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 [email protected]. 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)

The Daily

Subscribe
Friday–July 11

Next Frontier: CableLabs Explores More than Speed Connectivity Era

Internet speed records are all the rage these days, with two separate breakthroughs making the headlines recently. One is more in the distant future, but the other hits closer to home.

Read the Full Issue
The Skinny is delivered on Tuesday and focuses on the cable profession. You'll stay in the know on the headlines, topics and special issues you value most. Sign Up

Calendar

Sep 11
2025 Faxies Awards Faxies Nominations Open! Final deadline: 4/4/25
Full Calendar

Jobs

Seeking an INDUSTRY JOB or hiring for one?
VIEW JOBS

In conjunction with our sister brand, Cynopsis, we are offering hiring managers a deep pool of media-savvy, skilled candidates at a range of experience levels and sectors. The result will be an even more robust industry job board, to help both employers and job seekers.

Contact Carley Ashley, [email protected], for more information about posting a job on the website and our Jobs newsletter, sent twice weekly to 85,000 media professionals.