Channel 2 leads all stations in local Emmy nominations

WBBM Channel 2 led all stations when local Emmy Award nominations were announced Tuesday.

Channel 2 had 44 nominations. WMAQ Channel 5 followed with 37, WGN Channel 9 claimed 34, WTTW Channel 11 posted 26, WFLD Channel 32 earned 21 and WLS Channel 7 had 15.

The local Emmys are administered by the Chicago/Midwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Dan Ponce of Channel 7 and Anthony Ponce of Channel 5 played host and read the nominations in a ceremony at Lawry's downtown.

The local Emmys are a sometimes uncertain measure of quality, because Chicago stations have always placed an uneven sense of importance on them. Channel 9 led all stations with 92 entries, Channels 2 and 5 both entered 84, Channel 11 sent in 60, Channel 7 did 48 and Channel 32 made good on 21 of its 36 total entries.

Comcast SportsNet Chicago shouldered its way in among the nominees for outstanding overall station excellence, alongside Channels 2, 11 and 32.

Among individual on-air talent, Channel 32's Mark Saxenmeyer earned eight nominations, while Dave Savini of Channel 2 and Allison Payne of Channel 9 both had six.

The local Emmy Awards will be presented Nov. 18 in the Thorne Auditorium of Northwestern's downtown law school, followed by a reception at the Museum of Contemporary Art.