PBS garners eight Emmys

PBS was the big winner at the 25th annual News and Documentary Emmy Awards, picking up eight statuettes Monday night for outstanding programming in 2003. ABC and the History Channel were runners-up with five each.

Among the PBS series honored were “Frontline,” “Nova,” “The American Experience” and “Now With Bill Moyers.” “Be Good, Smile Pretty,” a film by Tracy Droz Tragos that was presented on PBS’ “Independent Lens,” was named best documentary.

Tom Brokaw, who plans to retire this year as anchor of “NBC Nightly News,” got a lifetime achievement award. The ceremony, staged in New York by the National Television Academy, was taped for Sept. 25 telecast on the Discovery Times Channel.