SHORT TAKES : 3rd-Rated KCBS Earns Most Emmy Nominations in L.A. Area

Third-rated KCBS Channel 2 edged out rivals KABC Channel 7 and KNBC Channel 4 in nominations announced today for the 42nd annual Los Angeles Area Emmy Awards. But unlike its two competitors, KCBS did not receive a nomination for best regularly scheduled daily news program.

KCBS led the field with 39 nominations for outstanding television work during 1989, compared to 37 for KABC and 35 for KNBC. Public television station KCET Channel 28 captured 34.

In all, the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences handed out 220 nominations in 51 categories to 17 broadcast and cable outlets in Los Angeles and Orange counties. Winners will be announced May 19 at Pasadena Civic Auditorium.

Nominations for best regularly scheduled daily news program went to KABC’s “Eyewitness News,” KNBC’s “Channel 4 News at Five and Six,” KTLA Channel 5’s “News at Ten” and KTTV Channel 11’s “Fox News at Ten.”

There were only two nominations for best news special--for KNBC and KTLA--both for programs related to the devastating Bay Area earthquake last October.

Sharing nominations for best news reporting were Ross Becker of KCBS for “Drug Emergency,” Larry Attebery of KCOP Channel 13 for “Reasonable Force,” Chris Harris of KTTV for “Street Wars,” Tony Valdez of KTTV for “L.A. Gangs,” and Jane Wells of KTTV for “Runaway.”

KCET captured three of the nominations for best program dealing with crime and social issues--for “Taking Back the Streets,” “Living the Last Days” and “L.A. For Sale.” Also nominated were KTTV’s “City Under Siege” and KCBS’ “Racism: Screams of Hatred, Tears of Despair.”