1998 in German television explained

This is a list of German television related events from 1998.

Events

• 5 January - British children's television series Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends begins airing on German television for the first time ever after only being released on home video since 1995. The series will begin airing on RTL II.
• 27 February - Guildo Horn is selected to represent Germany at the 1998 Eurovision Song Contest with his song "Guildo hat euch lieb!". He is selected to be the forty-third German Eurovision entry during Countdown Grand Prix held at the Stadthalle in Bremen.

Debuts

Free for air

Domestic

• 13 January - (1998) (Sat.1)
• 21 April - Der Clown (1998–2001) (RTL)
• 4 September - Schloss Einstein (1998–present) (KiKA)
• 26 October - In aller Freundschaft (1998–present) (Das Erste)
• 20 November - (1998) (Arte)

International

• 5 January - Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends (1984–present) (RTL II)
• 28 March - / (1996–1999) (RTL II)
• 14 April - Extreme Dinosaurs (1997) (Super RTL)
• 23 June - PB Bear and Friends (1998) (KiKA)
• 9 October - Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997–2003) (ProSieben)
• 28 November - Moesha (1996–2001) (RTL)
• 10 December - The Adventures of Spot (1987–1993) (KiKA)
• 21 December - / Animal Crackers (1997–1999) (KiKA)
• 24 December - Percy the Park Keeper (1996–1999) (Das Erste)

Cable

International

• 2 May - The Angry Beavers (1997-2001) (Nickelodeon)

American Forces Network

• Bananas in Pajamas (1992-2001)
• The Journey of Allen Strange (1997-2000)

BFBS

• 31 March - The Wombles (1998-2001)
• 12 August - Whizziwig (1998-2000)
• 29 November - Dinnerladies (1998-2000)
• / Archibald the Koala (1998-2000)
• Animal Stories (1998-2002)

Television shows

1950s

• Tagesschau (1952-present)

1960s

• heute (1963-present)

1970s

• heute-journal (1978-present)
• Tagesthemen (1978-present)

1980s

• Wetten, dass..? (1981-2014)
• Lindenstraße (1985-present)

1990s

• Gute Zeiten, schlechte Zeiten (1992-present)
• Marienhof (1992-2011)
• Unter uns (1994-present)
• Verbotene Liebe (1995-2015)

Networks and services

Launches

Network	Type	Launch date	Notes	Source
EarthTV	Cable television	Unknown
BR-alpha	Cable television	7 January
13th Street	Cable television	1 May
NBC Europe	Cable television	30 June
SR Fernsehen	Cable television	1 September

Closures

Deaths

Date	Name	Age	Cinematic Credibility
19 March	Klaus Havenstein	75	German actor, cabaret artist & TV host
14 August	Hans-Joachim Kulenkampff	77	German actor & TV host

See also

• 1998 in Germany