The year 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 .''
- March 29 - BBC America launches in the United States .
- April 9 - '' The Price Is Right '' airs its 5,000th episode on CBS .
- 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.
- September 23 - BBC Choice , the UK 's first digital-only TV station, launches. BBC Parliament also launches on the same day.
- September 26 - Cupid premeires on US television.
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- 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.
- 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, star of '' Newsradio ''.
- 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 '').
- December 22 - Michelle Thomas , 29, actress (Myra on '' Family Matters '', Justine on '' The Cosby Show '').
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