Just hours after the announcement of the passing of the iconic journalist and broadcaster Bill Moyers, a heartfelt tribute was paid to him during the documentary segment of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences’ 46th Annual News & Documentary Emmy Awards. This significant event took place at the Palladium Times Square in New York City, where National Geographic emerged as the top winner, securing an impressive six awards, closely followed by Netflix, which achieved four awards.
Among the standout winners of the evening was MSNBC’s documentary titled “The Sing Sing Chronicles,” which was honored as the best documentary. Additionally, Paramount+’s “We Will Dance Again” took home the award for best current affairs documentary. Furthermore, the impactful and groundbreaking documentary “The Sixth,” which narrated the harrowing events of January 6, 2021, was awarded the Emmy in the politics and government documentary category. Its recognition was particularly noteworthy, given that many streaming platforms hesitated to cover its critical message.
The event was hosted by comedian and filmmaker Negin Farsad, and it also featured a prestigious lifetime achievement award presented to the distinguished documentary filmmaker, cinematographer, and director Jon Else. The award was graciously presented by Carrie Lozano, who serves as the president and CEO of ITVS.
As a moment of respect for Moyers, Terry O’Reilly, the chairman of NATAS, called for a moment of silence. He reflected on Moyers’ journey, stating, “While in college, Moyers joined Senator Lyndon Johnson’s Senate offices and, over 12 years, transitioned with LBJ from the Senate to the White House, evolving from an intern to the role of presidential press secretary. In 1967, he left the political arena and ventured into media, initially in newspapers, where his work garnered several Pulitzer Prizes. Later, he made a significant impact in television at CBS and PBS, serving as a correspondent, producer, editor, and documentarian, and ultimately winning over 30 Emmy Awards, including a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Academy. In a discussion with my friend Don Shelby from Minnesota, he remarked on his transition from being a press secretary to a journalist, stating he felt ‘far happier telling the truth than trying to hide it.’”
Prominent presenters at the event included Muta’Ali (“FilmPass, FilmCrash”), Joe Berlinger (“Hitler and the Nazis: Evil on Trial”), Lisa Cortés (“The House Race”), Gabriela Cowperthwaite (“The Capture”), and Barak Goodman (“Kissinger”).
News categories were celebrated the previous day, with CBS leading the pack with five wins in the news categories. Following closely behind were ABC, CNN, and National Geographic, each securing four wins.
“The talents of our journalistic and documentary communities have profoundly shaped our culture and nation,” stated O’Reilly. “In the face of evolving societal landscapes, their unwavering dedication to truth and storytelling has illuminated crucial issues, fostered essential 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 honor the extraordinary career of Jon Else and our 2025 class of Gold & Silver Circle inductees.”
The Gold and Silver Circle recognizes professionals who have made significant contributions to television for 50 and 25 years, respectively. This year’s documentary inductees into the Gold Circle included Michael Kirk (filmmaker, PBS Frontline and Kirk Documentary Group), Gordon Quinn (filmmaker, Kartemquin Films), and Marcia Smith (filmmaker, Firelight Media). The Silver Circle documentary inductees comprised Gemma Cubero del Barrio (producer, director, and writer, PBS) and Aljernon Tunsil (editor, PBS and Firelight Films).
As part of a scheduling realignment at the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, the 46th Annual News & Documentary Emmy Awards took place in the summer this year, deviating from its traditional fall dates.
The 46th Annual News & Documentary Emmy Awards received over 2,200 submissions from the calendar year of 2024, and nominations were evaluated by a panel of over 980 individuals from across the television and streaming/digital media news and documentary community.
Below are the winners across 24 documentary categories:
Award for Outstanding Current Affairs Documentary
** WINNER: We Will Dance Again
Paramount+ [See It Now Studios, HOT 8, BBC Storyville, Sipur Studios, Bitachon365, MGM Television, HSCC]
64 Days: The Rebellion Playbook
Goldcrest Films [Saboteur Media, Atomized Studios Limited, Smuggler Films]
Bread & Roses
Apple TV+ [Apple Original Films, Eyan Foundation, Extracurricular]
Print it Black(ABC News Live)
ABC
A Year of Battle: Israelis and Palestinians(Frontline)
PBS
Award for Outstanding Politics and Government Documentary
** WINNER: The Sixth
A24 [Change Content]
Battleground Texas
VICE News
The Body Politic(POV)
PBS [ITVS, Black Public Media, Corporation For Public Broadcasting, Rowhouse, LC | Rowhouse Collective]
Carville: Winning is Everything, Stupid
CNN Worldwide [Altimeter Films, CNN Films]
From Russia with Lev
MSNBC [Rakontur, UTAS, Surprise Inside, MSNBC Films]
The Riot Report(American Experience)
PBS [GBH, 42nd Parallel Films]
Who’s Afraid of Nathan Law?(POV)
PBS [Pandamonium Productions LLC, Herochaser, Palm Pictures, Official, LLC]
Award for Outstanding Social Issue Documentary
** WINNER: Two American Families: 1991-2024 (Frontline)
PBS
Daughters
Netflix [Netflix, XTR, Object & Animal, Epoch Films, Park Pictures, OPC, World of HA, Simpson Street, Two One Five]
Death Without Mercy
Showtime [MTV Documentary Films, Docsville Studios, Basement Films, AMC Media Production]
Call Me Lawand(POV)
PBS [Pulse Films]
One With the Whale(Independent Lens)
PBS [Vitamin Sea Productions, Siyuqaq Incorporated, Actual Films]
Award for Outstanding Investigative Documentary
** WINNER: American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders
Netflix [Stardust Frames, Duplass Brothers Productions]
A Dangerous Task: Uncovering Corruption in Maduro’s Venezuela(Frontline)
PBS [Armando.Info]
The Capture
Apple TV+ | Google Play | Prime Video | Vimeo | Vudu | YouTube [Center for Investigative Reporting Studios, Magnolia Pictures, Participant Media, Rocklin | Faust, Impact Partners]
The Night Won’t End(Fault Lines)
South Korea’s Adoption Reckoning(Frontline)
PBS [The Associated Press]
Award for Outstanding Historical Documentary
** WINNER: Tsunami: Race Against Time
National Geographic [Blast Films]
An American Bombing: The Road to April 19th
HBO | Max [HBO Documentary Films, Blowback Productions]
Fly With Me(American Experience)
PBS [GBH, Sarah Colt Productions]
The Sixth
A24 [Change Content]
Turning Point: The Bomb and the Cold War
Netflix [Luminant Media]
Award for Outstanding Arts and Culture Documentary
** WINNER: Madu
Disney+ [Disney Branded Television, Hunting Lane Films]
As We Speak: Rap Music on Trial
Paramount+ [MTV Entertainment Studios, District 33, Park Pictures, Strike Anywhere]
Butterfly in the Sky
Netflix [Sidestilt Films, Window Pictures, XTR]
Hollywood Black
MGM+ [Radical Media, Culture Machine, Significant Productions]
King Coal(POV)
PBS [Drexler Films, Cottage M, Fishbowl Films, Narrow Vision Endeavors, King Coal Productions LLC]
Award for Outstanding Science and Technology Documentary
WINNER: Hunt for the Oldest DNA (Nova)
PBS [Handful of Films, HHMI Tangled Bank Studios, NOVA/GBH, ZDF, DR Danish Broadcasting Corporation]
Anand Varma: Hidden Wonders(Photographer)
National Geographic [Little Monster Films]
Apollo 13: Survival
Netflix [Insight TWI Films, Fee Fie Foe]
The House Race
National Geographic [National Geographic Documentary Films, The Kennedy/Marshall Company, Alegria Films, Cortés Filmworks, Diamond Docs]
What’s Next? The Future with Bill Gates
Netflix [Tremolo Productions]
Award for Outstanding Nature Documentary
** WINNER: Paul Nicklen & Cristina Mittermeier: Win or Die (Photographer)
National Geographic [Little Monster Films]
Attenborough and the Jurassic Sea Monster(Nature)
PBS
Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story
National Geographic [Silverback Films]
Grizzly 399: Queen of the Tetons(Nature)
PBS [Lucky 8 TV, The WNET Group]
Our Living World
Netflix [Wild Space, Freeborne Media]
Patrick and the Whale(Nature)
PBS [Terra Mater Studios, The WNET Group]
Silverback(Nature)
PBS [Off the Fence Studios, BBC, France Télévisions, Featuristic Films, The WNET Group]
Award for Outstanding Business and Economic Documentary
** WINNER: Buy Now: The Buying Conspiracy
Netflix [Grain Media]
Bitconned
Netflix [Glass Entertainment Group]
Diane von Furstenberg: Woman in Charge
Hulu [Sutter Road Picture Company, Fabiola Beracasa Beckman Media Production]
The Interest
Documentary+ [XTR]
Moviepass, Moviecrash
HBO | Max [HBO Documentary Films, Unrealistic Ideas, Assemble Media, Nightbrain Pictures, Tower Way]
Razing Liberty Square(Independent Lens)
PBS [RLS Film, LLC]
Award for Outstanding Crime and Justice Documentary
** WINNER: The Reality vs. Alex Jones
HBO | Max [HBO Documentary Films, AMOS Pictures]
Cult Bloodbath: One Day In Jonestown
National Geographic [72 Films]
Into the Fire: The Lost Daughter
Netflix [Tripod Media LLC, Denver & Delilah]
Mastermind: To Think Like a Killer
Hulu [Campfire Studios, Lewellen Pictures, Invited by Girls, Rebecca Halpern Productions]
Poisoned Ground: The Tragedy at Love Canal(American Experience)
PBS [GBH, Madrona Productions]
Award for Outstanding Short Documentary
** WINNER: The Dirty Business of Monkey Laundering(Bloomberg Investigates)
Bloomberg
Love To The Max
The New Yorker
Motorbike Mary
ESPN [ESPN Films, Breakwater Studios]
Swept
Human Rights Watch
Wings of Mud
Documentary+ [Rolling Stone Films, Skyeyes Documentaries, 42 Parallelo, 5 Stick Films Inc.]
Award for Best Documentary
** WINNER: The Sing Sing Chronicles
MSNBC [NBC News Studios, MSNBC Films, Trilogy Films]
American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders
Netflix [Stardust Frames, Duplass Brothers Productions]
The Commandant’s Shadow
HBO | Max [Warner Bros. Pictures, HBO Documentary Films, Snowstorm Productions, Creators Inc., New Mandate Films]
The Capture
Apple TV+ | Google Play | Prime Video | Vimeo | Vudu | YouTube [Center for Investigative Reporting Studios, Rocklin | Faust, Magnolia Pictures, Participant Media, Impact Partners]
Hollywood Black
MGM+ [Radical Media, Culture Machine, Significant Productions]
Mammals
BBC America | BBC+ [BBC Studios National History Unit, France Televisions, ZDF]
Queendom
Galdanova Movie
The Sixth
A24 [Change Content]
The Reality vs. Alex Jones
HBO | Max [HBO Documentary Films, AMOS Pictures
Outstanding Writing – Documentary
** WINNER: Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story — Charlie Hamilton James
National Geographic [Silverback Films]
Join or Die
Netflix [Delevan Street Films]
King Coal(POV)
PBS [Drexler Films, Cottage M, Fishbowl Films, Narrow Vision Endeavors, King Coal Productions LLC]
The Night Won’t End(Fault Lines)
Al Jazeera International USA
Poisoned Ground: The Tragedy at Love Canal(American Experience)
PBS [GBH, Madrona Productions]
The House Race
National Geographic [National Geographic Documentary Films, The Kennedy/Marshall Company, Alegria Films, Cortés Filmworks, Diamond Docs]
Award for Outstanding Research – Documentary
** WINNER: The Capture
Center for Investigative Reporting Studios [Magnolia Pictures, Participant Media, Rocklin | Faust, Impact Partners]
The Bibi Files
Jolt.movie [Jigsaw Productions]
China, The U.S. and the Rise of Xi Jinping(Frontline)
PBS
Nazi City, USA(American Experience)
PBS [GBH, Pangloss Films]
Our Oceans
Netflix [Wild Space, Freeborne Media, Higher Ground]
Award for Outstanding Direction – Documentary
** WINNER: Frida — Carla Gutiérrez
Prime Video [Imagine Documentaries, TIME Studios]
Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story
National Geographic [Silverback Films]
Daughters
Netflix [XTR, Object & Animal, Epoch Films, Park Pictures, OPC, World of HA, Simpson Street, Two One Five]
Madu
Disney+ [Disney Branded Television, Hunting Lane Films]
Poisoned Ground: The Tragedy at Love Canal(American Experience)
PBS [GBH, Madrona Productions]
Award for Outstanding Cinematography – Documentary
** WINNER: Secret World of Sound with David Attenborough
Netflix [CBC, Sky, Humble Bee Films]
Earthsounds
Apple TV+ [Offspring Films]
King Coal(POV)
PBS [Drexler Films, Cottage M, Fishbowl Films, Narrow Vision Endeavors, King Coal Productions LLC]
Lions of the Skeleton Coast(Nature)
PBS [Into Nature Productions, ORF Universum, Arte, WDR]
Mammals
BBC America | BBC+ [BBC Studios National History Unit, France Televisions, ZDF]
Our Living World
Netflix [Wild Space, Freeborne Media, Higher Ground]
Award for Outstanding Editing – Documentary
** WINNER: Blink
National Geographic [MRC, EYESTEELFILM, National Geographic Documentary Films, Fishbowl Films, Motive]
Apollo 13: Survival
Netflix [Insight TWI Films, Fee Fie Foe]
Citizen Nation
PBS [Retro Report]
Death Without Mercy
Showtime [MTV Documentary Films, Docsville Studios, Basement Films, AMC Media Production]
We Will Dance Again
Paramount+ [See It Now Studios, HOT 8, BBC Storyville, Sipur Studios, Bitachon365, MGM Television, HSCC]
Award for Outstanding Graphic Design – Documentary
** WINNER: Omnivore
Apple TV+ [Fifth Season, Film 45]
Buy Now: The Buying Conspiracy
Netflix [Grain Media]
Food, Inc. 2
Apple TV+ | Amazon Prime Video | Google Play [The Food Project 2020]
Frida
Prime Video [Imagine Documentaries, TIME Studios]
Join or Die
Netflix [Delevan Street Films]
Award for Outstanding Music Composition – Documentary
** WINNER: Endurance
National Geographic [A Little Dot Studios, Consequential, History Hit Production, Little Monster Films, National Geographic Documentary Films]
Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story
National Geographic [Silverback Films]
Dan Winters: Life is Once. Forever.(Photographer)
National Geographic [Little Monster Films]
Frida
Prime Video [Imagine Documentaries, TIME Studios]
Mafia Spies
Paramount+ [CreativeChaos vmg]
Award for Outstanding Sound – Documentary
** WINNER: Earthsounds
Apple TV+ [Offspring Films]
Apollo 13: Survival
Netflix [Insight TWI Films, Fee Fie Foe]
Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story
National Geographic [Silverback Films]
Mammals
BBC America | BBC+ [BBC Studios National History Unit, France Televisions, ZDF]
Secret World of Sound with David Attenborough
Netflix [CBC, Sky, Humble Bee Films]
Award for Outstanding Lighting Direction – Documentary
** WINNER: Hitler and the Nazis: Evil on Trial
Netflix [Smuggler Entertainment, Third Eye Motion Picture Company]
American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders
Netflix [Stardust Frames, Duplass Brothers Productions]
American Seams(POV Shorts)
PBS [LA Times Studios, Paper Hat Films, The Plains]
Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey
Netflix [RadicalMedia, Third Eye Motion Picture Company]
Separated
MSNBC [NBC News Studios, Participant Media, A Fourth Floor, Moxie Pictures Production, MSNBC Films]
Award for Outstanding Art Direction / Set Decoration / Scenic Design – Documentary
** WINNER: You’re Being Lied To About Voter Fraud. Here’s the Truth. (The New York Times Opinion)
The New York Times [Sharp As Knives]
Apollo 13: Survival
Netflix [Insight TWI Films, Fee Fie Foe]
Glitter and Greed: The Lisa Frank Story
Prime Video [Amazon MGM Studios, Maxine Productions, Sony Pictures Television]
Hitler and the Nazis: Evil on Trial
Netflix [Smuggler Entertainment, Third Eye Motion Picture Company]
Separated
MSNBC [NBC News Studios, Participant Media, A Fourth Floor, Moxie Pictures Production, MSNBC Films]
This Is What a Nuclear Strike Would Feel Like(The New York Times Opinion)
The New York Times
Award for Outstanding Promotional Announcement – Documentary
** WINNER: Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story
National Geographic [Silverback Films, Silk Factory]
Blink
National Geographic [MRC, EYESTEELFILM, National Geographic Documentary Films, Fishbowl Films, Motive]
Brats
ABC News Studios | Hulu
The Capture
Apple TV+ | Google Play | Prime Video | Vimeo | Vudu | YouTube [Center for Investigative Reporting Studios, Magnolia Pictures, Participant Media, Rocklin | Faust, Impact Partners]
Patrice: The Film
ABC News Studios | Hulu
Tsunami: Race Against Time
National Geographic [Blast Films, Aspect]
Award for Outstanding Regional Documentary
** WINNER: The Holly
Rocky Mountain Public Media
Angels Too Soon
WTTW / PBS
Desde Cero: The Migrant Journey in Chicago
WMAQ
OKC Thunder(STEPS)
Oklahoma City Thunder
A Towering Process: The Story
