Cable Programming's Top 50

To commemorate 30 years of satellite-delivered programming, the latest issue of CableWORLD (9/26) selected what it deems are the top 50 satellite-delivered shows, televised events and moments of the past 30 years. Here’s a rundown of CW’s picks. Check out the magazine for the justifications. Love the picks? Hate ’em? Send your comments to cableworld@accessintel.com. 1. Live From Baghdad: First Night of Gulf War Coverage (CNN) 2. The Sopranos (HBO) 3. ESPN Sunday Night Football 4. Nicktoons (Nickelodeon) 5. Choose or Lose (MTV) 6. Wrestlemania (WWF) 7. SportsCenter (ESPN) 8. The O.J. Simpson Trial (Court TV, CNN, BET, E!, others) 9. Larry King Live (CNN) 10. The Daily Show With Jon Stewart (Comedy Central) 11. Weather Center (The Weather Channel) 12. On Location (HBO) 13. The Real World (MTV) 14. The Terry Fox Story (HBO) 15. Shark Week (Discovery Channel) 16. Michael Jackson’s Music Videos (MTV) 17. National Geographic Explorer (Nick, TBS, MSNBC, Nat Geo Channel) 18. The Paper Chase (Showtime) 19. Crossfire (CNN) 20. Double Dare (Nickelodeon) 21. Live Aid (MTV) 22. Sex and the City (HBO) 23. Biography (A&E) 24. Murder, She Wrote (USA Network) 25. South Park (Comedy Central) 26. Morning Call (CNBC) 27. Washington Journal (C-SPAN) 28. Tyson-Holyfield II (Showtime Television) 29. MTV Video Music Awards 30. Sept. 11, 2001 (news nets) 31. Def Comedy Jam (HBO) 32. Land of the Mammoth (Discovery Channel) 33. The CableACE Awards 34. MTV News 35. Emeril Live (Food Network) 36. MTV Spring Break 37. NBA Playoffs (TNT) 38. Oz (HBO) 39. Queer Eye for the Straight Guy (Bravo) 40. Trading Spaces (TLC) 41. The 700 Club (CBN, now ABC Family) 42. Inside the Actors Studio (Bravo) 43. X Games (ESPN, ESPN2) 44. Band of Brothers (HBO) 45. The Goodwill Games (TBS) 46. Fraggle Rock (HBO) 47. From the Earth to the Moon (HBO) 48. SportsCentury (ESPN) 49. Mystery Science Theater 3000 (Comedy Central, Sci Fi Channel) 50. Booknotes (C-SPAN)