See also: 1957 in television, other events of 1958, 1959 in television and the list of 'years in television'.

Events

• July 1 - The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation links television broadcasting across Canada.
• November 28 - During the live broadcast of the Armchair Theatre play Underground on the ITV network in the UK, actor Gareth Jones dies between two of his scenes while in make-up. Director William Kotcheff is forced to improvise with his cast to carry on the play to its conclusion, with producer Sydney Newman ordering him to "shoot it like a football match".
• Senator Estes Kefauver holds congressional hearings on the rising rates of juvenile crime and publishes an article in Reader's Digest called "Let's Get Rid of Tele-Violence."
• Ampex demonstrates their design for a color Video Tape Recorder.
• In the United Kingdom, the top-rated show of the year was the ITV game show Dotto , based on children's Join the Dots puzzles.
• Television broadcasting begins in Portugal.

Debuts

• September 22 - Peter Gunn premieres on NBC (1958-1961).
• October 10 - Grandstand debuts on BBC Television (1958-present).
• October 16 - Blue Peter, the world's longest-running children's TV program, debuts on BBC Television (1958-present).
• December 22 - Quatermass and the Pit (UK) (1958-1959).
• The Donna Reed Show (1958-1966).

Television shows

• Tom and Jerry (1940-1958, 1965-1972, 1975-1977, 1980-1982).
• Gillette Cavalcade of Sports (1946-1960).
• Howdy Doody (1947-1960).
• Meet the Press (1947-present).
• Candid Camera (1948-present).
• The Ed Sullivan Show (1948-1971).
• The Voice of Firestone (1949-1963).
• The Jack Benny Show (1950-1965).
• Truth or Consequences (1950-1988).
• What's My Line (1950-1967).
• Your Hit Parade (1950-1959).
• Dragnet (1951-1959).
• Love of Life (1951-1980).
• Search for Tomorrow (1951-1986).
• American Bandstand (1952-1989).
• The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet (1952-1966).
• The Guiding Light (1952-present).
• The Honeymooners (1952-1970).
• The Today Show (1952-present).
• This Is Your Life (US) (1952-1961).
• Panorama (UK) (1953-present).
• The Good Old Days (UK) (1953-1983).
• Disneyland (1954-1958) ends on September 3, to resume on September 12 as Walt Disney Presents (1958-1961).
• Face the Nation (1954-present).
• The Brighter Day (1954-1962).
• The Milton Berle Show (1954-1967).
• The Secret Storm (1954-1974).
• The Tonight Show (1954-present).
• Zoo Quest (UK) (1954-1964).
• Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955-1962).
• Captain Kangaroo (1955-1984).
• Cheyenne (1955-1962).
• Dixon of Dock Green (UK) (1955-1976).
• Gunsmoke (1955-1975).
• Mickey Mouse Club (1955-1959).
• The Lawrence Welk Show (1955-1982).
• This Is Your Life (UK) (1955-2003).
• Armchair Theatre (UK) (1956-1968).
• As the World Turns (1956-present).
• Hancock's Half Hour (1956-1962).
• Opportunity Knocks (UK) (1956-1978).
• The Edge of Night (1956-1984).
• The Gale Storm Show, Oh! Susanna (1956-1960).
• The Price Is Right (1956-1965).
• The Steve Allen Show (1956-1960).
• What the Papers Say (UK) (1956-present).
• Leave It to Beaver (1957-1963).
• The Army Game (UK) (1957-1961).
• The Sky at Night (UK) (1957-present).

Ending this year

• June - Climax! (1954-1958).
• Kraft Television Theater (1947-1958).
• The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show (1950-1958).

Births

• January 1 - Kim Taylforth , actress.
• January 2 - Maya Even , television presenter.
• January 3 - Kerry Armstrong, actress.
• April 29 - Eve Plumb, actress, The Brady Bunch.
• July 6 - Jennifer Saunders, actress.
• November 16 - Marg Helgenberger, actress.