ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT REPORTS FROM THE TIMES, NEWS SERVICES AND THE NATION’S PRESS.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Appeals Court Sides With Oprah: A federal appeals court on Wednesday upheld a Texas jury verdict rejecting cattlemen’s claims that Oprah Winfrey cost them millions of dollars and defamed the U.S. beef industry during a discussion on mad cow disease on her show. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals found that the talk-show host “melodramatized” the disease scare on her program but did not give false information or defame cattle producers. Winfrey’s attorney said the ruling affirms people’s right to speak their opinions. Cattle prices dropped drastically after the 1996 show, in which Winfrey said that the mad cow scare “just stopped me cold from eating another burger.”

*

A Pianist’s Protest: Noted pianist Andras Schiff canceled a performance that was scheduled for Wednesday night at the Austrian Embassy in Washington to protest the new Austrian government that includes a far-right party. “As a citizen of Austria, but also as a European Jew, I am deeply distressed and appalled by the recent political events in the country,” Schiff wrote in a handwritten letter to the embassy. “The rise of [right-wing leader] Joerg Haider in a country whose role in the Holocaust still awaits clarification--it’s more than worrying, it’s shameful and unforgivable.”

*

Viewers’ Choices: NBC’s “ER” and “Providence,” ABC’s “The Practice” and CBS’ “Touched by an Angel” were nominated for favorite drama Wednesday for the second annual TV Guide Awards, while Fox’s “Ally McBeal,” CBS’ “Everybody Loves Raymond,” and NBC’s “Frasier” and “Friends” drew nods for favorite comedy. Other categories and nominees include favorite new series (CBS’ “Judging Amy,” ABC’s “Once and Again,” and NBC’s “The West Wing” and “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit”), favorite game show (ABC’s “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” and the syndicated “Hollywood Squares,” “Jeopardy!” and “Wheel of Fortune”) and favorite news program (“Dateline NBC,” ABC’s “20/20” and the syndicated “Entertainment Tonight”). More than 1.5 million viewers voted through the Internet and mail-in ballots in TV Guide; the awards air March 5 on Fox.

*

More Nominees: “Angela’s Ashes,” “Brokedown Palace,” “The Insider,” “Joe the King,” “Man on the Moon” and “Naturally Native” are the film contenders for the National Institute on Drug Abuse and National Institutes of Health’s annual Prism Awards recognizing accurate depictions of drug, alcohol and tobacco use. TV series nominees: two episodes of CBS’ “Becker,” UPN’s “Clueless,” NBC’s “Friends” and WB’s “Smart Guy” (comedy); and CBS’ “Family Law,” NBC’s “Law & Order” and “The West Wing,” ABC’s “NYPD Blue” and “Once and Again,” and WB’s “7th Heaven” (drama). Nominated for continuing story lines dealing with substance use are NBC’s “ER” (two nominations), ABC’s “The Practice” and “Sports Night,” NBC’s “Suddenly Susan,” Fox’s “Beverly Hills, 90210” and Showtime’s “Beggars and Choosers.” Winners will be named on March 21.

*

Golabek’s ‘Romantic’ Moves: Concert pianist and radio host Mona Golabek, whose “Romantic Hours” show previously ran Saturday nights on classical station KKGO-FM (105.1), joins public classical station KCSN-FM (88.5) on Feb. 15, airing Tuesday and Thursdays at 11 p.m. KCSN will also broadcast a “Romantic Hours” special on Valentine’s Day at 3 p.m. And today on KCSN, Golabek will guest on Rene Engel’s noon program, “Let’s Do Lunch.”

QUICK TAKES

The top four slots on the nation’s album chart remained unchanged this week as D’Angelo’s “Voodoo” (with 191,000 copies sold) again leads the way, followed by releases from Santana, Dr. Dre and Celine Dion. The week’s highest debut: Snoop Dogg and Tha Eastsidaz at No. 8. . . . The National Conference for Community and Justice honors writer-director Gregory Nava (“Selena,” “Mi Familia”), “ER” executive producer John Wells and the Writers Guild of America West tonight for their “continuous efforts in promoting diversity within the entertainment industry.”