David Muir and Mariana van Zeller Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images; Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images 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.
Related Stories
Music BTS Fanfare, Quick Stage Setups and More Moments From Inside the 2026 American Music Awards
Music New Kids on the Block Rock Vegas With "You Got It (The Right Stuff)" Performance at 2026 American Music Awards
“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
THR Newsletters
Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day
Subscribe Sign Up
