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SFGovTV celebrates record three Emmy® wins at 55th San Francisco / Northern California Emmy Awards

City Administrator

Award-winning original productions spotlighted Rhodessa Jones, winner of the Arts Commission’s 2024 Artistic Legacy Grant, San Francisco’s skateboarding legacy, and the City’s “RV to Homes” program.

SAN FRANCISCO, CA--- Mayor Daniel Lurie announced that SFGovTV, San Francisco’s official government cable television channel, won three Emmy Awards at the 55th Annual Northern California Area Emmy® Awards and Gala, held August 22, 2026, at the SAFE Credit Union Convention Center in Sacramento.


"I am proud to congratulate SFGovTV and the Arts Commission on receiving three San Francisco/Northern California Emmy Awards for their video productions," said Mayor Daniel Lurie. "These productions highlight some of the incredible work that San Franciscans are doing across our city, and each topic is so important to our city’s recovery. Every day, San Franciscans are working to support our city’s comeback, and SFGovTV's work helps more residents learn about the progress we’re making while getting the word out across the Bay Area and more broadly."


A division of the Department of Technology, SFGovTV was recognized for three original productions across a range of civic and cultural topics:

These awards recognize SFGovTV’s commitment to high-quality public service media and its role in elevating stories that define San Francisco’s communities, challenges, and creative spirit.


“A huge congratulations to the SFGovTV team on earning a record three Emmy Awards this year. This remarkable recognition reaffirms what we already know: the SFGovTV team is exceptionally talented at bringing the stories of our residents, our communities, and our government to life,” said City Administrator Carmen Chu. “I thank the SFGovTV team for the professionalism, creativity, and dedication they bring to keeping San Franciscans informed, engaged, and connected to their government—from producing compelling original content to ensuring daily public access to Board and commission meetings. This recognition is well deserved. Way to go!”


“We are grateful for the talent and dedication our SFGovTV team brought to these productions,” said Michael Makstman, San Francisco Chief Information Officer and Executive Director of the Department of Technology. “And we are proud of the range of work this same Emmy-winning team creates, like producing the podcast ‘I Left My Podcast in San Francisco,’ broadcasting this year’s Stern Grove Festival, and covering local government meetings to make City Hall more accessible to residents.”


“Rhodessa Jones – A Cultural Odyssey” celebrates artist Rhodessa Jones, a San Francisco-based theater performer, director, teacher, and writer whose five-decade body of work tells the stories of women such as The Medea Project. The project develops performance pieces with incarcerated women and women who are HIV-positive. Through the Arts Commission, Jones was recognized as an Artistic Legacy Grant (ALG) award which uplifts artists whose sustained contributions that have helped shape San Francisco diverse arts and culture ecosystem.


“I’m incredibly proud of the Arts Commission and SFGovTV teams for this recognition. They approached Rhodessa Jones’s story with the care, creativity, and artistry it deserves, and the result is something truly special,” said Matthew Goudeau, Executive Director of Arts and Culture. “Rhodessa has spent decades making sure stories that might otherwise go unheard are seen, heard, and remembered. This Emmy honors her remarkable legacy, and it also recognizes the extraordinary talent of the people working in City government to tell the stories of the artists who make San Francisco what it is.”


Established by the Arts Commission in 2017, the Artistic Legacy Grant (ALG) award has recognized and celebrated the impact of an artistic director or artist who has served a San Francisco-based arts and culture organization or has been living and practicing their craft in San Francisco for 25 consecutive years or more.


“Concrete Mecca: San Francisco’s Skateboarding Legacy” explores the evolution of skateboarding in San Francisco, featuring historical context, community voices, local skate shops such as FTC, and the development of civic skate spaces like the UN Skate Plaza. The piece also highlights Recreation and Park Department program Shred N’ Butter that support youth skateboarding, including instruction at multiple city sites. The video also showcases material from the San Francisco Main Public Library’s 2025 exhibit “Skateboarding San Francisco – Concrete, Community, Continuity,” curated by Ted Barrow. By weaving together archival history, community voices, and civic investment, the piece preserves an essential chapter of San Francisco’s cultural heritage.


“Skateboarding is part of San Francisco’s DNA, from our skate parks to our legendary street skating history, to kids learning through programs like Shred N’ Butter,” said Sarah Madland, General Manager of the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department. “SFGovTV beautifully captured that history, creativity and community. This Emmy is well deserved.”


“From RVs to Homes: San Francisco’s Large Vehicle Initiative” documents the coordinated multi-department effort behind Mayor Daniel Lurie’s large vehicle buyback program, which supports residents living in recreational vehicles as they transition into stable housing. Through collaboration among the Mayor’s Office, the Department of Emergency Management, the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing, the Office of the Treasurer & Tax Collector, the Department of Technology, DataSF, and the Municipal Transportation Agency, the piece highlights how city agencies work together to implement the initiative with impactful success stories.


SFGovTV received a total of seven nominations this year, highlighting the breadth and quality of the City’s government television programming. Additional nominations included:

SFGovTV has previously won three San Francisco/Northern California Emmy® awards in 2016, 2017, and 2022. Visit SF.gov for more information about SFGovTV’s awards and nominations.


About SFGovTV
SFGovTV is the City and County of San Francisco’s government cable television channel, providing residents with award-winning original productions and access to public meetings, civic programming, educational content, and other information about City government and San Francisco, delivering the best of City Hall to your home 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. To learn more, visit: sf.gov/departments--san-francisco-government-tv


About the San Francisco Arts Commission
The San Francisco Arts Commission is the City agency that champions the arts as essential to daily life by investing in a vibrant arts community, enlivening the urban environment and shaping innovative cultural policy. Our programs include: Civic Art Collection, Civic Design Review, Community Investments, Film SF, Grants for the Arts, Public Art, SFAC Galleries, and Art Vendor Licensing. To learn more, visit sf.gov/artscommission.


About the San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department
The San Francisco Recreation and Park Department’s Mission is to provide enriching recreational activities, maintain beautiful parks and preserve the environment for the well-being of everyone in our diverse community. RPD administers more than 230 parks, playgrounds, and open spaces, including two outside city limits—Camp Mather in Yosemite and Sharp Park in Pacifica, Calif. Our park system includes 25 recreation centers; nine swimming pools; five golf courses; 142 tennis courts; 93 pickleball courts; and numerous ball diamonds, soccer fields and other sports venues. Included in the department’s responsibilities are Golden Gate Park, Coit Tower, the Marina Yacht Harbor, the San Francisco Zoo, and Lake Merced. To learn more, visit sfrecpark.org.