NEW YORK -- CBS' "As the World Turns" will defend its title as best daytime drama series as one of four shows nominated in that category Wednesday for the Daytime Emmy Awards.

In a ceremony at New York's Rainbow Room that aired live on CBS' "The Early Show," the other dramas named are ABC's "All My Children" and CBS' "One Life to Live" and "The Young & the Restless." It marked the 28th consecutive nomination for "AMC."

The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences officiates over the Daytime Emmys, which will be presented May 17 in a primetime show on CBS live from New York's Madison Square Garden.

"AMC" and CBS were the big winners as the long-running soap received 21 nominations to 17 for "As the World Turns," 14 for CBS' "Guiding Light," 12 for PBS' "Sesame Street" and 10 for ABC's talk show "The View."

CBS copped the most nominations with 55 as ABC and PBS earned 49 apiece. Syndicated shows picked up 38. Among the broadcast networks, NBC earned 11, and the WB Network got seven. Tops among cable networks was Showtime with 17, followed by Disney Channel with eight and Nickelodeon with six.

In the acting categories, Martha Byrne of "As the World Turns" is the only performer who can repeat from a year ago as she was named again in the category for best actress in a drama series. Joining her are Finola Hughes of "All My Children"; perennial nominee Susan Lucci, also of "AMC"; Colleen Zenk Pinter of "As the World Turns"; and Susan Flannery of CBS' "The Bold and the Beautiful."

Lucci has been nominated 21 times and has won the award once.

For best actor in a drama series, the nominees are Jack Scalia and Vincent Irizarry of "AMC," Hunt Block of "As the World Turns," Robert Newman of "Guiding Light" and Peter Bergman of "Young & the Restless."

In the supporting actress category, the nominees were Kelly Ripa of "AMC," Kelley Hensley and Maura West of "As the World Turns" and Beth Ehlers and Crystal Chappell of "Guiding Light."

For supporting actor, "AMC" took home three nominations for Josh Duhamel, Mark Consuelos and Carmen Mathison. "As the World Turns" earned nods for Peter Leydon and Benjamin Hendrickson.

Nominations for "The View" included outstanding talk show and outstanding talk show host, recognizing co-hosts Barbara Walters, Meredith Vieira, Star Jones, Joy Behar and Lisa Ling.

In the children's categories, PBS dominated with 43 of its nominations for PBS Kids shows.

In the talk show host category, "The View" will baffle three syndicated shows: "Live With Regis & Kelly," "The Montel Williams Show" and "The Rosie O'Donnell Show."

Two shows are vying for the best preschool children's series, Nickelodeon's "Blue's Clues," and PBS' "Sesame Street." And four shows are in the running for best children's series: PBS' "Between the Lions" and "Reading Rainbow," Disney Channel's "Even Stevens" and Discovery Kids' "Ultimate Guide to the Awesome."

At CBS, Bob Barker ("The Price Is Right")...