The year 1991 in television involved some significant events.
Below is a list of television-related events in 1991.
Events
Date
Event
January 3
First television sets with built-in closed-caption display are introduced in the United States.
January 14
Wheel of Fortune moves back to NBC, before being ultimately cancelled by NBC on September 20, after a total 16½ year run on daytime network television.
January 16
All major television networks were pre-empted by the Gulf War coverage right after the Big 3 ended their evening news broadcasts. Some of the planned broadcasts was the Seinfeldsecond season is pushed off the following week during the war.
In Los Angeles, California, Rodney King is severely beaten by Police Officers after leading them on a high speed chase and resisting arrest. The beating is captured on video by observers and portions of the tape are aired repeatedly on television in the US.
The premium movie channel Encore launches in the United States, primarily on TCI cable systems. The channel initially carried films from the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, before eventually phasing in more recent movies by the 2000s (decade). Showtime Networks launched Flix, a premium channel with a format identical to Encore less than a year-and-a-half later.
Katie Couric is officially designated as co-host of the Today Show after substituting since February 1991.
April 20
The Museum of Broadcasting, now called The Paley Center for Media, moved into its new 17-story building, located a block from its previous location in New York City.
May 3
The final episode of Dallas on CBS airs, when it was 21 years later before it returned to the airwaves.
May 19
Knight Rider 2000 is televised on NBC, with an attraction of 16.1 viewers for the movie presentation based off on a TV series.
January 14 – The daytime version of Wheel of Fortune moves once again to NBC after a year and a half on CBS, eventually leading to its ultimate canning several months later.
