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

RADIO

Miller Gets Back Syndicated Berth: Radio host Stephanie Miller--who lost her KABC-AM (790) slot on March 2 and then her nationally syndicated berth on ABC Radio Today on March 7 while the network investigated comments she made to the media--confirmed Monday that she will be returning to her syndicated show Wednesday night. The program will be broadcast from ABC facilities in Burbank. Asked her reaction, Miller said, “I’d rather let my ratings speak for me,” and noted that she is seeking other stations in the L.A. market. While KABC General Manager Bill Sommers said last week that she had been dropped for low ratings, Miller pointed out Monday that among KABC’s core demographic of 35- to 54-year-olds, she drew higher ratings than talk competitors in her time slot, according to Arbitron’s most recent ratings survey. KABC declined comment, and ABC Radio Today could not immediately be reached.

TV & MOVIES

Independent Fest Lineup: Thirty-five feature films, seven documentaries and 45 shorts will be shown at the April 13-18 Los Angeles Independent Film Festival, with the spotlight on emerging directors from across North America. Among the feature films, 25 will receive their world premieres, including the opening-night film, “Lakeboat,” a coming-of-age tale directed by Joe Mantegna and written by David Mamet, which will be shown at the Directors Guild in West Hollywood.

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MTV and CBS Too: In the latest example of corporate synergy, MTV and CBS have signed MTV’s popular “Total Request Live” host Carson Daly to an expanded contract, with the new deal including plans to set up a production company--Carson Daly Productions--to create and develop shows for both MTV and CBS. In addition to continued hosting duties on “TRL” and other MTV programming, Daly will become an executive producer of “TRL.” CBS, meanwhile, plans to use Daly--a former radio host at Los Angeles’ KROQ-FM (106.7)--as a host of high-profile specials and to develop other projects for him.

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Imagen Honors: Screenwriter Steven de Souza (“Die Hard 1 & 2,” “48 Hours”) will receive the inaugural Norman Lear Writers Award; pop star Ricky Martin will take home the 1999 “Lasting Image” honor; and cinematographer Reynaldo Villalobos (“Urban Cowboy,” “American Me”) will pick up the Creative Achievement Award at the 15th annual Imagen Awards, April 5 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. Nominees of additional Imagen Awards--honoring positive portrayals of Latinos and Latino culture--include NBC’s “The West Wing,” CBS’ “Nash Bridges” and HBO’s “Oz” (prime-time TV drama); NBC’s “Jesse” and “Suddenly Susan” and Lifetime’s “Oh Baby” (prime-time comedy series); and Trimark Pictures’ “Twice Upon a Yesterday,” Touchstone’s “The 13th Warrior” and the independent release “East of Hope Street” (feature film).

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Soap Winners: ABC’s daytime dramas won 13 of 16 awards at the Soap Opera Digest Awards on Friday night, with “General Hospital” taking five prizes, including favorite show, outstanding lead actor (Anthony Geary), favorite actor (Maurice Benard) and favorite actress (Sarah Brown). Other winners included real-life married couple Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos, who won outstanding younger lead actress and younger lead actor honors for their roles in “All My Children,” and “One Life to Live’s” Erika Slezak and Mark Derwin, who were named favorite couple. Non-ABC winners included Kim Zimmer of CBS’ “Guiding Light” (lead actress).

POP/ROCK

Jackson’s Polish Park Delayed: Michael Jackson canceled a visit to Poland this week after negotiations stalled on his proposed theme park, but he still hopes to purse the project, officials said Monday. Warsaw Mayor Pawel Piskorski invited Jackson for a two-day visit that was to have begun today. It was believed Jackson was to look at possible sites for his planned family-oriented theme park. Jackson signed a letter of intent with Warsaw officials in 1997 to develop a $500-million attraction, but the two sides have not agreed on a location.

QUICK TAKES

Former Monty Python troupe member Eric Idle, who led an orchestral journey back through Python songs during a concert at the Getty Center last year, is taking the act on tour. He’ll be at the Universal Amphitheatre on May 5. Tickets are now on sale. . . . Paramount’s “Sleepy Hollow” nabbed a leading 11 nominations for the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films’ 26th annual Saturn Awards, including nods for best horror film, actor (Johnny Depp), actress (Christina Ricci) and director (Tim Burton). Winners will be announced June 7, when Dick Van Dyke will receive the organization’s special Life Career Award. . . . ABC said Monday that its online version of “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire”--featuring a new game with original questions each day that the TV game show airs--was played a whopping 51 million times between the online game’s Jan. 9 debut and the end of February. And three million of the https://www.abc.com contestants reached the “Millionaire” winner’s page. . . . Country star Vince Gill, 42, and pop singer Amy Grant, 39, were wed Friday outside of Nashville. It is the second marriage for both.