KCET, KNBC top Emmys

Noncommercial KCET-TV Channel 28 and commercial KNBC-TV Channel 4 each grabbed six statuettes to lead the pack of winners at the 59th annual Los Angeles Area Emmy Awards this weekend.

KCBS-TV Channel 2 won three on its own and four more in partnership with KCAL-TV Channel 9, with which it shares news-gathering operations.

In ceremonies Saturday night at the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences in North Hollywood, 11 other stations and cable companies were also honored with awards for the best local programming of 2006.

KCBS’ trophies included best regularly scheduled daily newscast under 35 minutes, for “CBS2 News at 11 p.m.,” and best regularly scheduled daytime newscast, for “CBS2 News at 6 a.m.”

The Emmy for best regularly scheduled daily newscast over 35 minutes went to “KTLA Prime News” on KTLA-TV Channel 5.

KNBC reporter Joel Grover and producer Matt Goldberg captured two awards, for best investigative reporting and best hard-news reporting.

KNBC’s Mary Harris won as best news writer for the second year in a row.

Spanish-language KMEX-TV Channel 34 picked up four awards, including one for best news director, Armando Acevedo.

KTTV-TV Channel 11 won for best news special, “Forgotten Footprints: The Hunted Children of Uganda,” and the KCBS/KCAL news team won for best live coverage of an unscheduled news event, the Esperanza fire.

Among other winners:

* Informational/public-affairs series (more than 50% studio-based): “Studio 2,” KCBS.

* Informational/public-affairs series (more than 50% remote): “California Connected,” KCET.

* News feature reporting: Lisa Joyner (reporter), Kimberly McWatt (producer), KCBS/KCAL.

* Sports reporting: Curt Sandoval (reporter), Dae Ho Suk (producer), Jeff MacIntyre (producer), KABC.

* Medical, cultural and social news story (single report): “Out of Africa: Ethiopia to L.A.,” KCAL.

* Medical, cultural and social news story (multi-report): “Farm to Fork,” KTLA.

* Education: “When Diaster Strikes: A Survival Guide,” KTLA.

* Crime/social issues: “War Stories From Ward 7-D,” KCET.

* Entertainment programming: “Travel Café (Ski Switzerland),” KNBC.