In American television in 2015, notable events included television show debuts, finales, and cancellations; channel launches, closures, and rebrandings; stations changing or adding their network affiliations; and information about controversies and carriage disputes.

Events

January Date Event Source1Stations owned and operated by Cordillera Communications (10 in seven states) are removed from DirecTV lineups after the two companies fail to reach a retransmission agreement."Cordillera Stations Dark on DirecTV," from Broadcasting & Cable, February 1, 20153The Carolina Panthers defeat the Arizona Cardinals in the first NFL playoff game to air on cable. The ESPN broadcast is simulcast over-the-air in Phoenix on KASW and Charlotte's WJZY per NFL rules.Updated: ESPN Kicks Off New Eight-Year, $14 Billion NFL Deal Multichannel News September 8, 2011The Tradition Continues: NFL to Remain on Network TV , NFL Press Release, December 14, 2011Fox News Channel's Huckabee concludes its run, ending amid speculation that the show's titular host, former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, was considering a run for political office. The speculation would come to fruition on May 5, when Huckabee announces his candidacy for US President in 2016."Mike Huckabee Says Goodbye To Fox News; White House Run Next? (Video) — Update" from Deadline (January 4, 2015)"Mike Huckabee Joins Republican Presidential Race" from The New York Times, May 5, 20155At the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Dish Network introduces Sling TV, a service that offers streaming of cable channels via the Internet for as little as $20. Networks owned by The Walt Disney Company (ABC Family, Disney Channel, ESPN, ESPN2), Time Warner's Turner Broadcasting System (Adult Swim/Cartoon Network, CNN, TBS, TNT) and Scripps Networks Interactive (Food Network, HGTV, Travel Channel) are among those included in the lineup.12Ohio State defeats Oregon in the first College Football Playoff National Championship. ESPN's broadcast of the game attracts 33.4 million viewers, which is the largest audience in cable television history and tops the previous records set by ESPN's broadcasts of the CFP semi-finals on January 1, when OSU beat Alabama in the Sugar Bowl (28.27 million viewers) and UO beat Florida State in the Rose Bowl (28.16 million viewers)."ESPN Sets Cable Ratings Record With College Football Title Game," from Variety, January 13, 201513Nearly three years after being removed from her role as Today co-host, Ann Curry announces she is leaving NBC News altogether to develop a new company that will deliver news content to various platforms, including NBCUniversal, who will fund the startup."Ann Curry to exit NBC News for good," from USA Today, January 13, 2015ABC affiliate KDNL-TV/St. Louis debuts a locally originated news programming for the first time in a year with The Allman Report; hosted by KFTK talk radio host and former KMOV reporter Jamie Allman. The newscasts, airing twice nightly (5 pm and 10 pm), will employ a non-traditional, "debate-driven" format, according to KDNL.14TVGN, the CBS/Lions Gate-owned entertainment network, rebrands as Pop.15Discovery Fit & Health rebrands as Discovery Life Channel.Discovery Fit & Health to Become Discovery Life Channel, Discovery Channel WebsiteKCRG/Cedar Rapids, eastern Iowa's ABC affiliate owned locally by The Gazette Company, is removed from DirecTV in the region due to a retransmission dispute."KCRG-TV9, DirecTV still at impasse in broadcast negotiations," from The Gazette (Cedar Rapids), January 16, 201517On four separate occasions, Fox News Channel offers retractions on inaccurate reports made throughout the week regarding Muslims in Europe, primarily locations in England and France avoided by non-Muslims because Islamic law supposedly supersedes the local laws. "There is no formal designation of these zones in either country, and no credible information to support the assertion there are specific areas in these countries that exclude individuals based solely on their religion", anchor Julie Banderas said during one of the on-air apologies. Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo later announced her intention to sue the network because her city was "insulted" by being mentioned as one with "no-go zones."Fox News apologizes 4 times for inaccurate comments about Muslims in Europe from CNNMoney (January 18, 2015)Paris mayor: We intend to sue Fox News from CNNMoney (January 20, 2015)Greg Anthony, lead college basketball analyst for CBS Sports and Turner Sports, is placed on indefinite suspension by both entities following his January 16 arrest in Washington, D.C., on charges of soliciting prostitution.18CBS and the National Football League announce that the network will again produce for the full season and carry half of the NFL Network's Thursday Night Football rights package on the CBS broadcast network in a simulcast arrangement during the 2015 NFL season.19TV Guide pays tribute to those lost in the January 7 terror attack at the Paris, France offices of Charlie Hebdo with the inclusion of the "Je suis Charlie" button (French for "I am Charlie") next to its logo on the front cover.TV Guide (January 19 – February 5, 2015 issue) from Zinio (January 15, 2015)Boomerang is relaunched as part of a global rebranding effort and will air original programming for the first time; the relaunched channel will still have archived programs but with an increased emphasis on the archive's most popular brands and an explicitly family-friendly approach, in the hopes that Boomerang can become a "second flagship" on par with the main Cartoon Network channel.20Justice Network makes its debut. The digital subchannel, launching primarily on Gannett Broadcasting-owned stations, focuses on true crime and criminal justice programming."Justice Network Debuts With John Walsh," from TVNewsCheck, January 20, 201521Educational Media Foundation announces a video streaming service based around its K-Love Christian contemporary music radio format and brand."KLOVE Announces Fan Awards Nominees, Unveils K-LOVE TV" from All Access (January 21, 2015)23During the 6 p.m. newscast on WTVD/Durham, anchor Larry Stogner announces he has Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and is leaving the ABC owned-and-operated station where he had worked since 1976."Local News Anchor Announces ALS Diagnosis and Retires in Touching Broadcast," from TIME, January 28, 201525The 63rd edition of the Miss Universe pageant is held at the FIU Arena at Florida International University in Miami with contestants representing 88 countries and territories around the world and broadcast on NBC and Telemundo. Originally scheduled to be held in 2014, it was confirmed by the Miss Universe Organization via a tweet by Doral, Florida, mayor Luigi Boria on Twitter that the pageant would be held on January 18, 2015 (a week prior to the broadcast), leading to some controversy among pageant fans and resulting it to be slipped into 2015, making it the first time that the pageant skipped a year. Paulina Vega of Colombia wins the title.26Music Choice and Cumulus Media launch a video-on-demand subdivision for Cumulus's Nash FM radio branding called Nash TV."Nash TV To Debut January 26" from Radio Insight (January 20, 2015)ABC affiliate KAIT in Jonesboro, Arkansas, begins broadcasting NBC on its DT2 subchannel, giving the Jonesboro market its first locally based NBC affiliate.28VH1 Classic commemorates Saturday Night Live's 40th anniversary by launching a marathon of almost every episode from SNL's first 39 seasons in reverse order, running through February 15, when NBC will air its three-hour SNL celebration special. At 19 days (or 433 hours), the marathon will surpass by one week FXX's 12-day record marathon of The Simpsons episodes in August 2014.Prepare for 19 back-to-back days of SNL, beginning Jan. 28 Time, January 14, 2015

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