The CBS crime drama "NUMB3RS" and The CW network comedy "Everybody Hates Chris" took top honors Wednesday at the eighth annual Family Television Awards.

	Matt Sayles, Associated Press Jennifer Love Hewitt accepts Family Television's Best Actress award. Click photo for larger image.

"Dancing With the Stars" took reality show honors and "Ugly Betty" won the new series award. Both shows air on ABC.

Family friendly TV movies "The Ron Clark Story" and "High School Musical" also were recognized during the ceremony at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.

Actors collecting honors included Jennifer Love Hewitt for CBS's "Ghost Whisperer" and Tony Shalhoub for USA Network's "Monk." Game show host Howie Mandel won for his work on NBC's "Deal or No Deal."

Stephen Collins and Haylie Duff, both of TV's "7th Heaven," hosted the hourlong ceremony, which is scheduled to air Dec. 12 on The CW network.

Winners were chosen by members of the Association of National Advertisers, an organization of major corporate marketers, to honor outstanding programming for family viewing.

The Family Friendly Programming Forum, which includes advertisers representing 43 companies, created the awards to promote the development and airing of family-oriented television programs during prime-time viewing hours.

(Associated Press)

'Geek' returns

A whole new crop of brainy but awkward guys will meet with attractive but academically challenged women in the third season of Ashton Kutcher and Jason Goldberg's ("Punk'd") social experiment, "Beauty and the Geek."

The CW announced Monday that the reality show will make its two-hour season premiere Jan. 3 and will continue in that time slot for eight consecutive episodes.

The formula for the contest will remain the same: Each geek will pair with a beauty for a chance to win a $250,000 grand prize. In order to compete, the women must learn some intellectual skill from their partner, while the men will in turn learn some social skills.

(Zap2it.com)

Channel surfing

Lifetime has canceled "Angela's Eyes" and "Lovespring International." The network ordered a new drama series, "Army Wives," starring former "JAG" mainstay Catherine Bell and Kim Delaney ("NYPD Blue"). "Wives" will premiere in March. ... WQED's "On Q" will feature an interview with University of Pittsburgh basketball coach Jamie Dixon Monday at 7:30 p.m.

(Rob Owen, Post-Gazette TV editor)