The Walt Disney Company breaks record for most News & Documentary Emmy Award nominations ever

LOS ANGELES — The Walt Disney Company broke another record for the second consecutive year, earning 81 News & Documentary Emmy Award nominations across its brands and studios, revealed the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Thursday morning.

National Geographic dominated the competition, setting its own record with 46 nominations, thanks largely to “Trafficked: Underworlds with Mariana van Zeller,” which scored 29 nominations on its own, including Outstanding Recorded News Program.

The series earned nominations in every “Coverage” category, consisting of Science and Tech; Climate, Environment and Weather; Health or Medical; Arts, Culture or Entertainment; Business, Consumer or Economic and Crime and Justice.

In the Outstanding Lighting Direction – News category, “Trafficked” made up all four nominations, guaranteeing an Emmy win. Last year, “Trafficked with Mariana van Zeller” also earned the most nominations for a series.

ABC News also stood out this year, receiving four nominations for the overall network, the most of any broadcast network. Their extensive coverage on the presidential election and their continued coverage of the conflict in Syria secured nominations.

In the Outstanding Live News Program category “ABC World News Tonight with David Muir” was nominated for the fourth consecutive year. It won the past two. In total, the program received five nominations.

ABC News Live was nominated seven times, with coverage ranging from climate change in Indonesia and Ecuador, to underreported global migration, to gun safety reform.

“Good Morning America” received the most nominations since 2011. Alongside “David Muir,” the show was nominated in the Outstanding Live News Program category. Their “One on One with President Biden” received a nod in the Outstanding Live Interview – Long Form category.

Meanwhile, ABC’s “20/20” earned two Emmy nominations, one for “Prisoner in Russia: The Brittney Griner Interview” and another for “Jimmy Carter: A Full Life”

In total, ABC News secured 29 nominations.

Disney+’s documentary film “Madu,” following a boy who leaves his family and community in Nigeria to study at a prestigious ballet school, was nominated for Outstanding Arts and Culture Documentary and Outstanding Direction – Documentary.

FX and Hulu were nominated for Outstanding Health or Medical Coverage for “The New York Times Presents: Lie to Fly.” The feature focuses on the mental health of pilots in the aviation industry and calls for reform of the Federal Aviation Administration’s strict rules.

ESPN also received a nod, earning an Outstanding Short Documentary nomination for “Motorcycle Mary,” a look at the life of Mary McGee, America’s first female motorcycle racer.

See below for The Walt Disney Company’s complete list of nominations.

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC

“Trafficked: Underworlds with Mariana van Zeller” (National Geographic)
29 Nominations

Outstanding Recorded News Program
Outstanding Climate, Environment and Weather Coverage – “Apes”
Outstanding Writing – News – “Apes”
Outstanding Research – News – “Apes”
Outstanding Crime and Justice Coverage – “Assassins”
Outstanding Direction – News – “Assassins”
Outstanding Editing – News – “Assassins”
Outstanding Show Open or Title Sequence – News – “Assassins”
Outstanding Lighting Direction – News – “Assassins”
Outstanding Health or Medical Coverage – “Black Market Meds”
Outstanding Health or Medical Coverage – “Body Parts”
Outstanding Hard News Feature – Long Form – “Caught in a Coup”
Outstanding Direction – News – “Caught in a Coup”
Outstanding Video Journalism – “Caught in a Coup”
Outstanding Investigative News Coverage – Long Form – “The Drug Mule Scam”
Outstanding Direction – News – “The Drug Mule Scam”
Outstanding Editing – News – “The Drug Mule Scam”
Outstanding Crime and Justice Coverage – “Hash Smugglers”
Outstanding Video Journalism – “Hash Smugglers”
Outstanding Lighting Direction – News – “Hash Smugglers”
Outstanding Arts, Culture or Entertainment Coverage – “Illegal Gambling”
Outstanding Editing – News – “Illegal Gambling”
Outstanding Lighting Direction – News – “Illegal Gambling”
Outstanding Business, Consumer or Economic Coverage – “Migrant Smugglers”
Outstanding Video Journalism – “Migrant Smugglers”
Outstanding Show Open or Title Sequence – News – “Migrant Smugglers”
Outstanding Science and Technology Coverage – “Sextortion”
Outstanding Lighting Direction – News – “Sextortion”
Technical Excellence – News

“Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story” (National Geographic)
6 nominations

Outstanding Nature Documentary
Outstanding Writing – Documentary
Outstanding Direction – Documentary
Outstanding Music Composition – Documentary
Outstanding Sound – Documentary
Outstanding Promotional Announcement – Documentary

Photographer (National Geographic)
3 nominations

Outstanding Science and Technology Documentary “Anand Varma: Hidden Wonders”
Outstanding Nature Documentary “Paul Nicklen & Cristina Mittermeier: Win or Die”
Outstanding Music Composition – Documentary “Dan Winters: Life is Once. Forever.”

“Blink” (National Geographic)
2 nominations

Outstanding Editing – Documentary
Outstanding Promotional Announcement – Documentary

“The Space Race” (National Geographic Documentary Films)
2 nominations

Outstanding Science and Technology Documentary
Outstanding Writing – Documentary

“Tsunami: Race Against Time” (National Geographic)
2 nominations

Outstanding Historical Documentary
Outstanding Promotional Announcement – Documentary

“Cult Massacre: One Day In Jonestown” (National Geographic)
1 nomination

Outstanding Crime and Justice Documentary

“Endurance” (National Geographic)
1 nomination

Outstanding Music Composition – Documentary

ABC NEWS

* Joint nominations have been included in the total count for certain titles.

ABC News Studios (ABC News)
6 Nominations

Outstanding Promotional Announcement – Documentary “BRATS” (Hulu, ABC News Studios)
*Outstanding Show Open Or Title Sequence – News: “What Happened to Karen Silkwood: The Lost Tapes” IMPACT x Nightline (Hulu, ABC News Studios)
Outstanding Arts, Culture Or Entertainment Coverage “Bruce Springsteen: Backstage and Backstreets” (ABC News Studios)
Outstanding Crime And Justice Coverage “Sins of the Parents: The Crumbley Trials” (Hulu, ABC News Studios)
Outstanding Promotional Announcement – News “Sins of the Parents: The Crumbley Trials” (Hulu, ABC News Studios)
Outstanding Promotional Announcement – Documentary “Patrice: The Movie” (Hulu, ABC News Studios)

ABC News Live (ABC News)
7 Nominations*

*Outstanding Light Feature Story – Short Form: “African Migration: The Deadly Atlantic Route”
Outstanding Recorded News Special: “Exodus: Global Migration”
Outstanding Light Feature Story Long Form: “Last Lands: Central Africa”
Outstanding Climate, Environment And Weather Coverage: “Last Lands: Indonesia and Ecuador”
Outstanding Arts, Culture or Entertainment Coverage: “10 Million Names”
Outstanding Business, Consumer or Economic Coverage: “Trashed: The Secret World of Plastic Exports”
Outstanding Current Affairs Documentary: “Print it Black”

“ABC World News Tonight with David Muir” (ABC News)
5 Nominations*

Outstanding Live News Program
Outstanding Breaking News Coverage: “Hurricane Milton State of Emergency”
Outstanding Light Feature Story – Short Form: “Return to Normandy”
*Outstanding Arts, Culture or Entertainment Coverage: “The Last Heroes of Normandy”
Outstanding Promotional Announcement: “No Fear”

ABC News (ABC News)
4 Nominations

Outstanding Continuing News Coverage – Short Form: “Inside Syria: Assad Overthrown”
Outstanding Live News Special: “Your Voice Your Vote: The 2024 Election”
Outstanding Promotional Announcement: “Election Night”
Outstanding Direction: News: “ABC News Your Voice Your Vote The ABC News Presidential Debate”

“Nightline” (ABC News)
4 Nominations*

Outstanding Continuing News Coverage -Long Form: “Abortion In America: Fallout From The Dobbs Decision”
*Outstanding Light Feature Story – Short Form: “African Migration: The Deadly Atlantic Route”
*Outstanding Arts, Culture Or Entertainment Coverage: “The Last Heroes Of Normandy”
*Outstanding Show Open Or Title Sequence – News: “What Happened to Karen Silkwood: The Lost Tapes” Impact x Nightline (Hulu, ABC News Studios)

“Good Morning America” (ABC News)

3 Nominations
Outstanding Live News Program
Outstanding Live Interview – Long Form: “One On One With President Biden”
Outstanding Promotional Announcement: “I’m in (Image Campaign)”

“20/20” (ABC News)

2 Nominations
Outstanding Recorded News Special: “Jimmy Carter: A Full Life”
Outstanding Edited Interview Long Form: “Prisoner in Russia: The Brittney Griner Interview”

Jay O’Brien (ABC News)
1 Nomination

Outstanding Emerging Journalist

DISNEY BRANDED TELEVISION

“Madu” (Disney+, Disney Branded Television)
2 nominations

Outstanding Arts and Culture Documentary
Outstanding Direction – Documentary

HULU

* Joint nominations have been included in the total count for certain titles.

“Sins of the Parents: The Crumbley Trials” (Hulu, ABC News Studios)
2 nominations

Outstanding Crime and Justice Coverage
Outstanding Promotional Announcement – News

“Brats” (Hulu, ABC News Studios)
1 nomination

Outstanding Promotional Announcement – Documentary

“Bruce Springsteen: Backstage and Backstreets” (Hulu, ABC News Studios)
1 nomination

Outstanding Arts, Culture or Entertainment Coverage

“Diane von Furstenberg: Woman in Charge” (Hulu, ABC News Studios)
1 nomination

Outstanding Business and Economic Documentary

“Lie to Fly – The New York Times Presents” (FX on Hulu)
1 nomination

Outstanding Health or Medical Coverage

“Mastermind: To Think Like a Killer” (Hulu)
1 nomination

Outstanding Crime and Justice Documentary

“Patrice: The Movie” (Hulu, ABC News Studios)
1 nomination

Outstanding Promotional Announcement – Documentary

“What Happened to Karen Silkwood: The Lost Tapes” Impact x Nightline (Hulu, ABC News)
1 nomination

Outstanding Show Open or Title Sequence – News

ESPN

“Motorcycle Mary” (ESPN Films)
1 nomination

Outstanding Short Documentary

FX

*Joint nominations have been included in the total count for certain titles.

“Lie to Fly – The New York Times Presents” (FX on Hulu)
1 nomination

Outstanding Health or Medical Coverage

Winners for the 46th annual News & Documentary Emmy Awards will be announced over two days. On June 25 will be the News ceremony, and on June 26 will be the Documentary ceremony, both in Manhattan, NY.

The Walt Disney Company is the parent company of this ABC station.