DENVER, Colo. (July 19, 2026) – Denver7 has been awarded the 2026 Heartland Emmy® Award for Overall Excellence, earning the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) Heartland Chapter's highest honor for the second consecutive year.
The Overall Excellence Emmy recognizes the collective achievements of an entire television station, honoring excellence across every department, from journalism, creative services, digital, engineering and operations to sales, marketing and community engagement. The award reflects Denver7's commitment to trusted journalism, innovative storytelling and meaningful service to the communities it serves.
The recognition comes as Denver7 continues to evolve its local journalism strategy with an even greater emphasis on connecting with communities across Colorado. Through its neighborhood-focused reporting, community partnerships and viewer engagement initiatives, the station is committed to ensuring every community has a voice and feels represented.
In addition to Overall Excellence, Denver7 received the 2026 Heartland Emmy® Award for Community Service for its Denver7 Gives initiative, recognizing the station's commitment to supporting Colorado nonprofits and creating opportunities for viewers to make a difference in their own communities.
Denver7 journalists, photographers, producers, editors, reporters and creative services professionals also earned numerous individual Heartland Emmy® Awards recognizing excellence in journalism and storytelling.
"While these awards recognize work from the past year, they also inspire where we're headed," said Brian Joyce, Vice President and General Manager of Denver7. "At Denver7, we believe great journalism begins with connection. Connecting with our communities, understanding what matters most to our viewers, and telling stories that make a difference. Winning Overall Excellence for a second consecutive year is a testament to an extraordinary team that shows up every day with a shared purpose: to serve Colorado with trusted journalism, meaningful storytelling and an unwavering commitment to the people who call this state home."
The back-to-back Overall Excellence Emmy Awards reinforce Denver7's longstanding mission of delivering journalism that informs, empowers and strengthens communities across Colorado while continuing to innovate and deepen its connection with audiences.
About Denver7
Denver7 is Colorado's trusted ABC affiliate, delivering local news, weather, investigative journalism and community-focused storytelling across the state. Through award-winning journalism, innovative digital content and initiatives such as Denver7 Gives, Denver7 is committed to building stronger connections with the communities it serves—informing, inspiring and standing up for what matters most to Coloradans every day.