 4
- Mary Shane is hired by Chicago White Sox as TV play-by-play. [1]
- January 15
- The Coneheads debut on Saturday Night Live. [1]
- January 27
- First broadcast of Roots mini-series on ABC TV. [1]
- January 30
- 8th (final) part of Roots is most-watched TV entertainment show to date. [1]
- March 2
- Future The Tonight Show host Jay Leno debuts with host Johnny Carson. [1]
- March 15
- Eight is Enough premieres on ABC-TV. [1]
- US House of Representatives begin 90-day test of televising its sessions. [1]
- March 18
- The CBS TV network airs the last The Sonny and Cher Show TV show in the USA. [179.906]
- May 15
- NBC airs the special 90-minute show The Father Knows Best Reunion. [179.317]
- May 25
- Brady Bunch Hour last airs on ABC-TV. [1]
- September 5
- The NBC TV network airs the first Laugh-In 60-minute variety TV show in the USA. [179.550]
- September 11
- TV's Rhoda gets divorced. [1]
- September 13
- First TV "viewer discretion warning" - Soap. [1]
- September 16
- 90-minute pilot of TV show Logan's Run premieres. [1]
- September 23
- Cheryl Ladd replaces Farrah Fawcett on TV show Charlie's Angels. [1]
- September 24
- American Broadcasting Company begins airing the TV series The Love Boat in the USA. Two Princess Cruises ships are used on the show: Island Princess and Pacific Princess. The TV show helps growth of the cruise vacation industry. The show runs for ten seasons, ending in 1987. [67.30] [74]
- October 17
- Canada begins regular live TV coverage of Parliament. [1]
- October 28
- TV's Rhoda gets married. [1]
- December 17
- Elvis Costello and The Attractions make first US TV appearance (Saturday Night Live). [1]
1978
- January 28
- Fantasy Island starring Ricardo Montalban premieres on ABC TV. [1]
- March 22
- The Rutles' All You Need is Cash is shown on NBC-TV. [1]
- March 27
- The Rutles' (parody group) "All You Need is Cash" is shown on British TV. [1]
- April 2
- TV show Dallas premieres on CBS (as a five week mini-series). [1]
- April 22
- "The Blues Brothers" (Dan Akroyd and John Belushi) make their first appearance on TV show Saturday Night Live. [1]
- May 8
- ABC TV airs The Stars Salute Israel at 30. [1]
- August 14
- French TV announces a rating of "0" for a program about an Armenian's woman's 40th birthday. [1]
- September 12
- Situation comedy Taxi premieres on ABC television. [1]
- October 14
- First TV movie from a TV series - Rescue from Gilligan's Island. [1]
- December 1
- The last episode of the new Mickey Mouse Club TV show airs. [6]
1979
- January 18
- Peter Jenkins finishes "A Walk Across America", in Florence, Oregon. [1]
- January 26
- The Dukes of Hazzard premieres on CBS-TV. [1]
- February 4
- Co-Ed Fever, TV Comedy, debut and cancelled that outing on CBS. [1]
- February 7
- Supertrain, TV Anthology, Superbomb of 1979, debuts on NBC. [1]
- February 9
- ABC airs Heroes of Rock N Roll special. [1]
- February 11
- 43 million watch Elvis! on ABC-TV. [1]
- February 18
- Miniseries Roots: The Next Generations premieres on ABC TV. [1]
- February 28
- Mr Ed, TV show talking horse, dies. [1]
- March 4
- 200th episode of US TV show All in the Family. [1]
- March 16
- CBS-TV airs Wings Over the World with Paul McCartney. [1]
- March 19
- C-SPAN first begins broadcasting the US House of Representitives. [1] [5]
- April 8
- 204th and final episode of All in the Family. [1]
- April 18
- Real People premieres on NBC TV. [1]
- September 2
- The NBC TV network airs the last episode of The Wonderful World of Disney. [6]
- September 9
- The NBC TV network begins airing the TV show Disney's Wonderful World. [6]
- September 26
- 1984 summer Los Angeles Olympic coverage sold to ABC for US$225 million. [1]
- November 8
- ABC broadcasts Iran Crisis: American Held Hostage with Frank Reynolds (the forerunner to Nightline). [1]
- November 15
- ABC-TV announces it would broadcast nightly specials on Iran hostage situation. [1]
- December 27
- Knots Landing premieres on CBS-TV. [1] [129]
- December 29
- Bulgaria issues a postage stamp marking the 25th anniversary of Bulgarian television. [700.1193]
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