ABC News and National Geographic Among Top Winners at 2026 News Emmys
The awards were handed out at the Jazz at Lincoln Center's Frederick P. Rose Hall in New York City on Wednesday.
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 ProgramABC World News Tonight with David MuirABC News
Outstanding Recorded News ProgramThe Whole Story with Anderson CooperCNN Worldwide
Outstanding Live Breaking News Coverage“U.S. Army’s Grand Military Parade”ABC News Special ReportABC News
Outstanding Extended Breaking News Coverage“The Fires”60 MinutesCBS News
Outstanding Live News Special“American Catastrophe: LA Burning”20/20 & ABC World News TonightABC News
Outstanding Recorded News Special“The Children of Gaza”ABC News LiveABC News [ABC News Studios]
Outstanding Continuing Coverage: Short FormEarthquake in MyanmarBBC 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 LiveABC News
Outstanding Hard News Report: Short Form“The War in Gaza”60 MinutesCBS 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 FormCNN’s Jeremy Diamond Presses Hamas Official on Suffering in GazaCNN Worldwide
Outstanding Interview: Long Form“Eric Dane Speaks”ABC News [ABC News Studios]
Outstanding War or Violent Conflict Coverage“Kids Under Fire”Fault LinesAl Jazeera International USA
Outstanding Science & Tech Coverage“Scam City”Trafficked with Mariana van ZellerMuck Media [National Geographic]
Outstanding Climate, Environment or Weather Coverage“Shark Hunters”Trafficked with Mariana van ZellerMuck Media [National Geographic]
Outstanding Health or Medical Coverage“The Tranq Dope Underground”Trafficked with Mariana van ZellerMuck Media [National Geographic]
Outstanding Arts, Culture or Entertainment Coverage“Underground Street Racing”Trafficked with Mariana van ZellerMuck Media [National Geographic]
Outstanding Business, Consumer or Economic Coverage“The Zombie Debts Making Wall Street Rich”Bloomberg InvestigatesBloomberg Originals
Outstanding Social Issue Coverage“Black Market Love”Trafficked with Mariana van ZellerMuck Media [National Geographic]
