The following is a list of events affecting American television in 2001. Events listed include television show debuts, finales, cancellations, and channel launches, closures and rebrandings, as well as information about controversies and carriage disputes.
Kevin Olmstead wins a $2.18 million jackpot on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, making him the biggest winner in American game show history until Ken Jennings' Jeopardy! run three years later.[1]
June
Date
Event
12
TNT is relaunched as a drama-based cable channel and a new slogan, We Know Drama currently in place.
Viewers around the world witness a terrorist attack on the United States, and the collapse of the Twin Towers towers in New York City, live on television. Additionally, the ABC and NBC affiliates' broadcast towers are knocked out by the attacks, but New Yorkers can still view them on cable and satellite. Most broadcasters abandon regular programming – American networks for more than a week – and numerous major daily talk shows go off the air for several weeks until their hosts feel comfortable in returning to the airwaves.
Although they were first seen in 1952 and used by some television news programs ever since, continually scrolling news headlines along the bottom of the screen become commonplace after the Fox News Channel used it to allow viewers to keep track of the latest developments during the attacks.
17
The game showCard Sharks is revived with host Pat Bullard, but due to its dramatically different gameplay, it disappears after just 13 weeks.
WWF Raw Is War/WWF War Zone becomes just WWF Raw due to the terrorist attacks of September 11.
20
Dr. Will Kirby is crowned the winner of Big Brother 2, which was delayed by the attacks of September 11, 2001. Runner-Up Nicole Nilson-Schafrich wins $50,000.
21
All four major US networks air America: A Tribute to Heroes a two-hour telethon to raise money for the families of those killed in the attacks.[2]
Alex Trebek, the longtime host of Jeopardy!, appears for the first time without his trademark mustache.
24
The start of the 2001–2002 fall season in the US is delayed as a result of the attacks, with some shows such as The West Wing substituting special episodes dealing with the event in lieu of their originally scheduled season premieres. Some series, such as the military-themed JAG and New York-based Third Watch have to be retooled to encompass the aftermath of the attacks.
The values of clues on Jeopardy! have doubled. Since 1984, clues have been worth $100 to $500 in the Jeopardy! and twice as much in Double Jeopardy!. On this date these values have doubled for both rounds.
30
The Series finale of CG cartoon series ReBoot airs. Finishes on Cliffhanger.
December
Date
Event
31
ABC broadcasts its half-hour special entitled ABC 2002, a particular spinoff of ABC 2000.
