BROADCAST HANDED ANOTHER SETBACK

BY SHIRLEY BRADY

Ten proud cable networks won 39 prime-time Emmy Awards this year. Broadcasters didn't fare as well (12 awards), and ratings for the Sept. 21 awards telecast weren't great, but the show was memorable ? if only for its upsets.

In particular, Comedy Central's The Daily Show With Jon Stewart trumped other late-night comedy contenders to win best variety, music or comedy series (and best writing in that category) while Tony Shalhoub received a well-deserved nod as best actor in a comedy series for USA's Monk.

As the most-nominated network, HBO also won the most Emmys (18), while TNT collected six for Door to Door (including best movie and best actor in a miniseries or movie for William H. Macy) and Comedy Central nabbed three. Coming in at two Emmys apiece: A&E, Cartoon, Discovery, Sci Fi and USA. Bravo and Showtime each received one.

Lifetime won a special award for its Our Lifetime Commitment: Stop Violence Against Women initiative, while Emmys for outstanding achievement in interactive TV went to Cablevision's iO digital service and to In Demand and NASCAR for NASCAR in Car.

Comedy Central had an additional reason to celebrate: It had signed British late-night comedy king Graham Norton to a two-year deal, beating out a couple of networks (reportedly NBC and ABC). The BBC America fave will shoot a 13-part version of his hit talk show in the U.S., tape a stand-up special and host Reel Comedy.

USA Networks president Doug Herzog pressed on with the business at hand: gearing up for new series House Wars premiering tonight, the return of Monk in January and other deals such as getting the first window ? with Sci Fi ? on The Hulk movie starting in '06.

Shalhoub's Emmy ?raises the bar going forward,? Herzog said. ?It gets the attention of viewers, our advertisers, our affiliates and the creative community.?

Monk was the top-rated show on cable for the summer ? 4.3 million viewers, 3.4 U.S. household rating ? and the year. It also beat FX's Nip/Tuck summer ratings (which topped adults 18 to 49 on cable but was second in total ratings with a 3.0 U.S. HH rating) and USA's Peacemakers, which came in second for total viewers (3.3 million) and third in total ratings (2.7 U.S. HH).

Steve Koonin, EVP and COO of TBS and TNT, was ecstatic in the wake of Door to Door's Emmy sweep and TNT's continuing accolades. ?For 22 of the past 27 months we've had growth ? including every month this year ? in virtually every demographic,? he said. ?And our program just won more Emmys than any other program in television. So it's been a really great year.?