1981 in Canadian television

This is a list of Canadian television related events from 1981.

List of years in Canadian television
… 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 …
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Events

Date	Event
January 12	A brand new, publicly funded educational cable television network, called Knowledge Network, is launched in British Columbia.
February 5	NABET employees working at CBC Television go on strike. The strike lasts for months, disrupting programming.
	Juno Awards of 1981.
March 12	2nd Genie Awards.
June 28	Full coverage on the death of Terry Fox airs on all the main television networks.
July 29	The wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer airs live on all the main television networks.

Debuts

Show	Station	Premiere Date
Canada: The Great Experiment	TVOntario	January 7
Thrill of a Lifetime	CTV
The Frantics	CBC Television
Switchback
Hangin' In
Leo and Me		May 29
Pitfall	Global	September 14
Seeing Things	CBC Television	September 15

Ending this year

Show	Station	Cancelled
The Watson Report	CBC Television	May 25
Flappers		November 30
CBC News Magazine		Unknown
Leo and Me
Grand Old Country	CTV
North America: Growth of a Continent	TVOntario

Television shows

1950s

• Country Canada (1954–2007)
• The Friendly Giant (1958–1985)
• Hockey Night in Canada (1952–present)
• The National (1954–present)
• Front Page Challenge (1957–1995)
• Wayne and Shuster Show (1958–1989)

1960s

• CTV National News (1961–present)
• Land and Sea (1964–present)
• Man Alive (1967–2000)
• Mr. Dressup (1967–1996)
• The Nature of Things (1960–present, scientific documentary series)
• Question Period (1967–present, news program)
• Reach for the Top (1961–1985)
• Take 30 (1962–1983)
• The Tommy Hunter Show (1965–1992)
• University of the Air (1966–1983)
• W-FIVE (1966–present, newsmagazine program)

1970s

• The Beachcombers (1972–1990)
• Canada AM (1972–present, news program)
• Celebrity Cooks (1975–1984)
• City Lights (1973–1989)
• Definition (1974–1989)
• the fifth estate (1975–present, newsmagazine program)
• The Great Detective (1979–1982)
• Headline Hunters (1972–1983)
• Let's Go (1976–1984)
• The Littlest Hobo (1979–1985)
• Live It Up! (1978–1990)
• The Mad Dash (1978–1985)
• Marketplace (1972–present, newsmagazine program)
• Read All About It! (1979–1983)
• Second City Television (1976–1984)
• Smith & Smith (1979–1985)
• This Land (1970–1982)
• You Can't Do That on Television (1979–1990)
• V.I.P. (1973–1983)
• 100 Huntley Street (1977–present, religious program)

1980s

• The Alan Thicke Show (1980–1983)
• Bizarre (1980–1985)
• Home Fires (1980–1983)

TV movies

• A Far Cry from Home
• Cop
• Final Edition
• The Olden Days Coat
• The Plouffe Family (Les Plouffe)
• The Running Man
• Snowbird
• You've Come a Long Way, Katie

Television stations

Debuts

Date	Market	Station	Channel	Affiliation	Notes/References
October 6	Trois-Rivières, Quebec	CIVC-TV	45	Télé-Québec
November 3	Rimouski, Quebec	CIVB-TV	22	Télé-Québec

See also

• 1981 in Canada
• List of Canadian films of 1981

External links

• List of 1981 Canadian television series at IMDb