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.
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
Regularly Scheduled Daily Daytime Newscast: 11:00am-4:00pm
Regularly Scheduled Daily Evening Newscast: 4:00pm-12:00am
“Hispanic Heritage Month – Candelas Guitars” (Spectrum News 1)
“For Dear Life: Art, Medicine & Disability (PST ART)” (PBS SoCal)Angela Boisvert, ProducerNic Cha Kim, Executive ProducerTamara Gould, Executive ProducerMatt Pappas, Director of PhotographySuzanne Méjean Pinney, EditorRobert McDonnell, Supervising Producer
“Aging in America: Survive or Thrive” (PBS SoCal)Neil Steinberg, Director, Executive ProducerMark Jonathan Harris, ProducerSteve Purcell, Co-Producer, EditorKarin Hayes, Co-ProducerMartin Sheen, HostMichelle Merker, Producer
“Aretha! with Sheléa and the Pacific Symphony” (PBS SoCal)Maura Daly Phinney, Executive ProducerAndy Trimlett, ProducerSteve Purcell, DirectorKeena Levert, Associate ProducerSheléa Melody McDonald, On-Camera Talent
“Somos de Aquí” (KMEX-TV)William Negrón, Executive ProducerJulio Octavio Valdez, AnchorCarlos Leonardo Gonzalez, CameraJuan Ramirez, EditorMarco A. Flores, Executive Producer
“Color in Motion: Chromatic Explorations of Cinema (PST ART)” (PBS SoCal)Jaime Morgan Muñoz, ProducerNic Cha Kim, ProducerAngela Boisvert, Executive ProducerTamara Gould, Executive ProducerMatt Bass, Director of PhotographyBen Boyd, EditorRobert 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, ProducerGreg Taylor, Executive ProducerErick Vazquez, ProducerCary Osborne, Associate ProducerLogan Montane, CameraMatthew Blum, CameraJoseph Forquer, CameraBrandon Cervantes, CameraMargie Carson, Camera
“After the Fire (Backstage Dodgers)” (Spectrum SportsNet)
“Shohei Ohtani: Baseball’s Solar Eclipse” (Spectrum News 1)Taylor Schaub, Producer
“66th Annual LA County Holiday Celebration” (PBS SoCal)Taylor Comen, Executive ProducerLetitia Fernandez Ivins, Executive ProducerMichelle Merker, ProducerJennifer Chang, WriterCristina Lucio, Associate ProducerPatrick Traylor, Associate ProducerMadeleine Ciano, Associate ProducerAloe Blacc, HostMaya Jupiter, Host
“ABC7 Presents the 40th Annual Kingdom Day Parade” (ABC7)
“Indispensables, Pero Invisibles: Manos que Reconstruyen (Al Punto California)” (KMEX-TV)Arturo Quezada, Camera, Editor, ProducerDina Rodriguez, Producer
“Combating Climate Change with Trees (Earth Focus)” (PBS SoCal)Daniel H. Birman, Director of Photography, Executive Producer, Producer, Writer, DirectorMegan E. Chao, Editor, Executive Producer, ProducerAngela Boisvert, Executive ProducerTamara Gould, Executive ProducerClarissa Guy, ProducerJaime Morgan Muñoz, ProducerSusy Garciasalas Barkley, ProducerJason Janocko, Director of PhotographyErik C. Andersen, EditorRobert McDonnell, Senior Supervising Producer
“Bob’s Brush with Fame” (NBC4 News at 5) (NBC4)Michael Brownlee, Producer, Reporter, Writer
“Ausentismo en los Campos de Cultivo” (Noticiero Telemundo 52 a las 6pm) (KVEA)Enrique Chiabra, Producer, ReporterLuis Enrique Rivera, ProducerManuel Pineda, CameraYolimar Aquino, EditorYansily Reyes, Editor
“Infierno en Adelanto” (Noticias 34 6pm) (KMEX-TV)Candela Martinez, Reporter, Writer
“L.A. Cumbia” (Noticias 34 6pm) (KMEX-TV)Arturo Quezada, Camera, Editor, ProducerDina Rodriguez, ProducerAlvaro Corzo Virviescas, Co-Producer
“Cryo-Rescue: Race to Preserve Life” (NBC4 News at 5pm) (NBC4)Enrique Roman, CameraAnnette Arreola, Reporter
“Inteligencia Artificial y la Ciencia Del Cambio Climático” (Noticias 34 6pm) (KMEX-TV)Gabriela Teissier, Producer, Reporter, WriterAndres Fernando Pruna, Camera, Editor, Producer
“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
“War Time” (USC Football)Eric Michael, Camera, Director, Executive ProducerSanay Saboo, Director, Editor, ProducerLuke Cuellar, Graphic DesignerMic Ferrante, EditorMichael Malara, EditorGeo Robinson, EditorEzekiel Wagner, EditorZahir Martin, EditorDouson Yuan, EditorGeorge Tyler Heley, EditorRadmen Niven, Associate ProducerCody Worsham, Associate Producer
“Climate & Environment (PBS SoCal)” (PBS SoCal)Olivia Cox, Editor, Producer
“Emergency Lights? Pull to the Right” (LA36)Vance Kotrla, Director, Producer, Writer