Troubled KCBS Emerges as Big Winner at L.A. Area Emmys

KCBS Channel 2 may be troubled by poor ratings and internal turmoil, but the station was celebrating over the weekend after stomping the competition at the 51st annual Los Angeles Area Emmy Awards on Saturday night.

The station made off with 13 awards during the ceremony at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium, which paid tribute to local programming during 1998. KCBS scored more than twice the number of statuettes earned by runners-up KCOP Channel 13 and KTLA Channel 5, which tied with five awards each.

The triumph also returned KCBS to the winner’s circle after it lost out last year to KCAL Channel 9. Among its numerous victories was a prize for its daily 11 p.m. newscast, which ironically just underwent a highly publicized shift when veteran anchor Michael Tuck was removed from the broadcast and replaced by Jonathan Elias.

KNBC Channel 4, which took home the other daily newscast award for its 4 p.m. show, was cited for live storm coverage and won two other trophies.

KCET Channel 28 and KTTV Channel 11 each won two awards, KABC Channel 7 nabbed two, and KCAL Channel 9, Fox Sports West, Fox Sports West 2 and KOCE Channel 50 garnered one each.

The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences presented its Governors Award to veteran KNBC anchor reporter and commentator Kelly Lange.

Here is the list of winners:

Regularly scheduled daily news over 35-minute format: “Channel 4 News at 4,” KNBC

Regularly scheduled daily news under 35-minute format: “CBS2 News at 11,” KCBS

Regularly scheduled daytime newscast: “CBS2 News This Morning,” KCBS

Live coverage of an unscheduled news event: “Storm Watch: El Nin~o,” KNBC

Informational/public affairs series (studio-based): “Eye on L.A.,” KABC

Sports series: “Inside Cal-Hi Sports,” Fox Sports West 2

News special “Decision 98,” KNBC

Sports special: “Sportsbowl 98,” KNBC

Live special events: “Live From the Hollywood Bowl,” KCOP

Entertainment programming: “Live: The New Tomorrowland,” KCOP

Serious news story (single report): “Isabelle’s Attic,” KCBS

Serious news story (multi-part): “In Search of a Miracle,” KCOP

L.A. local color: “JJ the Whale,” KCBS

Crime/social issues: “Peace Keepers Mission,” KTTV

Education: “Earthquakes: Care and Repair,” KTLA

Instructional programming: “Dollars & Sense: Personal Finance for the 21st Century,” KOCE

Children/youth programming: “KTLA Presents: Earthquakes and Kids, Care and Repair,” KTLA

Arts and culture/history: “The Spotlight Awards: A Young Artist’s Showcase,” KCET

Information segment: “Tuskegee Airmen” (“Life & Times Tonight),” KCET

Investigative reporting: Joel Grover (reporter), Adam Symson (producer), KCBS

Hard news reporting: Kyra Phillips, KCBS

Sports reporting: Rick Garcia (reporter), Rick Marquardt (producer), KTTV

Live sports coverage: Los Angeles Lakers Basketball, KCAL

News feature reporting: Kyra Phillips, KCBS

Light news story (single report): “A League of His Own,” KCBS

Light news story (multi-part): “Talking to the Dead,” KCBS

Feature segment: “Grade A Teacher (The What’s Right With Southern California Special),” KCBS

News director: Lenn Goodside, KTLA

News videographer: Robert Keet, KTTV

Non-news videographer: Jack Chisholm, Martin Clancey, Ross Elliott, Gary Emrick, Ray Figelski, Dean Hall, Craig Hampton, Mike Keeler, Doug Larson, Ray Liu, Bruce Oldham, George Prince, “109th Tournament of Roses Parade,” KTLA

News editor: Richard Alvarez, KCBS; Steve Hartman, KCBS

Non-news editor: Spencer Willets, Fox Sports West

News writer: Bill Wood, KCOP

Non-news writer: Patt Morrison, KCET

Non-news director: Harry Kooperstein, KCOP

Technical creative crafts: KABC, KTLA

Short promo: “Turbulence,” KCBS