• “’It Was a Miracle’: Bondi Beach Survivor Speaks Out” – Filed roughly one hour before the shortlist release, this segment presented a firsthand account from a Bondi Beach drowning survivor.
• “Nick Reiner Makes 1st Appearance in Court” – A 1-minute-35-second package detailing the initial court proceedings involving Nick Reiner.
• “Trump Addresses the Nation Amid Concerns About Economy and Affordability” – A 2-minute-37-second news clip capturing former President Donald Trump’s televised address focused on economic pressures and consumer costs.
• “US ‘Blockade’ of Sanctioned Tankers as Trump Pressures Venezuela’s President” – A 1-minute-25-second report outlining maritime enforcement aimed at Venezuelan oil shipments during the Trump administration.
• “Police Seek Identity of Person in Proximity to Possible Brown University Suspect” – A 1-minute-46-second segment about law-enforcement efforts to trace an individual connected to an investigation on the Ivy League campus.
• “Daddy Yankee: A Higher Note” – Dated November 20, 2025, this long-form profile explores the career and cultural impact of reggaeton artist Daddy Yankee.
• “Gut Check: The Foods We Eat” – A 24-minute-43-second documentary examining dietary choices and their health implications.
• “All Access With Linsey Davis: Stevie Van Zandt” – A 21-minute-31-second interview featuring the musician and activist known for his role in Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band.
• “All Access With Linsey Davis: Andrew Cuomo” – A 22-minute-59-second sit-down with the former New York governor discussing his tenure and public controversies.
• “All Access With Linsey Davis: Zohran Mamdani” – Running 23 minutes and 40 seconds, this episode focuses on the New York State Assembly member’s legislative priorities and background.
• “Barbara Walters: Tell Me Everything” – First released August 8, 2025, the documentary revisits landmark interviews conducted by the late broadcast journalism pioneer.
• “Impact X Nightline: On the Brink” – A deep-dive segment investigating geopolitical tensions in an unnamed hotspot.
• “Impact X Nightline: Unboxing Shein” – A report analyzing the supply chain and marketing practices behind the fast-fashion giant.
• “The Lady Bird Diaries” – A historical documentary constructed from Lady Bird Johnson’s personal recordings and writings.
• “Impact X Nightline: It’s Britney” – A cultural retrospective on pop icon Britney Spears and her long-running conservatorship case.
The shortlist features works varying in length from brief news bulletins under two minutes to documentaries approaching half an hour. According to the organizers, the final nominees will be determined after an additional voting round that evaluates journalistic rigor, storytelling quality and production values. Winners are expected to be announced during a ceremony scheduled for 2026; the exact date and location have not yet been released.
The Video Oscars were established to honor excellence in digital news and documentary programming and are independent of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ film awards. Nonetheless, they share similar judging protocols, emphasizing factual accuracy, narrative coherence and creative innovation. Further information about award criteria and past recipients is available on the Academy’s official site at oscars.org.
ABC News Live content executives have not commented publicly on the shortlist but are expected to issue statements once full nominations are confirmed. In previous years, the streaming service has earned recognition for rapid-turnaround breaking news as well as deeper investigations, placing it among the most-nominated digital outlets in the competition.
Beyond ABC News Live, the 2026 shortlist also contains entries from other broadcasters and independent studios, though their titles were not included in the initial summary released to the press. The awards committee indicated that a complete roster of contenders across all categories will be published closer to the final voting period.
The next phase of judging will include screenings for jurors, fact-checking of each submission and verification of original air dates. Once that process concludes, the committee will reveal the official list of nominees, which typically ranges from four to six per category.
Crédito da imagem: ABC News Live
