Los Angeles -- Home Box Office's From the Earth to the
Moon, the Tom Hanks-produced saga about the manned space program, has become the most
honored television program so far this year, topping the list of nominees for the
50th annual Emmy Awards.
The accolades came last week despite protests from the
"Big Three" broadcast networks and USA Networks Inc. Before the nomination
process, they had argued that the 13-part program, with episodes featuring different casts
and directors, did not fit the miniseries category.
The Academy of Television Arts and Sciences governors
ruled, however, that the program was not different from other stellar programs in its
genre, comparing its structure with that of landmark 1970s miniseries Roots.
As it has done historically, HBO copped the most
nominations among cable networks, with 72, and it was the second-most-honored network
overall, bested only by NBC, with 86.
In all, cable earned 139 nominations. Besides HBO: TNT
(18); Showtime (17); Discovery Channel (six); USA (five); The Learning Channel, American
Movie Classics, Nickelodeon and MTV: Music Television (three each); A&E Network,
Cartoon Network and TBS Superstation (two each); and Bravo, Comedy Central and Disney
Channel (one apiece).
