The ’98 Alliance for Children and Television Awards of Excellence were handed out Nov. 7 in Montreal at the closing-night gala of this year’s annual conference. The awards were presented in five English-language and six French-language categories. More than 80 programs were submitted this year.

This year’s act program winners, both languages, are:

* Best animation – preschool: Little Bear (Nelvana for cbc); Caillou (Cinar Animation for Teletoon)

* Best animation – school age: Arthur (Cinar for tvontario); Fennec (Cactus Animation/Ellipse for Radio-Canada)

* Best preschool: La Boite a Lunch (src)

* Best information: Inquiring Minds (tvo); Sur la piste III (SDA Productions for src)

* Best educational/instructional: Peace Breaks (tvo); Allo Prof II (sda for Tele-Quebec)

* Best drama (English-language tie): Emily of New Moon ‘The Sound of Silence’ (Cinar/Salter Street Films for cbc) and The Inventors’ Specials ‘Einstein: Light to the Power of 2’ (Devine Productions for Family Channel and hbo); Les Aventures de la courte echelle II (Allegro Films for Tele-Quebec)

* Best variety/special: Musikotrip (src)