Berry, Perry named Image Award show hosts

BEVERLY HILLS , Calif., Jan. 8 (UPI) -- Actress Halle Berry and screenwriter/actor Tyler Perry have been named the hosts of next month's 40th NAACP Image Awards show in Los Angeles, organizers said.

The ceremonies take place at the Shrine Auditorium Feb. 12 and will air live on FOX. The NAACP Vanguard Award is to be presented to hip-hop icon Russell Simmons at the event.

Nominations for the awards honoring the best in film, television, music and literature for 2008 were announced Wednesday during a press conference at The Beverly Hilton Hotel.

The ABC network leads with a total of 24 nominations, followed by CBS with 14, and The CW and NBC both with 10. HBO earned nine and FOX seven.

Singer-actress Jennifer Hudson earned seven nominations in both the music and film awards categories.

"The Secret Life of Bees," a film Hudson co-starred in with Queen Latifah and Alicia Keys, is in the running for best picture, along with "Cadillac Records," "Miracle at St. Anna," "Seven Pounds" and "Tyler Perry's The Family That Preys."

The television show "Tyler Perry's House of Payne" received six nominations, followed by "Ugly Betty" with five and "Everybody Hates Chris," "The Game" and "Grey's Anatomy," each with four.

Columbia Records leads the recording category with eight nominations, including five for Beyonce. The singer also picked up a nod for her work in the movie "Cadillac Records."

J Records and Arista both followed Columbia with six nominations apiece, while Island Def Jam earned four.