Sam Rubin named posthumous winner of TV Academy Governors Award

(Photo by Gregg DeGuire/WireImage)

The late KTLA5 entertainment reporter Sam Rubin has been named the posthumous recipient of the 76th Los Angeles Area Emmy Governors Award, the Television Academy announced Tuesday.

The award, which is presented to an individual, company or organization that has made an outstanding, innovative and visionary achievement in the arts, sciences or management of television as well as a substantial contribution to the greater Los Angeles area, recognizes Rubin's legacy of more than three decades of entertainment news reporting for the station.

"Sam was a trailblazer, a pioneer in the modern age of television news. His contributions to entertainment journalism in Los Angeles and around the world are unmatched," said Cris Abrego, chair of the Television Academy. "We are honored to recognize him for his influence and impact to our television community."

Rubin died unexpectedly May 10 at age 64 after suffering a heart attack at his home in Brentwood.

He joined KTLA in 1991, and brought a fun-loving, breezy sensibility to the newsroom, coupled with an encyclopedic knowledge of film and television. Rubin earned a reputation as a viewer and industry favorite who put celebrities at ease at red carpet affairs and face-to-face interviews.

Rubin was a founding member of the Broadcast Film Critics Association, the largest organization of film and television critics in the United States, with more than 200 members. Additionally, he owned SRE Inc., a television production company that produced more than 200 hours of broadcast and cable programming, including several "Live From" red carpet shows and 120 episodes of the talk show "Hollywood Uncensored."

Throughout his career, Rubin was honored with numerous Los Angeles Area Emmy Awards, received a Golden Mike Award from the Radio and Television News Association of Southern California, and was named Best Entertainment Reporter by the Los Angeles Press Club. In 2013, he was honored by the National Hispanic Media Coalition with its Impact Award for Outstanding Integrity in Broadcast Journalism.

Off the air, Rubin was an avid philanthropist, supporting a wide range of non-profit organizations and took particular pride in organizing KTLA's team for the annual MS 150 Bay to Bay Bike Tour, a premiere cycling event that raises funds to find a cure for multiple sclerosis. He also mentored numerous young people, helping others launch their own news careers.

The Los Angeles Area Governors Award will be presented during the 76th Los Angeles Area Emmy Awards on July 27 at the Four Seasons Beverly Wilshire.