Disney Wins 14 News & Documentary Emmy Awards

This week, the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences’ 46th Annual News & Documentary Emmy Awards took place at the Palladium Times Square in New York City.

Disney’s National Geographic was the biggest winner of the night, pulling in ten awards for a number of its documentaries including four wins for “Trafficked: Underworlds with Mariana van Zeller”, along with “Tsunami: Race Against Time”, “Photographer”, “Billy & Molly” “Blink” and “Endurance”.  These documentaries are available to stream on Hulu and Disney+.

While ABC News also picked up a number of awards for its shows, including “ABC World News Tonight with David Muir” and “20/20”.  Disney+ also picked up an award for its documentary, “Madu”.

Terry O’Reilly, chairman of NATAS, said in a statement regarding the winners:

“The talents of our journalistic and documentary communities have profoundly shaped our culture and nation.  In the face of evolving societal landscapes, their unwavering dedication to truth and storytelling has illuminated critical issues, fostered crucial conversations, and empowered the public.”

Adam Sharp, President and CEO of NATAS, added:

“These honorees are leaders in bringing truth to our nation’s screens—through fearless journalism and powerful documentary storytelling. Their work sets the standard for excellence in the field. We are particularly proud to recognize the extraordinary career of Jon Else and our 2025 class of Gold & Silver Circle inductees.”

News & Documentary Emmy Awards

Here’s the complete list of winners:

News

• Outstanding Live News Program: ABC World News Tonight with David Muir (ABC)
• Outstanding Recorded News Program: The Whole Story with Anderson Cooper (CNN Worldwide)
• Outstanding Emerging Journalist: Natasha Zouves (NewsNation)
• Outstanding Breaking News Coverage: ‘Hurricane Helene Landfall’ in Tracking Helene (The Weather Channel)
• Outstanding Continuing News Coverage – Short Form: ‘Myanmar’s Civil War’ (BBC News)
• Outstanding Continuing News Coverage – Long Form: ‘Border Coverage’ in 60 Minutes (CBS News)
• Outstanding Light Feature – Short Form: ‘Face to Face’ in CBS Sunday Morning (CBS)
• Outstanding Light Feature – Long Form: ‘The Man Who Feeds Gaza’s Children’ (Business Insider)
• Outstanding Hard News Feature – Short Form: ‘She Survived an Airstrike that Killed Her Entire Family in Gaza’ (The New York Times)
• Outstanding Hard News Feature – Long Form: ‘Children of the Darien Gap’ in Fault Lines (Al Jazeera International USA)
• Outstanding Investigative News Coverage – Short Form: ‘Europe’s Migration Crisis’ (BBC News)
• Outstanding Investigative News Coverage – Long Form: ‘Targeting Americans’ in 60 Minutes (CBS)
• Outstanding Live News Special: 2024 Total Solar Eclipse: Through the Eyes of NASA (NASA+)
• Outstanding Recorded News Special: ‘Jimmy Carter: A Full Life’ in 20/20 (ABC)
• Outstanding News Discussion & Analysis (tie): America First: A Fareed Zakaria Special (CNN Worldwide) and Elliott County Voted for Democrats For 144 Years. Then Came Trump… (More Perfect Union)
• Outstanding News Discussion & Analysis – Editorial and Opinion: ‘Two Weeks Inside Gaza’s Ruined Hospitals’ (The New York Times Opinion)
• Outstanding Live Interview – Short Form: ‘Interview with Jake Larson’ in Amanpour (CNN Worldwide)
• Outstanding Live Interview – Long Form: ‘President Biden Exclusive’ in NBC News Specials & Nightly News (NBC News)
• Outstanding Edited Interview: ‘Pope Francis’ in 60 Minutes (CBS News)
• Outstanding Science and Technology Coverage: ‘Quantum Arms Race’ in The Future with Hannah Fry (Bloomberg)
• Outstanding Climate, Environment and Weather Coverage: ‘Maui’s Deadly Firestorm’ in Frontline (PBS)
• Outstanding Health or Medical Coverage: ‘Body Parts’ in Trafficked: Underworlds with Mariana van Zeller (National Geographic [Muck Media])
• Outstanding Arts, Culture or Entertainment Coverage: ‘Illegal Gambling’ in Trafficked: Underworlds with Mariana van Zeller (National Geographic [Muck Media])
• Outstanding Business, Consumer or Economic Coverage: ‘The True Cost of Mining Electric Car Battery Metals’ in True Cost (Business Insider)
• Outstanding Crime and Justice Coverage: ‘Hash Smugglers’ in Trafficked: Underworlds with Mariana van Zeller (National Geographic [Muck Media])
• Outstanding News Program in Spanish: Noticiero Univision (Univision)
• Outstanding Journalist in Spanish Language Media: Julio Vaqueiro
• Outstanding Coverage of a Breaking News Story in Spanish: ‘Harris o Trump: Batalla Final Decision 2024’ in Noticias Telemundo (Telemundo)
• Outstanding Investigative News Coverage in Spanish: NarcoFiles: Tren de Aragua (CNN Worldwide)
• Outstanding Feature Story in Spanish: ‘Nacer Sin Extremidades: la Vida de Carlos Candelario’ in Tras la Exposición a Pesticidas de su Madre (Univision)
• Outstanding Writing – News: ‘CBS Sunday Morning: Empty Rooms’ in CBS Sunday Morning (CBS)
• Outstanding Research – News: ‘The Hidden Autopilot Data That Reveals Why Teslas Crash’ (The Wall Street Journal)
• Outstanding Direction – News: ‘ABC News Your Voice Your Vote’ in The ABC News Presidential Debate (ABC)
• Outstanding Video Journalism: ‘A Hidden War’ in In Real Life (Evident | Scripps News)
• Outstanding Editing – News: ‘Children of the Darien Gap’ in Fault Lines (Al Jazeera International USA)
• Outstanding Graphic Design – News: ‘You’re Being Lied To About Voter Fraud. Here’s the Truth.’ (The New York Times Opinion)
• Outstanding Show Open or Title Sequence – News: Election Night Live with Brian Williams (Prime Video [White Cherry Entertainment])
• Outstanding Lighting Direction – News: ‘Illegal Gambling’ in Trafficked: Underworlds with Mariana van Zeller (National Geographic [Muck Media])
• Technical Excellence – News: NBC News: Election Night Coverage (NBC News)
• Outstanding Promotional Announcement – News: ‘No Fear’ in ABC World News Tonight with David Muir (ABC)
• Outstanding Regional News Story – Breaking/Spot News: ‘Jet Crash on I-75’ (WINK News [Suncoast Chapter])
• Outstanding Regional News Story – Investigative: ‘In Plane Sight’ (WANF-TV [Southeast Chapter])

Documentary

• Outstanding Current Affairs Documentary: We Will Dance Again (Paramount+ [See It Now Studios, HOT 8, BBC Storyville, Sipur Studios, Bitachon365, MGM Television, HSCC])
• Outstanding Politics and Government Documentary: The Sixth (A24 [Change Content])
• Outstanding Social Issue Documentary: Two American Families: 1991-2024 in Frontline (PBS)
• Outstanding Investigative Documentary: American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders (Netflix [Stardust Frames, Duplass Brothers Productions])
• Outstanding Historical Documentary: Tsunami: Race Against Time (National Geographic [Blast Films])
• Outstanding Arts and Culture Documentary: Madu (Disney + [Disney Branded Television, Hunting Lane Films])
• Outstanding Science and Technology Documentary: Hunt for the Oldest DNA in NOVA (PBS [Handful of Films, HHMI Tangled Bank Studios, NOVA/GBH, ZDF, DR Danish Broadcasting Corporation])
• Outstanding Nature Documentary: Paul Nicklen & Cristina Mittermeier: Win or Die (National Geographic [Little Monster Films])
• Outstanding Business and Economic Documentary: Buy Now: The Shopping Conspiracy (Netflix [Grain Media])
• Outstanding Crime and Justice Documentary: The Truth vs. Alex Jones (HBO | Max [HBO Documentary Films, AMOS Pictures])
• Outstanding Short Documentary: The Dirty Business of Monkey Laundering in Bloomberg Investigates (Bloomberg)
• Best Documentary: The Sing Sing Chronicles (MSNBC [NBC News Studios, MSNBC Films, Trilogy Films])
• Outstanding Writing – Documentary: Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story (National Geographic [Silverback Films])
• Outstanding Research – Documentary: The Grab (Center for Investigative Reporting Studios [Magnolia Pictures, Participant Media, Rocklin | Faust, Impact Partners])
• Outstanding Direction – Documentary: Frida (Prime Video [Imagine Documentaries, TIME Studios])
• Outstanding Cinematography – Documentary: Secret World of Sound with David Attenborough (Netflix [CBC, Sky, Humble Bee Films])
• Outstanding Editing – Documentary: Blink (National Geographic [MRC, EYESTEELFILM, National Geographic Documentary Films, Fishbowl Films, Motive])
• Outstanding Graphic Design – Documentary: Omnivore (Apple TV+ [Fifth Season, Film 45])
• Outstanding Music Composition – Documentary: Endurance (National Geographic [A Little Dot Studios, Consequential, History Hit Production, Little Monster Films, National Geographic Documentary Films])
• Outstanding Sound – Documentary: Earthsounds (Apple TV+ [Offspring Films])
• Outstanding Lighting Direction – Documentary: Hitler and the Nazis: Evil on Trial (Netflix [Smuggler Entertainment, Third Eye Motion Picture Company])
• Outstanding Art Direction/Set Decoration/Scenic Design – Documentary: ‘You’re Being Lied To About Voter Fraud. Here’s the Truth.’ in The New York Times Opinion (The New York Times [Sharp as Knives])
• Outstanding Promotional Announcement – Documentary: Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story (National Geographic [Silverback Films, Silk Factory])
• Outstanding Regional Documentary: The Holly (Rocky Mountain Public Media [Heartland Chapter])

What do you think of this year’s Emmy winners?  Let me know on social media!