Armenian Pride on Display: Fox 11 Special Uncovers a Vibrant Community
Good Day LA Anchor Araksya Karapetyan Guides a Powerful Journey of Culture, Resilience, and Heritage
LOS ANGELES—Fox 11 Los Angeles (KTTV Channel 11) and Fox 11+ (KCOP Channel 13) on April 20 will broadcast a half-hour special celebrating the vibrant Armenian American community in Southern California.
Fox 11’s ‘Good Day LA’ anchor Araksya Karapetyan is hosting the special at 9:30 a.m. She is recognized as the first American-Armenian mainstream television anchor and reporter in the Southern California media market. Her regular anchoring shift is from 9 a.m. to noon; but she’s often on earlier, reporting or anchoring as part of a team delivering eight hours of continuous live broadcasts that consistently lead key demographic ratings in Los Angeles’ competitive market.
Karapetyan’s popularity is not only evident in the station’s ratings but on social media, where she shares authentic moments, avoiding perfectly curated posts or self-promotion. It’s also where tens of thousands engage with her posts, honest opinions, TV news, and behind-the-scenes stories.
Emmy and Golden Mike Award-winning Karapetyan, a Gyumri native and 1988 Spitak Earthquake survivor, uses her platform to deliver fresh and heartfelt stories to hundreds of thousands of people in Southern California and beyond. Her segments also appear on other Fox 11 newscasts, including the 5 p.m., 6 p.m., 8 p.m., 9 p.m., 10 p.m., and “Good Night LA” at 11 p.m., as well as on weekends.
Picture Karapetyan arriving at the Fox 11 studio before sunrise, balancing two cups of Dunkin’ coffee and a bag of breakfast rolls. One cup goes to Fox 11 producer and writer Paul Chaderjian, who has been at work since 2 a.m. The early-morning air feels chilly. Her two phones, one work and one personal, light up with breaking news alerts ranging from local to international. She quickly messages her production team and jots down key points to verify.
While getting her makeup done for her first on-air appearance, Karapetyan reads her scripts, listens to live and recorded press conferences, takes notes on interviews she has conducted in person or via Zoom. On this morning, she’s picking soundbites from a sociologist discussing intergenerational trauma in the Armenian diaspora. She writes down the phrase ‘decades of inherited grief,’ planning to include it in her news script.
Later after being on the air for three to six hours, she might be found speaking to a journalism class at Chapman University in Orange County or flying to New York City for the weekend to host the Children of Armenia Fund gala. She greets donors who are supporting education in rural Armenian villages. Between speeches, she checks on her daughters. One is fighting off a cold and being cared for by her father. The other is finishing a science fair presentation and spending time with her grandmother or Karapetyan’s grandparents. Moments later, Karapetyan is back on stage to introduce a new initiative pairing diaspora professionals with remote communities.
On another day, Karapetyan heads to Hollywood for a women’s panel hosted by an African American networking nonprofit. She is often honored with community activism awards by local organizations, reading chapter books at elementary schools, or speaking to a women’s empowerment group. On Thanksgiving, viewers have seen her hosting the annual international day Armenia Fund telethon, live from Glendale, as volunteers field calls from donors around the globe. She stands under bright studio lights, explaining the Fund’s initiatives. During a break, she chats with a group of aspiring students interested in journalism and media.
Karapetyan’s Instagram offers glimpses of her packed schedule. Tens of thousands of followers send her direct messages appreciating her work, pitching her story ideas, inviting her to a range of events including weddings and birthday celebrations hosted by people she has never met.
One IG reel shows her stuck on the 405, calling her commute a ‘mobile office’ as she listens to Ken Hachigian’s audiobook about White House politics. Another post spotlights the Ferrahian High School basketball team at a regional championship. She jokes that her drive time doubles as prep for upcoming interviews, including discussions with a UCLA cochlear implant specialist who travels to Armenia each year, or preparing for a Pilates session on live TV to demonstrate that anyone, at any age, can benefit from exercise without special equipment or monthly gym costs.
“Headlines and statistics matter,” she once posted, “but real stories matter more. That’s how we connect our audience to the people behind the headlines.”
Fox 11’s half-hour special airs at 9:30 a.m. on April 20. It highlights five unique stories, including a look at Antranig Kzirian, an oud player who maintains the instrument’s haunting melodies. Another segment features a family catering business that merges Middle Eastern and European flavors. Viewers will also see Sonata music school students performing, an Armenian Christian school preserving language and history, and a dance ensemble reinventing folk choreography.
“It is about showing how culture shapes our everyday experiences,” Karapetyan says. “We want to share the traditions we grew up with and show why they still resonate. For our non-Armenian viewers, it’s a chance to connect cultures and see the strength and richness of our communities living cohesively.”
Karapetyan is known for uplifting fellow Armenians in the media, including writer and producer Paul Chaderjian, who joined Fox 11 after leaving Al Jazeera in Doha, Qatar. He remembers how, upon joining Fox 11, she welcomed him by bringing coffee and breakfast every morning for a month. “Who does that?” he says. “In more than 40 years of working in media, including my time at Horizon Armenian TV, I have never seen anything like it. She also called me each day before we talked about work, just to see how I was doing. That genuine kindness made me feel like I belonged.”
The two first met when he invited her to co-host the Armenia Fund Telethon. Over the years, they have collaborated on coverage of Artsakh, filing firsthand reports for Fox 11. “When conflicts arise, Araksya wants viewers to see beyond raw statistics and meet real people,” Chaderjian says. “Her loyalty is rare. She always pays it forward.”
Her generosity extends well beyond her GDLA colleagues. Local businesses and eateries like Ladybugz Catering, Altadena Bakery, Marash Bakery, Malaga Cove Ranch Market, local chocolatiers, kebab restaurants, French bakeries, and sandwich shops frequently send trays of food: baklava, gata, lahmajoon, and khachapuri for her to share with the entire newsroom. Everyone at Fox 11 looks forward to these deliveries, and the treats disappear almost as quickly as they arrive. “It’s a testament to how deeply viewers and local shops appreciate her,” says Chaderjian, “and she always expresses her gratitude directly and on the air.”
Karapetyan stays active in the wider community. She supports the Armenian American Museum in Glendale, speaks about Kirk Kerkorian’s UCLA Dream Foundation, and hosts the annual banquet to fund a non-Armenian medical team that performs life-changing cochlear implant surgeries in Armenia. She also pursues stories on local artists and therapists, discusses universal themes like child-rearing and trauma, speaks at Chapman University, and appears on podcasts hosted by rising Armenian talents.
“When you believe in something, you make the time,” she says.
During the Artsakh conflicts starting with the Four-Day War in 2016 through the mass exodus in 2023, Karapetyan and Chaderjian set up late-night Zoom interviews with displaced families, some of whom lacked reliable access to food or electricity. They compiled personal accounts for newscasts, emphasizing the human side of a story often reduced to casualty figures. “We have to remember these are real people with hopes and fears,” Karapetyan says.
Her weekends revolve around charity events, such as activism workshops, cancer banquets, and journalism classes like the one Chaderjian taught at Fresno State. She covers Sunday marches that commemorate the Armenian Genocide and helps publicize charities impacting thousands of lives across California and beyond.
“If we do not amplify these voices,” she says, “we lose the chance to achieve real understanding.”
Karapetyan’s coverage also extends to communities seeking broader acceptance, including children with special needs, survivors of abuse, immigrants, and LGBTQ+ communities. She weaves their perspectives into her wider reports.
Comedian Lory Tatoulian experienced that inclusive style on “Good Day LA.” She arrived expecting a four-minute segment about her Groundlings improv and sketch comedy show and stayed for a full hour, performing comedic bits with Karapetyan and co-anchors Jennifer Lahmers, Amanda Salas, and Sandra Endo.
“It was amazing,” Tatoulian says. “People from the Armenian and improv communities messaged me, thrilled to see our humor showcased so prominently.”
Tatoulian adds that Karapetyan’s influence is immense. “She’s the biggest star our community has. Tens of thousands reach out to her, trusting her to share our collective story.”
When conflicts flared in Artsakh, Karapetyan teamed with Chaderjian to bring firsthand reports to Fox 11. He was based in Qatar at the time and traveled to Armenia to produce and report on unfolding events, using contacts at CivilNet and public broadcasters to gather reliable footage.
“We can’t reduce conflicts to casualty figures,” Karapetyan says. “People need personal stories to understand the reality.”
Chaderjian admires her ability to handle serious topics while anchoring LA’s top-rated morning show. “She wants viewers to see beyond raw statistics and meet the people on the ground.”
Karapetyan has two daughters and a close-knit family including her mother, grandparents, cousins, and sister. She juggles school calls, field trips, and household duties while staying on top of news coverage. She often uses her 405 commutes to schedule interviews and review upcoming stories.
“She never stops,” Chaderjian says. “She’s deeply involved with her kids, remains active in the community, makes time to check on friends like me daily and stays fully engaged in her work.”
Karapetyan sees this half-hour special as more than a standard Armenian Heritage Month feature. She hopes it reveals how a diaspora community continually thrives, blending music, food, language, and art that evolve from one generation to the next.
“We remember our roots but keep moving forward,” she says. “That’s where our resilience stems from.”
For local Armenians, her coverage offers a strong sense of belonging. For others, it opens a window into a culture that extends from Glendale’s avenues to remote villages in Armenia.
“People deserve to see the full scope of who we are,” Karapetyan says. “We honor our past while looking ahead.”
The half-hour special airs on Fox 11 at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, April 20. It showcases families, educators, artists, and entrepreneurs who unite tradition with modern opportunities.
“Every story deserves a spotlight,” Karapetyan says. “When we recognize each thread in our tapestry, we build a stronger community for all.”
Viewers can watch on broadcast or cable TV, streaming services such as Prime Video, Tubi, and the Fox local app, or online. Follow Araksya Karapetyan’s updates on Instagram.
