The 2012 Daytime Emmy nominees were announced earlier this week.

It was great news for "General Hospital." It leads the pack of nominations with 24, and — even better — it was renewed by ABC. The show is expected to fill the network's 2 p.m. time slot, which will be vacant come September. Here are the nominees:

OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES: "?All My Children," ABC (the last one for this shop, which was canceled earlier this year); "?Days of Our Lives," NBC?; "General Hospital," ABC; ?"Young and Restless," CBS.

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES?: Crystal Chappell, as Dr. Carly Manning on "Days," NBC (the actress is no longer on the show and has moved over to "Bold and Beautiful"?; Debbie Morgan, as Angie Hubbard on "AMC," ABC (Morgan is now playing Harmony on "Y&R"; ?Erika Slezak, as Viki Lord on "OLTL," ABC (if she wins it will be number six); Heather Tom, as Katie Logan Spencer on "B&B," CBS; ?Laura Wright, as Carly Corinthos Jax on "GH," ABC (I was doubtful when she was signed to play Carly. Now I cannot remember the others).

??OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES?: Maurice Bernard, as Michael "Sonny" Corinthos Jr. on "GH," ABC; ?Anthony Geary, as Luke Spencer on "GH," ABC?; John McCook, as Eric Forrester on "B&B," CBS?; Darnell Williams, as Jesse Hubbard on "AMC," ABC (he is now on "Young and Restless" playing Sarge, Jack's hard-as-nails physical therapist.); Robert S. Woods, as Bo Buchanan on "OLTL," ABC.

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES?: Melissa Claire Egan, as Annie Chandler on "AMC," ABC (Egan is now on "Y&R" playing Chelsea. She is spending lots of airtime with Billy Miller (Billy). On "AMC," Miller played her unsavory brother?); Genie Frances, as Genevieve Atkinson on "Y&R," CBS; ?Nancy Lee Grahn, as Alexis Davis on "GH," ABC?; Elizabeth Henderickson, as Chloe Mitchell on "Y&R," CBS; ?Rebecca Herbst, as Elizabeth Webber on "General Hospital," ABC.

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES?: Bradford Anderson, as Damien Spinelli on "GH," ABC; ?Matthew Ashford, as Jack Deveraux on "Days," NBC (Ashford was just let go in "Days'" latest bloodbath); ?Sean Blakemore, as Shawn Butler on "GH," ABC (the actor did not have much airtime on the show because he was making a movie. His character returns with a major splash in the next few weeks); Jonathan Jackson, as Lucky Spencer on "GH," ABC (Jackson opted off the show earlier this year. He was drained by his darker-than-dark storyline. Jackson has booked a pilot, and his rock band has a variety of gigs); ?Jason Thompson, as Patrick Drake on "GH," ABC.

OUTSTANDING YOUNGER ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES?: Molly Burnett, as Melanie Layton on "Days," NBC; ?Shelley Hennig, as Stephanie Johnson on "Days," NBC; ?Christel Khalil, as Lily Winters on "Y&R," CBS; ?Jacque Macinnes Wood, as Steffy Forrester on "B&B," CBS.

OUTSTANDING YOUNGER ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES: ?Eddie Alderson, as Matthew Buchanan on "OLTL," ABC; ?Chad Duell, as Michael Corinthos on "GH," ABC?; Chandler Massey, as Will Horton on "Days," NBC?; Nathan Parsons, as Ethan Lovett on "GH," ABC (Parson is no longer with the show. His character was sent out of town.).

For the first time in over a decade, "Y&R" does not have any nominees in the best actor or actress category.

To find out more about Lynda Hirsch and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate web page at www.creators.com.