1948–49 United States network television schedule

The 1948–49 network television schedule for the four major English language commercial broadcast networks in the United States. The schedule covers primetime hours from September 1948 through March 1949. The schedule is followed by a list per network of returning series, new series, and series cancelled after the 1947–48 season. This was the first season in which all four networks then in operation in the United States offered nightly prime time schedules Monday through Friday.

The schedule below reflects the fall lineup as it all settled into place throughout October 1948, before any subsequent time changes were made and additional new series appeared in November.

New fall series are highlighted in bold. A number of ABC's new fall shows began as early as mid-August when the network first began broadcasting a seven-night schedule. CBS and DuMont also had some new shows begin in the latter half of August. These shows are noted as such by (Aug.). NBC began airing Saturday Night Jamboree in December.

Several notable programs debuted during the season and within the preceding summer. The preservation of these telecasts on kinescope film vary. The Texaco Star Theater proved to be one of the most notable hits of the year with its host, Milton Berle, credited with encouraging consumers to purchase their first television set. The 1948 episodes of the Berle show are missing, but many of the 1949 episodes still exist. A short-lived series, The Laytons, was the first network television sitcom to feature an African-American in a regular supporting role, albeit a stereotypical one. No episodes have survived. The Morey Amsterdam Show, which debuted on CBS in December, introduced television audiences to Art Carney as a lead cast member. In the David Weinstein book, The Forgotten Network, similarities between Carney's role as "Charlie the Doorman" and his later Ed Norton from Cavalcade of Stars and The Honeymooners are noted. The Morey Amsterdam Show was not a ratings success. Four episodes are held by the UCLA Film and Television Archive. Toast of the Town, debuting in June 1948 and re-titled The Ed Sullivan Show in 1955 and a mainstay of Sunday night viewing, became one of the most successful and long-running programs in American television history. It would remain on the air until 1971. The premiere episode with composers Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II and the comedy team of Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis are among the few missing telecasts.

Legend
Light blue indicates local programming.

Dark blue indicates news programming.

Light green indicates sporting events.

Light purple indicates movies.

Sunday
Notes: Toast of the Town, later known as The Ed Sullivan Show, premiered June 20, 1948, at 9:00 p.m. on CBS.

On DuMont, King Cole's Birthday Party, also known as simply Birthday Party, aired from 6:00 to 6:30 p.m. Eastern Time from March to May 1949.

Monday
Notes: Beginning July 18, 1949, The Magic Cottage aired on DuMont Monday through Friday from 6:30 to 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time. On NBC, Colgate Theatre premiered on January 3, 1949.

Tuesday
Note: Beginning July 18, 1949, The Magic Cottage aired on DuMont Monday through Friday from 6:30 to 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

Wednesday
Notes: On DuMont, King Cole's Birthday Party also was known as simply Birthday Party. The Laytons only lasted 10 episodes, from August 11 to October 13, 1948. Beginning July 18, 1949, The Magic Cottage aired on DuMont Monday through Friday from 6:30 to 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

On NBC, Picture This, hosted by Wendy Barrie, aired November 17, 1948, to February 9, 1949. The Black Robe debuted on May 18, 1949, and ran from 8:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Wednesday until it began to air at various times on Mondays during August 1949.

Thursday
Notes: On ABC, Blind Date debuted on May 5, 1949, airing from 7:30 to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time. It moved to 9:30 p.m. during July 1949 and aired in that time slot into September 1949.

On DuMont, King Cole's Birthday Party also was known as simply Birthday Party. Beginning July 18, 1949, The Magic Cottage aired on DuMont Monday through Friday from 6:30 to 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

Friday
Notes: From April 14, 1948, to April 22, 1949, Russ Hodges' Scoreboard aired Fridays from 6:30pm to 6:45pm ET on DuMont. Beginning July 18, 1949, The Magic Cottage aired on DuMont Monday through Friday from 6:30 to 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

On NBC, Your Show Time replaced Musical Miniatures on January 21, 1949. Your Show Time had premiered on NBC's East Coast stations in September 1948, and began to include NBC's Midwest stations on January 21.

ABC
Returning Series
 * Hollywood Screen Test
 * Kiernan's Corner
 * Movieland Quiz
 * News and Views
 * Sports with Joe Hasel
 * Teenage Book Club
 * That Reminds Me
 * Quizzing the News

New Series
 * ABC Feature Film
 * ABC Television Players
 * Actors Studio
 * America's Town Meeting
 * Blind Date *
 * Bowling Headliners *
 * Break the Bank
 * Buzzy Wuzzy
 * Candid Microphone
 * Club Seven
 *  Critic at Large
 * Crusade in Europe *
 * The Gay Nineties Revue
 * The Southernaires Quartet
 * Stand By for Crime
 * Tales of the Red Caboose
 * Three About Town
 * Wrestling from Washington, D.C.

CBS
Returning Series
 * Face the Music
 * The Fred Waring Show
 * CBS Television News
 * To the Queen's Taste
 * Toast of the Town
 * We the People
 * What's It Worth
 * Winner Take All

New Series
 * Adventures in Jazz *
 * American Speaks
 * Arthur Godfrey and His Friends *
 * Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts *
 * Blues by Bargy *
 * Capital Billy's Mississippi Music Hall
 * Ford Television Theatre Hour
 * Kobbs' Korner
 * Lamp Unto My Feet
 * The Morey Amsterdam Show
 * Our Miss Brooks
 * People's Platform
 * Places Please
 * The Roar of the Rails
 * Ruthie on the Telephone *
 * The Sonny Kendis Show *
 * Studio One
 * Suspense *
 * Tournament of Champions
 * The Week in Review
 * Wesley

DuMont
Returning series
 * Camera Headlines
 * Charade Quiz
 * Court of Current Issues
 * Doorway to Fame
 * I.N.S. Telenews
 * The Jack Eigen Show
 * Key to the Missing
 * King Cole's Birthday Party
 * The Original Amateur Hour

New series
 * Admiral Broadway Revue *
 * The Adventures of Oky Doky
 * The Alan Dale Show
 * And Everything Nice *
 * Boxing From Jamaica Arena
 * Café de Paris *
 * Champagne and Orchids
 * Fashions on Parade
 * Front Row Center *
 * The Growing Paynes
 * Hotel Broadway *
 * Johnny Olson's Rumpus Room *
 * The Laytons
 * The Magic Cottage *
 * Manhattan Spotlight *
 * Newsweek Views the News
 * The Original Amateur Hour
 * The School House *
 * Spin the Picture * (originally Cut)
 * The Stan Shaw Show
 * Teen Time Tunes *
 * The Vincent Lopez Show
 * Window on the World *
 * Wrestling From Columbia Park Arena

Not returning from 1947–48:
 * Camera Headlines
 * Highway to the Stars
 * Look Upon a Star
 * Playroom
 * Small Fry Club
 * The Walter Compton News
 * Western movie

NBC
Returning Series
 * America Song
 * Americana
 * Author Meets the Critics
 * The Bigelow Show
 * Camel Newsreel Theatre
 * Duffy's Tavern
 * Gillette Cavalcade of Sports
 * Juvenile Jury
 * Kraft Television Theatre
 * Mary Kay and Johnny
 * Meet the Press
 * Musical Miniatures
 * The Nature of Things
 * Stop Me If You've Heard This One
 * Story of the Week
 * The Swift Show
 * Television Playhouse
 * The Texaco Star Theater
 * Village Barn
 * You Are an Artist

New Series
 * Academy Theatre *
 * Admiral Broadway Revue *
 * Admiral Presents Five Star Revue — Welcome Aboard
 * The Black Robe
 * The Chevrolet Tele-Theatre
 * Colgate Theatre *
 * Fireside Theatre *
 * Garroway at Large *
 * Girl About Town
 * Greatest Fight of the Century
 * The Gulf Road Show Starring Bob Smith
 * The Hartmans *
 * Hopalong Cassidy *
 * Mary Margaret McBride
 * NBC Presents *
 * The Philco Television Playhouse
 * Picture This
 * Princess Sagaphi
 * Saturday Night Jamboree
 * The Ted Steele Show
 * Theatre of the Mind *
 * Welcome Aboard *
 * Who Said That?
 * Wrestling From St. Nicholas Arena
 * Your Show Time *

Not returning from 1947–48:
 * The Esso Newsreel
 * In the Kelvinator Kitchen
 * MLB
 * MLB on NBC
 * Television Playhouse
 * Village Barn
 * The World in Your Home

Note: The * indicates that the program was introduced in midseason.