The Sing Sing Chronicles secured the prestigious Best Documentary award on the second night of the 2025 News & Documentary Emmy Awards. Produced by MSNBC, the film explores the profound relationship between journalist Dan Slepian and Jon-Adrian “JJ” Velazquez, a man wrongfully convicted of murder and incarcerated at Sing Sing Correctional Facility.
Directed by Dawn Porter and executive produced by Kimberly Ferdinando, the documentary was produced by NBC News Studios and received widespread acclaim for its impactful storytelling.
During the ceremony, Oscar-nominated filmmaker Jon Else was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award, presented by Carrie Lozano. Additionally, Al Roker, longtime weather anchor for NBC Today, received a similar honor.
Terry O’Reilly, Chairman of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS), praised the journalistic and documentary communities for their essential role in shaping culture and fostering critical societal conversations through truthful storytelling.
The event also inducted several notable figures into the Gold and Silver Circle societies, recognizing their lasting contributions to television and broadcasting. Among the Gold Circle inductees were Marc Burstein and Martha Teichner, while the Silver Circle welcomed Akram Abi-Hanna, Cater Lee, Bill Owens, and Deborah Roberts.
Prominent presenters at the ceremony included Muta’Ali (MoviePass, MovieCrash), Joe Berlinger (Hitler and the Nazis: Evil on Trial), Lisa Cortés (The Space Race), Gabriela Cowperthwaite (The Grab), and Barak Goodman (Kissinger).
The awards for documentary categories were presented Thursday night at the Palladium Times Square in New York City, following the announcement of news category winners the previous evening. Major networks CBS, ABC, CNN, and National Geographic were among the top winners.
ABC World News Tonight with David Muir earned the Outstanding Live News Program award, while CBS collected the highest number of Emmys on the first night with five wins.
Below is the full list of winners in the documentary categories:
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Outstanding Current Affairs Documentary: We Will Dance Again (Paramount+)
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Outstanding Politics and Government Documentary: The Sixth (A24)
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Outstanding Social Issue Documentary: Two American Families: 1991-2024 (FRONTLINE, PBS)
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Outstanding Investigative Documentary: American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders (Netflix)
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Outstanding Historical Documentary: Tsunami: Race Against Time (National Geographic)
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Outstanding Arts and Culture Documentary: Madu (Disney+)
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Outstanding Science and Technology Documentary: Hunt for the Oldest DNA (NOVA, PBS)
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Outstanding Nature Documentary: Paul Nicklen & Cristina Mittermeier: Win or Die (National Geographic)
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Outstanding Business and Economic Documentary: Buy Now: The Shopping Conspiracy (Netflix)
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Outstanding Crime and Justice Documentary: The Truth vs. Alex Jones (HBO Max)
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Outstanding Short Documentary: The Dirty Business of Monkey Laundering (Bloomberg Investigates)
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Best Documentary: The Sing Sing Chronicles (MSNBC)
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Outstanding Writing – Documentary: Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story (National Geographic)
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Outstanding Research – Documentary: The Grab (Center for Investigative Reporting Studios)
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Outstanding Direction – Documentary: Frida (Prime Video)
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Outstanding Cinematography – Documentary: Secret World of Sound with David Attenborough (Netflix)
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Outstanding Editing – Documentary: Blink (National Geographic)
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Outstanding Graphic Design – Documentary: Omnivore (Apple TV+)
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Outstanding Music Composition – Documentary: Endurance (National Geographic)
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Outstanding Sound – Documentary: Earthsounds (Apple TV+)
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Outstanding Lighting Direction – Documentary: Hitler and the Nazis: Evil on Trial (Netflix)
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Outstanding Art Direction / Set Decoration / Scenic Design – Documentary: You’re Being Lied To About Voter Fraud. Here’s the Truth. (The New York Times Opinion)
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Outstanding Promotional Announcement – Documentary: Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story (National Geographic)
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Outstanding Regional Documentary: The Holly (Rocky Mountain Public Media)
The 2025 Emmy Awards celebrated excellence in journalism and documentary filmmaking, highlighting the vital role these works play in informing and inspiring the public.
