The 1998–99 daytime network television schedule for the six major English-language commercial broadcast networks in the United States in operation during that television season covers the weekday daytime hours from September 1998 to August 1999. The schedule is followed by a list per network of returning series, new series, and series canceled after the 1997–98 season.
Affiliates fill time periods not occupied by network programs with local or syndicated programming. PBS – which offers daytime programming through a children's program block, branded as PTV at the time – is not included, as its member television stations have local flexibility over most of their schedules and broadcast times for network shows may vary. Also not included is Pax TV (now Ion), a venture of Paxson Communications (now Ion Media) that debuted on August 31, 1998; although Pax carried a limited schedule of first-run programs in its early years, its schedule otherwise was composed mainly of syndicated reruns.
Legend
New series are highlighted in bold.
Schedule
All times correspond to U.S. Eastern and Pacific Time scheduling (except for some live sports or events). Except where affiliates slot certain programs outside their network-dictated timeslots, subtract one hour for Central, Mountain, Alaska, and Hawaii-Aleutian times. Local schedules may differ, as affiliates have the option to pre-empt or delay network programs. Such scheduling may be limited to preemptions caused by local or national breaking news or weather coverage (which may force stations to tape delay certain programs in overnight timeslots or defer them to a co-operated or other contracted station in their regular timeslot) and any major sports events scheduled to air in a weekday timeslot (mainly during major holidays). Stations may air shows at other times at their preference.
Monday–Friday
Notes: NBC allowed owned-and-operated and affiliated stations the preference of airing Another World and Days of Our Lives in reverse order from the network's recommended scheduling; this structure was carried over when Passions debuted in the 2:00 p.m. ET timeslot on July 5, 1999. Another World aired its last episode on June 25, 1999; the premiere of Passions was scheduled nine days after its timeslot predecessor's series finale due to NBC's scheduled coverage of the Wimbledon tennis tournament preempting the network's daytime schedule during the week of June 28. (+) On September 3, 1999, Leeza aired its final episode on NBC; the program moved to first-run syndication beginning with its September 13 episode. NBC returned the 11:00 a.m. ET hour to its affiliates on September 6; at that time, NBC reclaimed the 9:00 a.m. ET hour from its affiliates in order to air Later Today, a lifestyle and entertainment-oriented extension of Today. The time period that the first hour of the Fox Kids weekday block occupied was turned over to Fox-affiliated stations in September 1999. Prior to the change, some Fox stations had aired that hour of the block in the afternoon in order to air either local morning newscasts or syndicated programming. The WB turned over the morning timeslot occupied by part of its children's programming block to its affiliates on September 3, 1999. A few WB-affiliated stations (mostly major-market outlets owned by Tribune Broadcasting) deferred the block to the afternoon in order to air either local morning newscasts or syndicated programs.
Saturday
Notes: Fox Kids originally intended to air a series based on Captain America at 10:30 a.m. ET, however Marvel Comics' then-recent bankruptcy caused the series to be cancelled during pre-production; hence, The Secret Files of the Spy Dogs was moved there from its originally intended weekday scheduling. Kids' WB also aired Invasion America at 10:00 a.m. ET until October 10.
Sunday
By network
ABC
Returning series: 101 Dalmatians: The Series ABC World News This Morning ABC World News Tonight with Peter Jennings All My Children The Bugs Bunny and Tweety Show Disney's One Saturday Morning Doug Recess Pepper Ann General Hospital Good Morning America The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh One Life to Live Port Charles Schoolhouse Rock! Squigglevision The View
New series: Hercules Mickey Mouse Works
Not returning from 1997–98: Jungle Cubs
CBS
Returning series: As the World Turns The Bold and the Beautiful CBS Morning News CBS News Saturday Morning CBS This Morning CBS Evening News CBS News Sunday Morning Face the Nation Guiding Light The Price Is Right The Young and the Restless
New series: Anatole Birdz Dumb Bunnies Flying Rhino Junior High Franklin Mythic Warriors Rupert Tales from the Cryptkeeper