PBS SoCal, KMEX Lead L.A. Local Emmy Wins; KVEA, KABC Land Top Newscast Prizes

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. Popular on Variety 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 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) NEWS AND PROGRAMMING L.A. Local Color “Hispanic Heritage Month – Candelas Guitars” (Spectrum News 1) Independent Programming No nominations Education/Information “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 Crime/Social Issues “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 Arts “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 Culture/History “Somos de Aquí” (KMEX-TV)William Negrón, Executive ProducerJulio Octavio Valdez, AnchorCarlos Leonardo Gonzalez, CameraJuan Ramirez, EditorMarco 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) Entertainment “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 Music Composition “Art & Science Collide” (PBS SoCal)Dan Deacon, Composer News Series “Black Heritage: Altadena Roots And Resilience” (NBC4) Sports Special “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 Sports Series – Programming “Backstage: Lakers” (Spectrum SportsNet) Live Sports Coverage “Nuestra Copa, Nuestra Pasión” (KVEA) Sports Feature “After the Fire (Backstage Dodgers)” (Spectrum SportsNet) Sports Tease “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 ProducerLetitia Fernandez Ivins, Executive ProducerMichelle Merker, ProducerJennifer Chang, WriterCristina Lucio, Associate ProducerPatrick Traylor, Associate ProducerMadeleine Ciano, Associate ProducerAloe Blacc, HostMaya Jupiter, Host Live Special Events – News “ABC7 Presents the 40th Annual Kingdom Day Parade” (ABC7) Feature Segment “Indispensables, Pero Invisibles: Manos que Reconstruyen (Al Punto California)” (KMEX-TV)Arturo Quezada, Camera, Editor, ProducerDina Rodriguez, Producer Information Segment “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 Live Coverage of an Unscheduled News Event “Breaking News: SoCal Firestorms” (ABC7) Entertainment News Story “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, ReporterLuis Enrique Rivera, ProducerManuel Pineda, CameraYolimar Aquino, EditorYansily 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, ProducerDina Rodriguez, ProducerAlvaro Corzo Virviescas, Co-Producer Environment News Story “Cryo-Rescue: Race to Preserve Life” (NBC4 News at 5pm) (NBC4)Enrique Roman, CameraAnnette Arreola, Reporter Health/Science News Story “Inteligencia Artificial y la Ciencia Del Cambio Climático” (Noticias 34 6pm) (KMEX-TV)Gabriela Teissier, Producer, Reporter, WriterAndres Fernando Pruna, Camera, Editor, Producer Human Interest News Story “KVEA Repartidor de fresas detenido” (Noticias Telemundo 52 A las 6pm) (KVEA)Enrique Chiabra, Anchor Investigative News Story “SoCal Firestorms 6 months later: Palisades Fire Investigation” (Eyewitness News at 5pm) (ABC7) Sports News Story “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 ProducerSanay Saboo, Director, Editor, ProducerLuke Cuellar, Graphic DesignerMic Ferrante, EditorMichael Malara, EditorGeo Robinson, EditorEzekiel Wagner, EditorZahir Martin, EditorDouson Yuan, EditorGeorge Tyler He􀆯ley, EditorRadmen Niven, Associate ProducerCody 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