Channel 2 Leads Pack in Emmy Nominations

For the ninth consecutive year, KCBS Channel 2 led local television stations in nominations for the Los Angeles Area Emmy Awards, the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences announced Thursday. But the CBS-owned station, which last year won the coveted award for best regularly scheduled newscast, was not even nominated in that category for 1989.

The 39 nominations for KCBS was 11 fewer than last year but still edged out rivals KABC Channel 7, which collected 37 nominations, and KNBC Channel 4, which got 35. Public-TV station KCET Channel 28 garnered 34.

In all, 17 broadcast and cable outlets in Los Angeles and Orange counties received 220 nominations in 51 categories. Winners will be announced at a dinner May 19 at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium.

Paralleling the rise of Fox Broadcasting as a contender in the realm of prime-time programming, KTTV Channel 11, Fox’s local station, received 20 nominations, nine more than last year. KTTV’s news and special broadcast teams were nominated three times for best news reporting, and in categories from best health and science/environment program (for “Dying to Live”) to best children/youth program (for “King Koopa’s Kool Kartoons”).

KTTV’s “Fox News at Ten” was nominated for best regularly scheduled news program, along with newscasts from KNBC, KABC and KTLA Channel 5.

Nineteen of KABC’s nominations went to its magazine program, “Eye on L.A,” including four for the show’s “Swimsuit ‘89” edition.

Spanish-language station KVEA Channel 52 captured five nominations, while its rival, KMEX Channel 34, received none. Last year, KVEA won the Emmy for best investigative reporting, but this year it was not nominated in that category.

Here is a partial list of nominees:

Live Coverage of an Unscheduled News Event: “Earthquake Remote--Santa Cruz,” KABC; “Wind Storms,” KCBS; “B-1 Bomber,” KTTV.

News Reporting: Ross Becker for “Drug Emergency,” KCBS; Larry Attebery for “Reasonable Force,” KCOP; Chris Harris for “Street Wars,” KTTV; Tony Valdez for “L.A. Gangs,” KTTV; Jane Wells for “Runaway,” KTTV.

Sports Reporting: Roy Firestone for “Ralph Sampson,” KCAL; Roy Firestone for “Jerry West,” KCAL; Keith Olberman for “Kareem--the Skyhook/Kareem--the Joker,” KCBS; Steve Jahnke for “The Greatest Catch,” KCOP; Fred Roggin for “Morganna,” KNBC.

Health and Science/Environment: “The Time of Our Lives,” KCET; “Dying to Live,” KTTV.

Entertainment Programming: “Grammy Preview ‘89,” KCBS; “ISO Dance Theatre: Episodes,” KCET; “Live from the Hollywood Bowl,” KCOP; “1989 Rose Parade Countdown,” KTLA; “1989 Hollywood Christmas Parade Countdown,” KTLA.

Children/Youth Special: “Clue You In--The Case of the Dead Body,” KCBS; “Teens with a Mission,” KCBS; “High Risk Youth: At the Crossroads,” KNBC.