CANNES ? Asia and Latin America dominate this year's nominations for television's international Emmy awards, to be announced in New York next month.
Monday's 2009 nominations for the TV equivalent of the Oscars span 17 countries, with Thailand nominated for the first time, and in two categories, and the Philippines scooping three nominations.
"The geographic representation is quite amazing," Emmy academy president Bruce L. Paisner told AFP.
"This demonstrates the huge strides made by both countries in the TV business," he said of Thailand and the Philippines.
The competition takes place over six months with three rounds of judging by 600 judges in 50 countries.
Britain led again this year with nine nominations, followed by Brazil, which collected five, including two for TV Globo for best comedy and for TV movie/mini-series.
Asia and Latin America each notched up a total 10 nominations across the 10 categories of programs.
Asian TV is in a stronger position this year to win a record number of Emmy honors with two more nominations than last year. These include two telenovela nominations for the Philippines, which is building a growing reputation in this highly popular category, traditionally been dominated by Latin America.
Philippines actress Angel Locsin was also nominated for her role in ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corp.'s highly-compelling drama "The Wolf".
And China once again shone with Chen Li's nomination for his role in China Movie Channel's "Ultimate Rescue".
With the world still grappling with global recession, finance and banking not surprisingly are popular topics for TV program makers.
And Britain's "The Ascent of Money" and Germany's "Cityboy -- The Life of Investment Banker Geraint Anderson", both focusing on the heady days before the crash, were nominated in the documentary category.
Latin American nominations were spread across all categories and included Mexico drama "Capadocia", Brazil's TV mini-series, "Maysa - When the Heart Sings", and Brazil's "Mamonas Assassinas - All My Life" in the arts programming slot.
Denmark's national network Danish Broadcasting Corporation (DBC) won two nominations in the Children and Young People and Drama categories.
Three-time DBC Emmy nominee Piv Bernth puts the broadcaster's success down to having good characters who are believable and always telling a good story.
The winners will be announced at a glitzy black tie ceremony in New York on November 23, at which former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger will present the 2009 International Emmy Directorate Award to German ZDF TV Director General Prof Markus Schachter.
