KABC's David Ono receives the 2026 Los Angeles Area Emmy Governors Award
PBS SoCal (KOCE and KCET) was the big winner Saturday night at the L.A. Area Emmy Awards, landing eight — including for live events-programming, entertainment, crime/social issues and arts. Univision’s KMEX was next, with seven, followed by Telemundo’s KVEA with six.
KVEA once again won the newscast Emmys for daily daytime (11 a.m. to 7 p.m.) and daily evening (7 p.m. to 12 a.m.). Last year, KVEA won all three — also picking up daily morning (4 a.m. to 11 a.m.). But this year, KABC/ABC7 won that morning newscast Emmy.
The 2026 Los Angeles Area Emmy Awards were held Saturday at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles, hosted by KABC entertainment reporter George Pennacchio. KABC’s David Ono received the 2026 Los Angeles Area Emmy Governors Award, “recognizing his more than three decades of broadcasting and his passion for in-depth storytelling.” Ono’s KABC co-anchor, Jovana Lara, presented him the honor.
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Bob Bain and Bob Bain Productions produced the ceremony, while Greg Taylor and Brian DeCloux are the Los Angeles Area Governors. Categories included Live and Breaking News Coverage, Crime and Social Issues, Culture and History, the Arts, Health and Science, Human Interest, Music, Sports and the Environment.
Beyond PBS SoCal, KMEX and KVEA, other outlet winners included KABC/ABC7 (four), KNBC/NBC4 (four), Spectrum News 1 (two), Spectrum SportsNet (two), LA36 (one), Spectrum SportsNet LA (one) and USC football (one).
As for this year’s nominee totals, PBS SoCal landed 29 nominations; KABC/ABC7 received 21, Univision outlet KMEX received 20, Telemundo’s KVEA had 18, KNBC/NBC4 landed 15 and Spectrum News 1 had 10.
For the station newscast awards, every TV station that submits is eligible. This year’s eligibility period was for the 2025 calendar year, which means many of the news categories winners focused on the devastating wildfires that ripped through the region last January.
Here are this year’s winners (see all nominees here ):
Station awards do not have nominations; rather, all entrants are candidates for the Emmy statuette.
Regularly Scheduled Daily Morning Newscast: 4:00am-11:00am
“Eyewitness News at 6am” (ABC7)
Regularly Scheduled Daily Daytime Newscast: 11:00am-4:00pm
“Noticiero Telemundo 52 Al Mediodía” (KVEA)
Regularly Scheduled Daily Evening Newscast: 4:00pm-12:00am
“Noticiero Telemundo 52 A las 11pm” (KVEA)
L.A. Local Color
“Hispanic Heritage Month – Candelas Guitars” (Spectrum News 1)
No nominations
“For Dear Life: Art, Medicine & Disability (PST ART)” (PBS SoCal) Angela Boisvert, Producer Nic Cha Kim, Executive Producer Tamara Gould, Executive Producer Matt Pappas, Director of Photography Suzanne Méjean Pinney, Editor Robert McDonnell, Supervising Producer
“Aging in America: Survive or Thrive” (PBS SoCal) Neil Steinberg, Director, Executive Producer Mark Jonathan Harris, Producer Steve Purcell, Co-Producer, Editor Karin Hayes, Co-Producer Martin Sheen, Host Michelle Merker, Producer
“Aretha! with Sheléa and the Pacific Symphony” (PBS SoCal) Maura Daly Phinney, Executive Producer Andy Trimlett, Producer Steve Purcell, Director Keena Levert, Associate Producer Sheléa Melody McDonald, On-Camera Talent
“Somos de Aquí” (KMEX-TV) William Negrón, Executive Producer Julio Octavio Valdez, Anchor Carlos Leonardo Gonzalez, Camera Juan Ramirez, Editor Marco A. Flores, Executive Producer
Informational Series (more than 50% remote)
“Tu Voz LA” (KMEX-TV)
Informational Series (more than 50% studio)
“Al Punto California” (KMEX-TV)
“Color in Motion: Chromatic Explorations of Cinema (PST ART)” (PBS SoCal) Jaime Morgan Muñoz, Producer Nic Cha Kim, Producer Angela Boisvert, Executive Producer Tamara Gould, Executive Producer Matt Bass, Director of Photography Ben Boyd, Editor Robert McDonnell, Supervising Producer
“Art & Science Collide” (PBS SoCal) Dan Deacon, Composer
“Black Heritage: Altadena Roots And Resilience” (NBC4)
“竜巻 – The Story of Nomomania” (Spectrum SportsNet LA) Aaron Minderhout, Producer Greg Taylor, Executive Producer Erick Vazquez, Producer Cary Osborne, Associate Producer Logan Montane, Camera Matthew Blum, Camera Joseph Forquer, Camera Brandon Cervantes, Camera Margie Carson, Camera
Sports Series – Programming
“Backstage: Lakers” (Spectrum SportsNet)
“Nuestra Copa, Nuestra Pasión” (KVEA)
“After the Fire (Backstage Dodgers)” (Spectrum SportsNet)
“Shohei Ohtani: Baseball’s Solar Eclipse” (Spectrum News 1) Taylor Schaub, Producer
Live Special Events – Programming
“66th Annual LA County Holiday Celebration” (PBS SoCal) Taylor Comen, Executive Producer Letitia Fernandez Ivins, Executive Producer Michelle Merker, Producer Jennifer Chang, Writer Cristina Lucio, Associate Producer Patrick Traylor, Associate Producer Madeleine Ciano, Associate Producer Aloe Blacc, Host Maya Jupiter, Host
Live Special Events – News
“ABC7 Presents the 40th Annual Kingdom Day Parade” (ABC7)
“Indispensables, Pero Invisibles: Manos que Reconstruyen (Al Punto California)” (KMEX-TV) Arturo Quezada, Camera, Editor, Producer Dina Rodriguez, Producer
“Combating Climate Change with Trees (Earth Focus)” (PBS SoCal) Daniel H. Birman, Director of Photography, Executive Producer, Producer, Writer, Director Megan E. Chao, Editor, Executive Producer, Producer Angela Boisvert, Executive Producer Tamara Gould, Executive Producer Clarissa Guy, Producer Jaime Morgan Muñoz, Producer Susy Garciasalas Barkley, Producer Jason Janocko, Director of Photography Erik C. Andersen, Editor Robert McDonnell, Senior Supervising Producer
Live Coverage of an Unscheduled News Event
“Breaking News: SoCal Firestorms” (ABC7)
“Bob’s Brush with Fame” ( NBC4 News at 5 ) (NBC4) Michael Brownlee, Producer, Reporter, Writer
Business/Consumer News Story
“Ausentismo en los Campos de Cultivo” ( Noticiero Telemundo 52 a las 6pm ) (KVEA) Enrique Chiabra, Producer, Reporter Luis Enrique Rivera, Producer Manuel Pineda, Camera Yolimar Aquino, Editor Yansily Reyes, Editor
Crime/Social Issues News Story
“Infierno en Adelanto” ( Noticias 34 6pm ) (KMEX-TV) Candela Martinez, Reporter, Writer
Art/Cultural/Historical News Story
“L.A. Cumbia” ( Noticias 34 6pm ) (KMEX-TV) Arturo Quezada, Camera, Editor, Producer Dina Rodriguez, Producer Alvaro Corzo Virviescas, Co-Producer
“Cryo-Rescue: Race to Preserve Life” ( NBC4 News at 5pm ) (NBC4) Enrique Roman, Camera Annette Arreola, Reporter
“Inteligencia Artificial y la Ciencia Del Cambio Climático” ( Noticias 34 6pm ) (KMEX-TV) Gabriela Teissier, Producer, Reporter, Writer Andres Fernando Pruna, Camera, Editor, Producer
Human Interest News Story
“KVEA Repartidor de fresas detenido” ( Noticias Telemundo 52 A las 6pm ) (KVEA) Enrique Chiabra, Anchor
“SoCal Firestorms 6 months later: Palisades Fire Investigation” ( Eyewitness News at 5pm ) (ABC7)
“La Huella Del Fútbol” ( Noticiero Telemundo 52 A las 5:30pm ) (KVEA) Alejandro Navarro, Anchor
Short Promo – Sports
“War Time” (USC Football) Eric Michael, Camera, Director, Executive Producer Sanay Saboo, Director, Editor, Producer Luke Cuellar, Graphic Designer Mic Ferrante, Editor Michael Malara, Editor Geo Robinson, Editor Ezekiel Wagner, Editor Zahir Martin, Editor Douson Yuan, Editor George Tyler Heley, Editor Radmen Niven, Associate Producer Cody Worsham, Associate Producer
Short Promo – News
“NBC4: Picking Up the Pieces” (NBC4)
Short Promo – Programming
“Climate & Environment (PBS SoCal)” (PBS SoCal) Olivia Cox, Editor, Producer
Public Service Announcement
“Emergency Lights? Pull to the Right” (LA36) Vance Kotrla, Director, Producer, Writer
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