First closed-captioned programs: The ABC Sunday Night Movie (ABC), Disney's Wonderful World (NBC), and Masterpiece Theatre (PBS) air on March 16. First children’s program: 3-2-1 Contact (PBS). First commercial: IBM.

First home videos: Close Encounters of the Third Kind, The China Syndrome, and Chapter Two (RCA/Columbia House Home Video). First pay cable series: Bizarre (Showtime).

NCI develops real-time captioning. First live sports event: The Sugar Bowl. First live special: The Academy Awards. First national newscast: World News Tonight (ABC).

First corporately-funded TV series: Family Ties by Kellogg Company.

First daytime serial: Search for Tomorrow. First daytime talk show: The Oprah Winfrey Show.

First game shows: Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune.