The 27th Annual News and Documentary Emmy Awards were presented by the National Television Academy at a black-tie ceremony at the Marriott Marquis hotel in New York City. Newsmakers and industry executives, including Ed Bradley, Anderson Cooper, Walter Cronkite, Charles Gibson and Brian Williams, presented awards to broadcast journalists.

A Lifetime Achievement Award was given to PBS journalist Bill Moyers. Presenters included his wife and partner, Walter Cronkite, Tom Johnson, and Paula Kerger.

Also, three press organizations were honored for their work in the defense of freedom of the press worldwide. Terry Anderson, the Associated Press Beirut bureau chief who was held hostage for nearly seven years in Lebanon, accepted for the Committee to Protect Journalists (New York). Johnann Fritz accepted for the International Press Institute (Vienna). Robert Menard accepted for Reporters Without Borders (Reporters sans Frontieres, Paris).