This is a list of German television related events from 1998.
Events 5 January - British children's television series Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends begins airing on German television for the first time ever after only being released on home video since 1995. The series will begin airing on RTL II. 27 February - Guildo Horn is selected to represent Germany at the 1998 Eurovision Song Contest with his song "Guildo hat euch lieb!". He is selected to be the forty-third German Eurovision entry during Countdown Grand Prix held at the Stadthalle in Bremen.
Debuts Free for air Domestic 13 January - (1998) (Sat.1) 21 April - Der Clown (1998–2001) (RTL) 4 September - Schloss Einstein (1998–present) (KiKA) 26 October - In aller Freundschaft (1998–present) (Das Erste) 20 November - (1998) (Arte)
International 5 January - Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends (1984–present) (RTL II) 28 March - / Beast Wars: Transformers (1996–1999) (RTL II) 14 April - Extreme Dinosaurs (1997) (Super RTL) 23 June - PB Bear and Friends (1998) (KiKA) 9 October - Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997–2003) (ProSieben) 28 November - Moesha (1996–2001) (RTL) 10 December - The Adventures of Spot (1987–1993) (KiKA) 21 December - / Animal Crackers (1997–1999) (KiKA) 24 December - Percy the Park Keeper (1996–1999) (Das Erste)
Cable International 2 May - The Angry Beavers (1997–2001) (Nickelodeon)
American Forces Network Bananas in Pajamas (1992–2001) The Journey of Allen Strange (1997–2000)
BFBS 31 March - The Wombles (1998–2001) 12 August - Whizziwig (1998–2000) 29 November - Dinnerladies (1998–2000) / Archibald the Koala (1998–2000) Animal Stories (1998–2002)
Television shows 1950s Tagesschau (1952–present)
1960s heute (1963–present)
1970s heute-journal (1978–present) Tagesthemen (1978–present)
1980s Wetten, dass..? (1981–2014) Lindenstraße (1985–present)
1990s Gute Zeiten, schlechte Zeiten (1992–present) Marienhof (1992–2011) Unter uns (1994–present) Verbotene Liebe (1995–2015) Networks and services Launches Network Type Launch date Notes Source EarthTV Cable television Unknown BR-alpha Cable television 7 January 13th Street Cable television 1 May NBC Europe Cable television 30 June SR Fernsehen Cable television 1 September
Conversions and rebrandings Old network name New network name Type Conversion Date Notes SourceSudwest 3Sudwest FernsehenCable televisionUnknown Deaths Date Name Age Cinematic Credibility19 MarchKlaus Havenstein75German actor, cabaret artist & TV host14 AugustHans-Joachim Kulenkampff77German actor & TV host See also 1998 in Germany