See also: 2002 in television, other events of 2003, 2004 in television and the list of 'years in television'.

Events

• February 16 - The 300th episode of The Simpsons airs.
• Late February–March - Talk show host David Letterman is forced to take a few weeks off from his Late Show with David Letterman due to a bout of shingles (subsequent Top Ten Lists would occasionally have entries that poked fun at this). A string of celebrities guest host for Letterman while he's away including Bruce Willis, Regis Philbin, Will Ferrell and Elvis Costello.
• April 22 - On All My Children, Bianca Montgomery (Eden Riegel) kisses Lena Kundera (Olga Sosnovska); this is the first lesbian kiss on American daytime television.
• August - Playmakers premieres; cancelled in November
• September 6 - Sonic X premieres on TV Tokyo, later introduced to the Fox Box (now known as 4Kids TV) in September, several other anime also premiered on TV Tokyo.
• September - The much vaunted TV3 rival to RTÉ's The Late Late Show (Ireland), Eamon Dunphy's The Dunphy Show bombs, pulling in less than half the Late Late's viewership. The show is axed in December after only 15 shows.
• September - In an effort to woo Star Trek fans into watching the latest series in the franchise, the producers of UPN's Enterprise launch a season-long story arc, the first time a full season of a Star Trek series has been devoted to one storyline. Three episodes into the new season, as a gesture to win back Trekkers, the series title is changed to the more traditional Star Trek: Enterprise.
• October 4 - A live action version of the popular Sailor Moon franchise premieres on Japanese television. The show spreads around the world as fans of the Japanese anime of the same name post whole episodes of the program onto the Internet.
• November 10 - The 4000th episode of Wheel of Fortune since the pairing of host and hostess Pat Sajak and Vanna White airs.
• November 11 - BBC current affairs series Panorama, launched in 1953, becomes the first UK television show to reach its 50th anniversary on air.
• Gary Coleman, former star of Diff'rent Strokes, is one of many candidates for Governor of California in the gubernatorial recall election. He comes in 8th place. Another Hollywood star comes in first: Arnold Schwarzenegger.
• Coronation Street shows its first gay kiss.
• EastEnders brings Dirty Den back from the supposed dead after a decade.
• Longtime broadcaster on the BBC and ITN, and latterly news anchor on Sky News, Bob Friend retires.

Debuts

• January 22 - Chappelle's Show premieres (2003-present).
• May 26 - Unscrewed with Martin Sargent premieres on TechTV (2003-2004).
• June 27 - Dead Like Me premieres (2003-present).
• July 15 - Queer Eye for the Straight Guy premieres (2003-present).
• July 22 - Nip/Tuck premieres (2003-present).
• August 1 - My Life as a Teenage Robot premieres (2003-present).
• August 5 - The O.C. premieres (2003-present).
• September 9 - Whoopi, with Whoopi Goldberg, premieres (2003-2004).
• September 14- Carnivàle premieres on HBO (2003-present).
• September 14 - Lilo and Stitch: The Series premieres on ABC Kids (2003-present).
• September 15 - Eve premieres (2003-present).
• September 22 - Las Vegas premieres (2003-present).
• September 22 - Two and a Half Men premieres (2003-present).
• September - Cold Case premieres (2003-present).
• September - Happy Family premieres on NBC (2003-2004).
• September - Hope and Faith premieres on ABC (2003-present).
• September - I'm with Her premieres on ABC (2003-2004).
• September - Joan of Arcadia premieres (2003-present).
• September - Navy NCIS premieres (2003-present).
• September - One Tree Hill premieres on WB (2003-present).
• September - The Handler premieres on CBS (2003-2004).
• September - Threat Matrix premieres on ABC (2003-2004).
• October 1 - It's All Relative premieres (2003-2004).
• October - Karen Sisco premieres on ABC (2003-2004).
• October - Married to the Kellys premieres on ABC (2003-2004).
• November - All Grown Up!, the Rugrats spinoff (2003-present).
• November - Xiaolin Showdown premieres on Kids WB (2003-present).
• December 8 - Battlestar Galactica premieres on Sky One (2003-present).
• 10-8: Officers on Duty premieres (2003-2004).
• Arrested Development premieres (2003-present).
• Reno 911! premieres (2003-present).
• Romeo! premieres (2003-present).

Television shows

• Meet the Press (1947-present).
• Candid Camera (1948-present).
• Guiding Light (1952-present).
• The Today Show (1952-present).
• Panorama (UK) (1953-present).
• Face the Nation (1954-present).
• The Tonight Show (1954-present).
• As the World Turns (1956-present).
• What the Papers Say (UK) (1956-present).
• The Sky at Night (UK) (1957-present).
• Blue Peter (UK) (1958-present).
• Grandstand (UK) (1958-present).
• Coronation Street (UK) (1960-present).
• Four Corners (Australia) (1961-present).
• The Late Late Show (Ireland) (1962-present).
• General Hospital (1963-present).
• Top of the Pops (UK) (1964-present).
• Days of Our Lives (1965-present).
• Play School (1966-present).
• The Money Programme (UK) (1966-present).
• 60 Minutes (1968-present).
• One Life to Live (1968-present).
• Sesame Street (1969-present).
• All My Children (1970-present).
• Monday Night Football (1970-present).
• Masterpiece Theatre (1971-present).
• Soul Train (1971-present).
• Emmerdale (UK) (1972-present).
• Newsround (UK) (1972-present).
• The Price Is Right (1972-present).
• Last of the Summer Wine (UK) (1973-present).
• The Young and the Restless (1973-present).
• Wish You Were Here...? (UK) (1974-present).
• Good Morning America (1975-present).
• Saturday Night Live (1975-present).
• the fifth estate (Canada) (1975-present).
• Wheel of Fortune (1975-present).
• 20/20 (1978-present).
• Grange Hill (UK) (1978-present).
• Entertainment Tonight (1981-present).
• Jeopardy! (1964-1975, 1984-present).
• The Bill (UK) (1984-present).
• EastEnders (UK) (1985-present).
• Neighbours (Australia) (1985-present).
• The Oprah Winfrey Show (1986-present).
• The Bold and the Beautiful (1987-present).
• Cops (1989-present).
• The Simpsons (1989-present).
• Law & Order (1990-present).
• Rugrats (1991-2004).
• The Jerry Springer Show (1991-present).
• Dateline NBC (1992-present).
• The Real World (1992-present).
• Frasier (1993-2004).
• Late Night with Conan O'Brien (1993-present).
• NYPD Blue (1993-present).
• The Late Show with David Letterman (1993-present).
• WWE Monday Night RAW (1993-present).
• ER (1994-present).
• Friends (1994-2004).
• JAG (1995-present).
• The Drew Carey Show (1995-2004).
• 7th Heaven (1996-present).
• Dexter's Laboratory (1996-present).
• Everybody Loves Raymond (1996-2005).
• Hey Arnold! (1996-2004).
• Judge Judy (1996-present).
• The Daily Show (1996-present).
• Johnny Bravo (1997-present).
• King of the Hill (1997-present).
• South Park (1997-present).
• Stargate SG-1 (1997-present).
• The Practice (1997-2004).
• The Wonderful World of Disney (1997-present).
• Becker (1998-2004).
• Call For Help (1998-2004).
• Charmed (1998-present).
• Sex and the City (1998-2004).
• That '70s Show (1998-present).
• The King of Queens (1998-present).
• The Powerpuff Girls (1998-2004).
• Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? (UK) (1998-present).
• Will & Grace (1998-present).
• Angel (1999-2004).
• Family Feud (1976-1985, 1988-1995, 1999-present).
• Judging Amy (1999-present).
• Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999-present).
• Passions (1999-present).
• Rocket Power (1999-present).
• (1999-present).
• SpongeBob SquarePants (1999-present).
• Tenacious D (1999-present).
• The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn (1999-2004).
• The Sopranos (1999-present).
• The West Wing (1999-present).
• Third Watch (1999-present).
• Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? (US) (1999-present).
• As Told by Ginger (2000-present).
• Boston Public (2000-2004).
• Buzz Lightyear of Star Command (2000-present).
• CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2000-present).
• Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000-present).
• Ed (2000-2004).
• Malcolm in the Middle (2000-present).
• Survivor (2000-present).
• The District (2000-2004).
• The Weakest Link (UK) (2000-present).
• Yes, Dear (2000-present).
• 24 (2001-present).
• According to Jim (2001-present).
• Adult Swim (2001-present).
• Alias (2001-present).
• Braceface (2001-present).
• Fear Factor (2001-present).
• Home Movies (1999, 2001-present).
• JR Digs (Canada) (2001-present).
• Law & Order: Criminal Intent (2001-present).
• Lizzie McGuire (2001-2004).
• Lloyd in Space (2001-2004).
• Mutant X (2001-2004).
• My Wife and Kids (2001-present).
• Pop Idol (UK) (2001-present).
• Scrubs (2001-present).
• Six Feet Under (2001-present).
• Smallville (2001-present).
• Star Trek: Enterprise (2001-2005).
• The Amazing Race (2001-present).
• The Bernie Mac Show (2001-present).
• The Fairly OddParents (2001-present).
• The Guardian (2001-2004).
• 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter (2002-present).
• Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius (2002-present).
• American Dreams (2002-present).
• American Idol: The Search for a Superstar (2002-present).
• Codename: Kids Next Door (2002-present).
• CSI: Miami (2002-present).
• Hack (2002-2004).
• I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! (UK) (2002-present).
• Kim Possible (2002-present).
• Less Than Perfect (2002-present).
• Life with Bonnie (2002-2004).
• Spooks (UK) (2002-present).
• The Bachelor (2002-present).
• The George Lopez Show (2002-present).
• The Jamie Kennedy Experiment (2002-2004).
• The Osbournes (2002-present).
• Without a Trace (2002-present).
• Postman Pat (UK) (1981, 1996, 2003-present).
• Superstars (UK) (1975-1985, 2003-present).
• The Newsroom (Canada) (1996-1997, 2003-2004).

Ending this year

• This Is Your Life (UK) (1955-2003).
• Touched by an Angel (1994-2003).
• Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003).
• Just Shoot Me (1997-2003).
• Dawson's Creek (1998-2003).
• Farscape (1999-2003).
• Futurama (1999-2003).
• Absolutely Fabulous (UK) (1992-1996, 2001-2003).
• Crossroads (UK) (1964-1988, 2001-2003).
• Only Fools and Horses (UK) (1981-1983, 1985-1993, 1996-1997, 2001-2003) (the only episode aired this year was the Christmas special Sleepless in Peckham).
• (2002-2003).

Deaths

• January 12 - Maurice Gibb, 53, actor/songwriter of the Bee Gees.
• January 23 - Nell Carter, actress, singer, of Gimme a Break.
• February 27 - Fred Rogers, TV's "Mister Rogers" of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood.
• March 22 - Terry Lloyd, news reporter, killed during Iraq War skirmish.
• March 30 - Gaby Rado, news reporter, accidental death while covering Iraq War.
• April 2 - Pat Leavy , Hannah Finnegan in Fair City after being taken ill on set.
• August 3 - Neil Gormet .
• September 11 - John Ritter, known mostly as Jack Tripper from Three's Company, but at the time was involved in the sitcom 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter and the cartoon Clifford the Big Red Dog .
• October 4 - James Forlong , dismissed Sky News journalist accused of faking Iraq War report, commits suicide.
• October 21 - Fred Berry, 52, actor (Freddie "Rerun" Stubbs on What's Happening!!).
• October 27 - Rod Roddy, announcer on Press Your Luck, Soap, and, most famously, The Price Is Right.
• November 9 - Art Carney.