Nominations Include Nine Original Series, Independent Film and Directing, Bringing CUNY TV’s Lifetime Total to 232 New York Emmy Nominations

CUNY TV, the public educational television station of The City University of New York, received 17 nominations for the 2026 New York Emmy Awards, recognizing the station’s outstanding storytelling across documentary, public affairs, arts, culture and educational programming.

Leading the nominations are “CUNY Laureates,” which received four nominations, and “Asian American Life,” “LATiNAS” and “Nueva York,” which earned two nominations each. “Arts in the City,” “Black America,” “Shades of U.S.,” “Let It Rip” and “Urban U” each received one nomination. Director Fatou Seck earned a nomination for “The Free Black Women’s Library,” and the film “Physical Therapy” was nominated. Both were featured on the independent filmmakers show “CUNY TV Presents.”

“These nominations reflect CUNY TV’s unique ability to tell the stories that define New York — stories rooted in education, culture, history and the extraordinary diversity of our city,” said CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez. “Congratulations to the entire CUNY TV team, whose work continues to earn recognition at the highest levels.”

With this year’s nominations, CUNY TV has now received a total of 232 New York Emmy Award nods. Of those, CUNY TV has won 49 NY Emmy awards since 2004, including five last year for “Nueva York,” “Shades of U.S.” and the film “Anemoia,” which aired as part of “CUNY TV Presents,” now called Frame by Frame. 

Nominated programs this year include stories of young business owners carrying Chinatown traditions into the future, women working to close maternal health disparities, Latino entrepreneurs building community and the writer Upton Sinclair, a City College alumnus whose legacy has shaped conversations about politics, labor and food for over a century. Together, this year’s nominees highlight the people and communities who define New York.

“CUNY TV plays a vital role in bringing the University’s mission to life through programming that educates and celebrates the communities we serve,” said CUNY Senior Vice Chancellor for Communications and Marketing Maite Junco. “These nominations are a well-deserved recognition of our incredibly talented team whose work extends CUNY’s impact far beyond our campuses.”

“We’re honored to see so many of our programs recognized by the New York Emmy Awards,” said CUNY TV Executive Director Chiqui Cartagena. “These nominations reflect our commitment to creating programming that elevate the voices of underrepresented New York communities while informing, educating and connecting audiences across the city.” 

The nominations were announced on July 2. The New York Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences will present the honorees for the 69th annual New York Emmy Awards on October 10, at a gala held at the New York Marriott Marquis. 

Below is a full list of CUNY TV’s 2026 New York Emmy-Nominated Programming: 

Education/Schools – Long Form Content

Business/Consumer – Short or Long Form Content

Lifestyle News & Content – Spanish 

Nostalgia – Short Form Content

Public Affairs Program – Series

Diversity/Equity/Inclusion – Short Form Content

News Special/Documentary – Spanish 

Arts/Entertainment – Short Form Content

Politics/Government – Long Form Content

Historical/Cultural – Short Form Content

Historical/Cultural – Long Form Content

Interview/Discussion – Long Form Content

Director – Post Produced – Short Form Content

  • Fatou Seck: The Free Black Women’s Library – CUNY TV

Entertainment – Short Form Content

  • Physical Therapy – CUNY TV

Cover photo: An Emmy-nominated episode of “Asian American Life” on CUNY TV features the family behind Wing On Wo & Co., one of Chinatown’s oldest stores.