The 46th annual News & Documentary Emmy Awards kicked off with a star-studded ceremony on Wednesday, June 25, 2025, at the Palladium Times Square in New York City. Celebrating excellence in broadcast journalism and documentary filmmaking, the event showcased the best of news programming from the calendar year 2024. The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) hosted the live ceremony, streaming it on their dedicated platform and Emmy apps for viewers across the nation.
One of the evening's highlights was the honoring of longtime NBC Today weather anchor Al Roker, who received a Lifetime Achievement Award for his distinguished career in broadcast journalism. The award was presented by Bryant Gumbel, adding a touch of reverence to the occasion. Meanwhile, documentary filmmaker Jon H. Else was announced to receive a lifetime honor at the Documentary ceremony scheduled for Thursday, June 26, 2025, also at the Palladium.
Adam Sharp, president and CEO of NATAS, expressed pride in recognizing the commitment of journalists and documentarians who bring truth to screens nationwide. "We are proud to celebrate those who do the brave work of bringing truth to our nation’s screens. Their commitment sets a high bar for future generations of journalists and documentarians," Sharp said. He also acknowledged the contributions of Gold Circle honorees Marc Burstein and Martha Teichner, as well as Silver Circle honorees Akram Abi-Hanna, Cater Lee, Bill Owens, and Deborah Roberts.
The night’s awards were dominated by major networks and media outlets, with CBS leading the pack by taking home five Emmys, including three for its flagship program, 60 Minutes. ABC, CNN, and National Geographic each secured four awards, while The New York Times earned three accolades, underscoring the diversity and depth of quality journalism recognized this year.
ABC’s World News Tonight with David Muir won the Outstanding Live News Program for the third consecutive year, cementing its position as a leader in live news coverage. CNN’s The Whole Story with Anderson Cooper was awarded Outstanding Recorded News Program for the second year running, demonstrating consistent excellence in news storytelling.
Emerging journalist Natasha Zouves from NewsNation was honored as Outstanding Emerging Journalist, spotlighting the fresh talents shaping the future of news media. The Weather Channel’s coverage of "Hurricane Helene Landfall" earned Outstanding Breaking News Coverage, a testament to the critical role of timely and accurate reporting during natural disasters.
Continuing news coverage was recognized in two categories: BBC News won Outstanding Continuing News Coverage – Short Form for its reporting on "Myanmar’s Civil War," while CBS’s 60 Minutes secured the Outstanding Continuing News Coverage – Long Form award for its "Border Coverage." These stories highlighted ongoing crises and complex geopolitical issues demanding sustained journalistic attention.
Feature stories also received significant recognition. CBS Sunday Morning’s "Face to Face" won Outstanding Light Feature – Short Form, while Business Insider’s "The Man Who Feeds Gaza’s Children" took Outstanding Light Feature – Long Form. Hard news features were equally celebrated, with The New York Times’ "She Survived an Airstrike that Killed Her Entire Family in Gaza" winning Short Form, and Al Jazeera International USA’s Fault Lines episode "Children of the Darien Gap" taking Long Form honors.
Investigative journalism shone brightly this year. BBC News was awarded Outstanding Investigative News Coverage – Short Form for "Europe’s Migration Crisis," while 60 Minutes earned the Long Form award for "Targeting Americans," underscoring the vital role of in-depth reporting in uncovering complex societal issues.
Special programming also garnered accolades. NASA+’s "2024 Total Solar Eclipse: Through the Eyes of NASA" won Outstanding Live News Special, and ABC’s 20/20 special "Jimmy Carter: A Full Life" took Outstanding Recorded News Special, illustrating the wide range of compelling content celebrated at the Emmys.
Discussion and analysis programs were recognized with CNN’s "America First: A Fareed Zakaria Special" and More Perfect Union’s "Elliott County Voted for Democrats For 144 Years. Then Came Trump…" sharing the Outstanding News Discussion & Analysis award. Editorial and opinion pieces were represented by The New York Times Opinion’s "Two Weeks Inside Gaza’s Ruined Hospitals," which won Outstanding News Discussion & Analysis – Editorial and Opinion.
Interview categories highlighted notable moments, with CNN Worldwide’s Amanpour winning Outstanding Live Interview – Short Form for an interview with Jake Larson, and NBC News Specials & Nightly News securing Outstanding Live Interview – Long Form for an exclusive with President Biden. CBS News’ 60 Minutes earned Outstanding Edited Interview for their piece on Pope Francis.
Coverage of science and technology was recognized with Bloomberg’s The Future with Hannah Fry winning Outstanding Science and Technology Coverage for "Quantum Arms Race." Environmental reporting was honored with PBS Frontline’s "Maui’s Deadly Firestorm" winning Outstanding Climate, Environment and Weather Coverage, and National Geographic’s Underworlds with Mariana van Zeller took home awards in several categories, including Outstanding Health or Medical Coverage for "Body Parts Trafficked," Outstanding Arts, Culture or Entertainment Coverage for "Illegal Gambling," and Outstanding Crime and Justice Coverage for "Hash Smugglers." These wins highlight the depth and diversity of investigative storytelling across critical issues.
Business and economic reporting was spotlighted with Business Insider’s "The True Cost of Mining Electric Car Battery Metals" winning Outstanding Business, Consumer or Economic Coverage, shedding light on the environmental and ethical challenges behind emerging technologies.
The Spanish-language media community was also celebrated. Univision’s Noticiero Univision won Outstanding News Program in Spanish, while Julio Vaqueiro of Telemundo was named Outstanding Journalist in Spanish Language Media. Noticias Telemundo received Outstanding Coverage of a Breaking News Story in Spanish for "Harris o Trump: Batalla Final Decision 2024," and CNN Worldwide’s "NarcoFiles: Tren de Aragua" was recognized for Outstanding Investigative News Coverage in Spanish. Univision’s feature "Nacer Sin Extremidades: la Vida de Carlos Candelario Tras la Exposición a Pesticidas de su Madre" won Outstanding Feature Story in Spanish.
Behind the scenes, excellence in writing, research, direction, and technical execution was acknowledged. CBS Sunday Morning’s "Empty Rooms" won Outstanding Writing – News, with Steve Hartman as the credited writer. The Wall Street Journal’s investigation "The Hidden Autopilot Data That Reveals Why Teslas Crash" earned Outstanding Research – News, credited to Frank Matt, Paul Overberg, and Emma Scott. ABC’s "Your Voice Your Vote" presidential debate coverage won Outstanding Direction – News, directed by Lily Olszewski. Video journalism was recognized with Evident | Scripps News’ "A Hidden War" winning Outstanding Video Journalism, and Al Jazeera International USA’s "Children of the Darien Gap" took Outstanding Editing – News. The New York Times Opinion’s graphic design piece "You’re Being Lied To About Voter Fraud. Here’s the Truth." was honored, along with Prime Video’s "Election Night Live with Brian Williams" winning Outstanding Show Open or Title Sequence. National Geographic’s "Illegal Gambling" earned Outstanding Lighting Direction, and NBC News’ election night coverage was recognized for Technical Excellence. ABC World News Tonight’s promotional announcement "No Fear" also won an Emmy.
Regional journalism was not overlooked, with WINK News receiving Outstanding Regional News Story – Spot or Breaking News for "Jet Crash on I-75," and WANF-TV winning Outstanding Regional News Story – Investigative for "In Plane Sight." These awards underscore the importance of local news in the broader media landscape.
As the night concluded, anticipation built for the Documentary ceremony set for the following evening, where further honors will celebrate the art and impact of documentary filmmaking. The 46th annual News & Documentary Emmy Awards continue to highlight the vital role of journalism and storytelling in informing and engaging the public.
