Award Central News

Following its inaugural year of broadcasting, the CW scored just one Emmy nom on Thursday. That's less than Animal Planet, Cartoon Network and the History Channel earned, and equal to those procured by Turner Classic Movies, Starz, National Geographic Channel and Hallmark Channel. Hell, even a Cingular commercial scored a nod.

Adding to the insult, the single CW nom was in a less visible category: The sound editing competish, for an episode of "Smallville."

Of course, the CW's execs aren't new to Emmy snubdom. The CW precursors The WB and UPN were notoriously shut out of the major Emmy categories year after year; the best either could do was an occasional nod in some of the craft categories. Like sound editing.

The snub was particularly noteworthy last year, when the TV academy altered its voting structure (putting more of the onus on a blue ribbon panel to pick nominees) in order to encourage more fresh blood. The change was nicknamed the "Lauren Graham rule," using the "Gilmore Girls" star as the poster child for critical faves usually passed over by the Emmy process.

The results were mixed, however -- and Graham wasn't nominated anyway. This year the TV academy altered the process again, bringing more of the overall voting body's voice back into the process. It didn't help Graham or "Gilmore Girls," even though that CW show aired its final hurrah this spring.

Psst, TV academy members -- just FYI, the CW airs locally on KTLA, Channel 5.