It has never been done before in New York television history.
Former WPIX-TV news commentator Larry Mendte earned an Emmy Award in the category of On-Camera Talent: Commentator/Editorialist at the 58th New York Emmy Gala held at the Mariott Marquis in Times Square. It was the 5th straight year that he won the Emmy for best Commentator/Editorialist, setting a record.
WPIX-TV was the big winner of the night earning Emmy Awards in 15 categories. Mendte has won 11 Emmys in 5 years for Tribune Broadcasting’s flagship station.
Commentator Larry Mendte at WPOIX-TV, New York
After anchoring PIX 11’s coverage of Superstorm Sandy and the Boston Marathon Bombing, Mendte was released by WPIX-TV in September of 2013 by former News Director Mark Effron. Many of Mendte’s commentaries fell were still eligible for the 2014 Emmys. Effron was fired by Tribune after less than a year as News Director.
Executive officers at the New York Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) don’t blieve anyone was has ever won Emmys five years in a row in the same category, but are confident it has never happened in the Commentator/Editorialist category.
Mendte’s commentaries can now be seen at the close of “Another Thing with Larry Mendte” on KJWP-TV, channel 2 in Philadelphia and WJLP-TV, channel 3 in New York. The stations are owned and operated by PMCM-TV.