See also: 1959 in television, other events of 1960, 1961 in television and the list of 'years in television'.

For the American network television schedule, please see 1960-61 American network television schedule.

Events

• February 11 - Jack Paar walks off his TV show because his monologue had been edited the night before, in favor of a three minute news update. Parr walked out at the beginning of the show, announced that he was quitting, said "There's got to be a better way to make a living," and walked off the stage. After network executives personally apologized, Parr returned to the show a month later. His first show back started with the words "As I was saying before I was interrupted..."
• Frank and Doris Hursley start their soap opera writing career, taking the jobs of joint head writers on Search for Tomorrow.
• American Presidential Candidates John F. Kennedy and Richard M. Nixon debate live on television. The candidates behavior during the debate most likely altered the outcome of the election. In addition to being the first Presidential debates to be broadcast on television, the debates also marked the first time "split screen" images were used by a network.
• 90% of homes in the United States now own a television set, and over one hundred million television sets in use worldwide.

Debuts

• September 30 - Hanna Barbera's The Flintstones debut in primetime (1960-1966).
• The Andy Griffith Show premieres (1960-1968).
• Coronation Street (top British soap opera) began in this year, was slated by the critics—and is still running
• My Three Sons premieres (1960-1972).
• Danger Man premieres in the UK; also airs in syndication in the United States (1960-1961, 1964-1966).

Television shows

• 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).
• 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).
• 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).
• 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 Price Is Right (1956-1965).
• 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).
• Blue Peter (UK) (1958-present).
• Grandstand (UK) (1958-present).
• Peter Gunn (1958-1961).
• The Donna Reed Show (1958-1966).
• Walt Disney Presents (1958-1961).
• Bonanza (1959-1973).
• Hawaiian Eye (1959-1963).
• Juke Box Jury (1959-1967, 1979, 1989-1990).
• The Bell Telephone Hour (1959-1968).
• The Twilight Zone (1959-1964, 1985-1988, 2002).

Ending this year

• Gillette Cavalcade of Sports (1946-1960).
• Howdy Doody (1947-1960).
• The Gale Storm Show, Oh! Susanna (1956-1960).
• The Steve Allen Show (1956-1960).

Births

• February 19 - Leslie Ash, British actress.
• February 28 - Dorothy Stratten, Canadian actress and Playboy model.
• July 8 - David Duchovny.