2013: The Year In Television

The year of 2013, like most years, blew by at light speed.

And, along the way, we learned, we laughed, we cried, and we wondered a lot about the things going on with our favorite programs.

So, here’s a look back at the names and events that made headlines—and a few you might have missed—during the year that was 2013.

JANUARY
2              Al Jazeera Media Network announces acquisition of Current TV—and subsequently turned Current TV into an American version of All Jazeera News.

7              Univision Communications rebranded the TeleFutura network—now called UniMás.

8              ABC puts Jimmy Kimmel Live! In the 11:35pm (ET) position to compete head to head with Jay Leno and David Letterman.

18           Time Warner Cable beings a policy of no longer accepting ads for guns or any type of firearm on any of its cable stations.

24           After many years of being bumped at the end of the show, Matt Damon hijacks an entire episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live!

31           After seven triumphant seasons, 30 Rock airs the final two episodes.

FEBRUARY
3              Super Bowl XLVII includes a power outage of over half an hour, a surprise Destiny’s Child reunion, and a Baltimore Ravens victory.

4              Hawaii Five-0 remakes an entire episode with original scripts and shooting locations from a 1973 broadcast.

11           The Emergency Alert System in several cities was broken into with a false audible warning of a zombie apocalypse.

24           The 85^th Academy Awards features the first time a First Lady has awarded Best Picture from The White House.

MARCH
20           Fox Sports signs agreement with newly realigned Big East Conference to run through 2025.

26           The Young and the Restless celebrates its 40^th anniversary.

APRIL
1              Federal judge rules Aereo’s pay streaming service does not violate copyright laws.

1              General Hospital celebrates its 50^th anniversary.

3              Jay Leno announces he will retire from The Tonight Show in spring of 2014. Yeah. We’ve heard that one before.

15           Live coverage captures two explosions during the Boston Marathon.

29           Two years after cancellation on broadcast television, All My Children and One Life to Live return on the website The Online Network.

MAY
6              Pioneering reality show Cops moves from Fox to Spike TV after 25 seasons.

13           The “Mother” is at long last revealed on the eighth season finale of How I Met Your Mother.

14           Watch ABC, the network’s live streaming app, is introduced.

26           Spectators are injured when the cable snaps on a Fox Sports skycam and falls into the stands at the Coca-Cola 600 NASCAR event.

30           A woman wins $1,030,340 on Wheel Of Fortune to become the biggest single-day winner in the history of the program.

JUNE
1             The Country Network rebrands to become ZUUS Country.

19           TV Land airs its first ever live episode with Hot in Cleveland.

28           A new Mickey Mouse animated short is released by The Walt Disney Company—the first since 1953.

30           After a 33-year run, Hour of Power powered down for the last time from the famous Crystal Cathedral—with a new location set for start of the next season.

JULY
4              The Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular is not nationally televised—which had not happened since 1987.

12           KTVU/Oakland-San Francisco’s noon newscast makes use of false derogatory names for two pilots of an Asiana Airlines flight.

18           Netflix is awarded Emmy nominations for three original long form productions—a first for a web-specific television service.

AUGUST
1              Pivot takes the place of Documentary Channel and Halogen TV. Becomes first TV channel offering broadband-only subscriptions.

4              Peter Capaldi is announced as Doctor Who’s newly minted Twelfth Doctor.

9              Joy Behar leaves The View after 16 years.

14           Duck Dynasty’s season premier draws 11.8 million viewers—A&E’s largest audience ever for an original series.

17           NBC Sports starts coverage of English Premier League soccer.

25           The Miley Cyrus Twerking Controversy at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards.

30           The great David Letterman celebrates 20 years with CBS on The Late Show.

SEPTEMBER
3              Harry Connick Jr. joins Jennifer Lopez and Keith Urban on American Idol.

8              Carrie Underwood takes over singing “Waiting All Day for Sunday Night” on NBC Sunday Night Football.

22           The 65^th Primetime Emmy Awards, hosted by Neil Patrick Harris.

23           Esquire Network debuts—Style Network is out of style.

OCTOBER
1              The US federal government shutdown affects FCC operations.

7              Open MLB Network microphones on the field during Game 3 of the ALDS pick up a profanity-ridden exchange between A’s pitcher Grant Balfour (unfortunate last name for a pitcher?) and Tigers hitter Victor Martinez. Since it was not broadcast over the air, no FCC action was taken.

10           Glee’s episode is a tribute to late cast member Cory Monteith.

16           Richard Belzer turns in his badge as Detective John Munch on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

30           Boston Red Sox win the World Series—and Tim McCarver makes his final broadcast of a 33-year career.

NOVEMBER
10           60 Minutes issues a formal apology for its report on the September 2012 attack in Benghazi, Libya.

11           The SpongeBob SquarePants episode—about the subjects of unemployment and government assistance—garners Nickelodeon’s highest non-special audience in two years.

13           NBCUniversal purchase full ownership of preschooler channel Sprout.

24           Fans of Family Guy are shocked when family dog Brian Griffin is killed. The character is rescued from the dead by Stewie in a December 15 episode.

24           Thomas Jane FINALLY kills Red John on The Mentalist.

DECEMBER
4              Good Morning America weatherman Sam Champion ends a 25-year run.

12           Bob Barker returns to The Price Is Right for his 90^th birthday.

18           A&E places Phil Robertson of Duck Dynasty on suspension. He was reinstated nine days later.

30           Former Today hosts Jane Pauley and Bryant Gumbel return to co-host.

30           Soapnet officially stops making suds.

31           Time Warner Cable CEO Glenn Britt ends over 40 years with the company.