Livewire is an American children's talk show that premiered on the American television cable network, Nickelodeon on September 29, 1980 and ended in 1985. The series was designed for kids of all ages, and the show's main focus was to discuss true current events and stories during those times. It was taped at the Ed Sullivan Theater in New York through Reeves Teletape Studios of Sesame Street fame. It was filmed "live on tape" with a participating audience of about twenty to thirty teenagers, and was hosted initially by Mark Cordray, but Fred Newman soon replaced Cordray as host. It was a CableACE Award winner, the first Nickelodeon talk show to achieve that feat. Livewire was the number one rated show on Nickelodeon in 1982, and never went below number seven in the ratings during the five-year span of the show. After the last episode aired, the show went into reruns until May 3, 1986.
The show was mostly known for giving relatively unknown bands and singers their first television appearance. Bands and celebrities who appeared on the program include: