L.A., N.Y. GROUPS CLASH OVER EMMYS.

Byline: - Staff and Wire Services

One goal of Bryce Zabel, chairman of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, has been to bridge the long-standing rift between his North Hollywood-based organization and its Manhattan counterpart.

A release put out by New York's National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences suggests there's a long way yet to go in that mission.

NATAS, which gives out Emmys for sports and news and shares daytime awards duties with the West Coast organization, wants to establish Latin Emmy Awards for outstanding Spanish-language programming. In its announcement, NATAS accused ATAS of using ``stalling tactics to obstruct'' NATAS' plans to mount the show sometime in 2003. NATAS has asked for arbitration to resolve the issue.

ATAS President Todd Leavitt called the NATAS accusations `'disingenuous,'' saying creating such an award requires attention to several issues, including the fact Spanish-language programming already is eligible for the international Emmys presented every fall. Under Emmy rules, programs may not compete for more than one type of Emmy.

Leavitt also noted that most Spanish-language programming is produced overseas, while Emmys are meant to recognize the top U.S.-produced programs.

Meanwhile, TNN is looking for a piece of one of the most prosperous segments of the entertainment industry with plans for the New TNN Video Game Awards to air late next year.

Categories will honor games for having the ``best free-for-all carnage,'' ``hottest graphics,'' ``most difficult to master,'' and ``best all-around bada--.''

TNN's show also will honor celebrities involved with video games, such as Angelina Jolie, who starred in a film based on the popular ``Tomb Raider'' games.

``Video games are a new medium that needs to be honored,'' said Albie Hecht, president of film and TV entertainment at TNN, who expects the show to appeal to the cable channel's target audience of adults 25 to 34 years old. ``This generation is addicted (to games).''