2004 in television: Meaning (information, definition, explanation, facts)

See also: 2003 in television, other events of 2004, and the list of 'years in television'.

Events

• General Electric, owner of NBC, purchases Universal Studios from Vivendi, leaving all six US broadcast networks part of a company which also owns a film studio
• February 9 - Kerry McFadden wins ITV's I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here!
• May 15 - Jimmy Fallon makes his last appearance as a cast member of Saturday Night Live on its season finale
• May 17 - NBC announces new schedule
• May 18 - ABC and The WB announce new schedules
• May 19 - CBS announces new schedule
• May 20 - Fox and UPN announce new schedules
• June 2 - a contestant on Jeopardy!, Ken Jennings of Salt Lake City, Utah, begins a long and ongoing (as of August) run as champion
• June 4- Kitten Pinder is evicted from the Big Brother house, shouting against the Queen and the aristocracy on the way out.
• June 16- In the UK, Big Brother is taken off air as the housemates threaten to kill each other.

• January 7 - The Apprentice premieres on NBC
• January 17 - Astro Boy premieres on Kids WB
• The First Family premieres on ABC
• premieres on WB
• March 28 - Maori Television starts broadcasting in New Zealand
• April 3 - Danny Phantom premieres on Nick
• TV Tokyo premieres a couple of shows during the first week of April, Dan Doh! and Keroro on April 2, Gagcro and Zuukoke on April 4, Amdriver on April 5, Syuratoki on April 6, Aqua Kids on April 7, and Kenran on April 8
• April 17, Toonami moves from 5PM to 7PM (primary time) and extends by 4 hours from two to six.
• Miguzi introduces and premieres on Cartoon Network during the old Toonami time slot (5PM-7PM primary time)
• June 16 - Quintuplets premieres on the Fox network.
• September 22 - Lost on ABC

• 10-8 (2003-2004)
• 20/20 (1978-present)
• 24 (Television Show) (2001-present)
• 7th Heaven (1994-present)
• 8 Simple Rules... (2002-present)
• According To Jim (2001-present)
• (2002-present)
• Alias (2001-present)
• All My Children (1970-present)
• American Dreams (2002-present)
• (2002-present)
• Arrested Development (2003-present)
• As Told By Ginger - (2000-present)
• Bachelor, The (2002-present)
• Becker (1998-2004)
• Bernie Mac (2001-present)
• Big Brother (1999-present)
• Boston Public (2000-2004)
• Braceface (2001-present)
• Buzz Lightyear of Star Command (2000-present)
• Chappelle's Show (2003-present)
• Cold Case (2003-present)
• Cops (1989-present)
• (2001-present)
• (2002-present)
• Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000-present)
• Daily Show, The (1996-present)
• District, The (2000-2004)
• Dragonall GT (2003-present) on Toonami
• Ed (2000-2004)
• E.R. (1994-present)
• Eve (2003-present)
• Everybody Loves Raymond (1996-present)
• Fairly Odd Parents, The (2001-present)
• Fear Factor (2001-present)
• Fraiser (1993-2004)
• Friends (1994-2004)
• General Hospital (1963-present)
• George Lopez (2002-present)
• Guardian, The (2001-2004)
• Hack (2002-2004)
• Handler, The (2003-2004)
• Happy Family (2003-2004)
• Hey Arnold! (1996-present)
• Hope and Faith (2003-2004)
• I'm With Her (2003-2004)
• It's All Relative (2003-2004)
• JAG (1995-present)
• Jeopardy! (1984-present)
• Joan of Arcadia (2003-present)
• Judging Amy (2001-present)
• Karen Sisco (2003-2004)
• Kim Possible (2002-present)
• King of Queens (1998-present)
• King of the Hill (1997-present)
• Las Vegas (2003-present)
• Late Night with Conan O'Brien (1993-present)
• Late Show with David Letterman, The (1993-present)
• (2001-present)
• (1999-present)
• Law & Order (1990-present)
• Less Than Perfect (2002-present)
• Life With Bonnie (2002-2004)
• (2003-present)
• Malcolm in the Middle (2000-present)
• Married to the Kellys (2003-2004)
• Monday Night Football (1970-present)
• My Wife and Kids (2001-present)
• (2003-present)
• Nip/Tuck (2003-present)
• NYPD Blue (1993-present)
• O.C., The (2003-present)
• Osbournes, The (2002-present)
• Real World, The (1992-present)
• Rocket Power (1999-present)
• Rugrats (1991-2004)
• Saturday Night Live (1975-present)
• Scrubs (2001-present)
• Sesame Street (1969-present)
• (1999-present)
• Simpsons, The (1989-present)
• Smallville (2001-present)
• Sopranos, The (1999-present)
• South Park (1997-present)
• Spongebob Squarepants (1999-present)
• Survivor (2000-present)
• That '70s Show (1998-present)
• Third Watch (1999-present)
• Threat Matrix (2003-2004)
• Tonight Show, The (1954-present)
• Two and a Half Men (2003-present)
• Two and a Half Men (2003-present)
• West Wing, The (1999-present)
• Wheel of Fortune (1975-present
• Whoopi (2003-2004)
• Will & Grace (1998-present)
• Without a Trace (2002-present)
• Wonderful World of Disney, The (1997-present)
• Yes, Dear (2000-present)

• Angel (1999-2004)
• Boston Public (2000-2004)
• Frasier (1993-2004)
• Friends (1994-2004)
• Sex and the City (1998-2004)
• The Practice (1997-2004)
• Rugrats (1991-2004)

• January 2 - Lynn Cartwright, 76, US actor
• January 19 - Jerry Nachman, 57, MSNBC editor-in-chief
• January 23 - Bob Keeshan, 76, US actor, "Captain Kangaroo"
• January 27 - Jack Paar, 85, Tonight Show host
• January 29 - Mary-Ellis Bunim, 57, producer and co-creator of The Real World
• February 23 - Carl Anderson, 58, US actor
• February 24 - John Randolph, 88, American actor
• March 7 - Paul Winfield, 62, Emmy-winning actor
• March 8 - Robert Pastorelli, 50, actor on Murphy Brown
• March 17 - J. J. Jackson, 62, former MTV VJ
• March 26 - Jan Sterling, 82, US actor
• March 27 - Art James, 74, game show host and announcer
• March 28 - Sir Peter Ustinov, 82, British actor
• March 30 - Alistair Cooke, 95, BBC broadcaster and transatlantic commentator
• March 30 - Hubert Gregg, 89, BBC broadcaster
• April 1 - Carrie Snodgress, 57, character actress
• May 9 - Alan King, comedian
• May 17 - Tony Randall, actor and star of television version of The Odd Couple
• May 21 - Gene Wood, 78, announcer of Family Feud and other US game shows
• July 9 Isabel Sanford, 86, actress most famous for her role on The Jeffersons, from natural causes
• July 28 Eugene Roche, 75, actor with recurring roles on Soap and many other series