CHICAGO (WLS) — ABC7 Chicago took home six regional Emmy Awards during Saturday night’s ceremony, recognizing the station’s work in news, entertainment and special-event programming.
One of the evening’s top honors was Outstanding Achievement for Evening Newscast: Larger Markets. The award recognized ABC7’s coverage of the March 10, 2026, tornado outbreak, when severe storms damaged communities including Kankakee and Lake Village, Indiana.
The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Chicago/Midwest chapter presented the awards at its annual ceremony, held at Swissotel Chicago on downtown’s Wacker Drive.
ABC7 Chicago was honored in six categories:
-Outstanding Achievement for Human Interest Content: Our Chicago: El Sueño Americano
-Outstanding Achievement for Entertainment (Performance): The Dance: Countdown Chicago
-Outstanding Achievement for Special Event Coverage – Live/Edited: The Wintrust Magnificent Mile Lights Festival
-Outstanding Achievement for Magazine Program – Single Program/Series: Road To The Bud
-Outstanding Achievement for News Gathering – Business/Consumer/Technology: Investment Resentment
-Outstanding Achievement for Evening Newscast: Larger Markets: Tornado Outbreak Of March 10th
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Saturday’s ceremony also brought a major career milestone for ABC7 photojournalist Ken Bedford, who was named an inductee into the NATAS Gold Circle. Bedford has spent more than five decades at the station and is the first person in Chicago to receive the distinction.
Former ABC7 anchor Kathy Brock will join the NATAS Silver Circle. Brock worked at the WLS news desk for 28 years, from 1990 until her retirement in 2018. During her tenure, she anchored the morning, 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. newscasts, playing a key role in ABC7’s rise as Chicago’s news leader.
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