CBS producer who blackmailed Letterman up for Emmy

NEW YORK -- The former CBS News producer jailed for trying to blackmail David Letterman is up for an Emmy award.

Robert "Joe" Halderman was nominated Thursday for a News and Documentary Emmy award for his participation in an April 2009 "48 Hours" story about an American exchange student charged with murder in Italy. He was one of four producers cited for the story.

Halderman began a six-month jail sentence in May for trying to extort money from Letterman in exchange for not revealing the late-night host's office affairs.

The "48 Hours" story is nominated in the category of best continuing coverage of a news story by a newsmagazine. The awards will be presented Sept. 27 in New York.

PBS led the way with 37 news Emmy nominations. CBS had 31 -- more than rivals ABC and NBC combined.