On this day January 19 1988, 48 Hours premiered on CBS, introducing a groundbreaking television newsmagazine format built around in depth reporting and long form investigative storytelling. The program focused on real life cases criminal investigations and social issues, presenting stories with a sense of urgency and narrative structure that set it apart from traditional nightly news broadcasts.
48 Hours reflected a late 1980s shift in television journalism toward deeper analysis and story driven reporting. By allowing correspondents extended time to explore a single topic, the show helped redefine how true crime and investigative journalism were presented on television. Its debut marked an important evolution in broadcast news, influencing how serious stories were told for decades to come.
80s insight: The late 1980s transformed television journalism through long form investigative storytelling.
48 Hours reflected a late 1980s shift in television journalism toward deeper analysis and story driven reporting. By allowing correspondents extended time to explore a single topic, the show helped redefine how true crime and investigative journalism were presented on television. Its debut marked an important evolution in broadcast news, influencing how serious stories were told for decades to come.
80s insight: The late 1980s transformed television journalism through long form investigative storytelling.
