Hit newcomers "Desperate Housewives" and "Lost" won top honors from the Television Critics Association.
The dark suburban satire "Desperate Housewives" was named program of the year Saturday, and "Lost," about plane crash survivors marooned on a mysterious island, was honored as outstanding new program and for outstanding achievement in drama.
Both air on ABC, which also claimed an award for "Nightline." The news program received the Heritage Award, which goes to a long-running show that's had "a lasting cultural or social impact," according to the association.
Comedian-actor Bob Newhart received the 2005 award for career achievement.
Fox's "Arrested Development" won its second consecutive award for achievement in comedy.
In the individual categories, Hugh Laurie of Fox's "House" won for drama and Jon Stewart of Comedy Central's "The Daily Show" won for comedy.
PBS' "Frontline" received its seventh honor for achievement in news and information.
Other winners were BBC America's "The Office Special," for achievement in movies, miniseries and specials, and "Degrassi: The Next Generation" on Canada's CTV in the children's programming category.
The Television Critics Association, founded in 1978, includes more than 200 reporters and columnists in print media from the United States and Canada.