ABC News and National Geographic are among the top winners at night one of the 2026 News & Documentary Emmy Awards on Wednesday.
ABC World News Tonight with David Muir took home the award for outstanding live news program, while CNN Worldwide’s The Whole Story with Anderson Cooper won the award for outstanding recorded news program. Overall, ABC received eight awards, Trafficked with Mariana van Zeller via National Geographic/Muck Media won seven Emmys and CNN took home four.
Amber Ruffin hosted the ceremony held at the Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Frederick P. Rose Hall in New York City. ABC’s Debra OConnell was also on hand to present the lifetime achievement honors to Emmy and Peabody-winning ABC News correspondent Martha Raddatz, while Emmy-winning documentarian and Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Sam Pollard will receive lifetime achievement honors on Thursday.
“When the revolutionary generation put pen to parchment 250 years ago, they chose to align themselves to a vision of public freedom reinforced a decade later by the First Amendment. Generations of writers, publishers and broadcasters have rightly joined together to push back ever since,” Adam Sharp, president and CEO of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, said in a statement. “Journalists are torchbearers for the public right to know and to speak.”
Wednesday night presenters included Lisa Abramowicz (Bloomberg), Jason Bellini (Scripps), Jim Cantore (The Weather Channel), Jeremy Diamond (CNN), Johnny Harris (YouTube), Vanessa Hauc (Telemundo), Hallie Jackson (NBC News), Areva Martin (The Special Report), Camilo Montoya-Galvez (CBS News), Bill Owens (former 60 Minutes producer), former Lifetime Achievement recipient Jorge Ramos (YouTube), Maria Rozman (Spectrum Noticias) and Natasha Zouves (NewsNation).
Winners for the documentary categories will be revealed on Thursday. A complete list of this year’s night one winners follows.
Outstanding Live News Program
ABC World News Tonight with David Muir
ABC News
Outstanding Recorded News Program
The Whole Story with Anderson Cooper
CNN Worldwide
Outstanding Live Breaking News Coverage
“U.S. Army’s Grand Military Parade”
ABC News Special Report
ABC News
Outstanding Extended Breaking News Coverage
“The Fires”
60 Minutes
CBS News
Outstanding Live News Special
“American Catastrophe: LA Burning”
20/20 & ABC World News Tonight
ABC News
Outstanding Recorded News Special
“The Children of Gaza”
ABC News Live
ABC News [ABC News Studios]
Outstanding Continuing Coverage: Short Form
Earthquake in Myanmar
BBC News
Outstanding Continuing Coverage: Long Form
“Along the Green Line”
The Guardian
Outstanding Light Feature: Short Form
“What Japan’s Atom Bomb Survivors Have Taught Us”
Retro Report
Outstanding Light Feature: Long Form
“Operation Babylift: The 50 Year Journey”
20/20 & ABC News Live
ABC News
Outstanding Hard News Report: Short Form
“The War in Gaza”
60 Minutes
CBS News
Outstanding Hard News Report: Long Form
“Chasing a Ghost: The Search for Austin Tice”
CNN Worldwide
Outstanding Investigative Coverage: Short Form
“DOGE Package”
The New York Times
Outstanding Investigative Coverage: Long Form
“Strike On Iran: The Nuclear Question”
Frontline | PBS [The Washington Post | Bellingcat | Evident Media]
Outstanding News Discussion & Analysis
“Deport Them All: Who’s to Blame for Springfield’s Immigrant Crisis?”
More Perfect Union
Outstanding Interview: Short Form
CNN’s Jeremy Diamond Presses Hamas Official on Suffering in Gaza
CNN Worldwide
Outstanding Interview: Long Form
“Eric Dane Speaks”
ABC News [ABC News Studios]
Outstanding War or Violent Conflict Coverage
“Kids Under Fire”
Fault Lines
Al Jazeera International USA
Outstanding Science & Tech Coverage
“Scam City”
Trafficked with Mariana van Zeller
Muck Media [National Geographic]
Outstanding Climate, Environment or Weather Coverage
“Shark Hunters”
Trafficked with Mariana van Zeller
Muck Media [National Geographic]
Outstanding Health or Medical Coverage
“The Tranq Dope Underground”
Trafficked with Mariana van Zeller
Muck Media [National Geographic]
Outstanding Arts, Culture or Entertainment Coverage
“Underground Street Racing”
Trafficked with Mariana van Zeller
Muck Media [National Geographic]
Outstanding Business, Consumer or Economic Coverage
“The Zombie Debts Making Wall Street Rich”
Bloomberg Investigates
Bloomberg Originals
Outstanding Social Issue Coverage
“Black Market Love”
Trafficked with Mariana van Zeller
Muck Media [National Geographic]
“Crackdown: Deported Under Trump”
Fault Lines
Al Jazeera International USA
Outstanding True Crime Coverage
Wicked Game: Devil in the Desert
ABC News Studios
Technical Excellence: News
Live from the Southern California Fires
ABC World News Tonight with David Muir
ABC News
Outstanding Emerging News Journalist
Hanako Montgomery
CNN Worldwide
Outstanding Journalist in Spanish Language
Victor Valles Mata
TelevisaUnivision
Outstanding News Program in Spanish
“Jorge Ramos: Asi Veo las Cosas”
I’m Back
Tres Alebrijes LLC
Outstanding Breaking News Story in Spanish
“Cobertura de los Incendios en Los Ángeles”
Noticias Telemundo con Julio Vaqueiro
Noticias Telemundo
Outstanding Investigative News Coverage in Spanish
“Sobreviviendo al CECOT”
ProPublica | The Texas Tribune | Alianza Rebelde
Investiga | Cazadores de Fake News]
Outstanding Feature News Story in Spanish
“Estatus: Venezolano”
ProPublica | FRONTLINE FEATURES [ProPublica | FRONTLINE]
Outstanding Writing: News
“Kids Under Fire”
Fault Lines
Al Jazeera International USA
Outstanding Research: News
“Brides for Sale”
Trafficked with Mariana van Zeller
Muck Media [National Geographic]
Outstanding Direction: News
“Black Market Love”
Trafficked with Mariana van Zeller
Muck Media [National Geographic]
Outstanding Video Journalism: News
“Filmed In Gaza”
NBC News
Outstanding Editing: News
Filmed In Gaza
NBC News
Outstanding Graphic Design: News
Johnny Harris
Newpress
Outstanding Cold Open or Title Sequence: News
“How New Magnets Could Power the Future”
Bloomberg Primer
Bloomberg Originals
Outstanding Promotional Announcement: News
“The Substance and Soul of the South”
AJC [Jam Entertainment]
Outstanding Regional News Story: Breaking/Spot News
Hurricane Francine Live Rescue
WDSU
Outstanding Regional News Story: Investigative
“Inspecting the Inspectors”
KMOV-TV
