The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Outstanding Sound Editing for a Nonfiction or Reality Program is awarded to one television documentary, nonfiction or reality series each year.
In the following list, the first titles listed in gold are the winners; those not in gold are nominees, which are listed in alphabetical order. The years given are those in which the ceremonies took place:
Winners and nominations 1970s Year Program Episode Nominees Network 1974 Outstanding Individual Achievement in Any Area of Creative Technical CraftsAs a juried award, nominees had to garner 50% approval to win the award. Wide World in Concert Doug Nelson, Norm Schwartz ABC
1990s Year Program Episode Nominees Network 1995 Outstanding Individual Achievement - Informational ProgrammingAs a juried award, nominees had to garner 50% approval to win the award. The nominees did not meet the benchmark and no award was given. 30 Years of National Geographic Specials Mark Linden, Paul Schremp, Eric Williams NBC 1996 Outstanding Individual Achievement - Informational ProgrammingAs a juried award, nominees had to garner 50% approval to win the award. The nominees did not meet the benchmark and no award was given. The Beatles Anthology "Part 2" Danny Longhurst, Andy Matthews ABC 1998 Rat Patrick M. Griffith, Lisa Hannan, Paul N. J. Ottosson TBS 4 Little GirlsGlenfield Payne, Eugene Gearty, Maisie WeissmanHBO 1999 Avalanche: The White Death Cory Taylor, Mark Korba, Al Decker, Michael Marion NBC Why Dogs Smile & Chimpanzees Cry Derek Luff, George Leyva, Rick Norman Discovery The Farm: Angola, USAMargaret Crimmins, Paul HsuA&E
2000s Year Program Episode Nominees Network 2000 Walking with Dinosaurs Andrew Sherriff, Simon Gotel Discovery Raising the MammothDerek Luff, Rick Norman, Tania Wang, George Leyva, Glen Frazier, Emmanuel Mairesse, Mohamed Amrane, Benoît HénaffDiscovery 2001 Allosaurus: A Walking with Dinosaurs Special Andrew Sherriff, Simon Gotel, Ashley Bates DiscoveryJazz"Dedicated to Chaos"Ira Spiegel, Dan Korintus, Bruce Kitzmeyer, Jacob RibicoffPBS Living Dolls: The Making of a Child Beauty QueenCharlton McMillanHBO Shooting WarAl Decker, Mark Korba, Michael Marion, Mark Linden, Tara A. Paul, Bryan McKenzie, Joan RoweABCTrauma: Life in the E.R."Trauma Season"Chuck Hammer, Matthew Barbato, Benny MouthonTLC 2002 When Dinosaurs Roamed America Michael Payne, David Esparza, Nancy Nugent, Jonathan Wareham DiscoveryThe Blue Planet "The Deep"Lucy RutherfordDiscovery In Memoriam: New York CityStuart StanleyHBO 9/11Ray Palagy, Tony Pipitone, Neil Cedar, John Bowen, Philippe Desloovere, John HasslerCBS The True Story of Black Hawk DownAndrew McCracken, Paul Ray, Patrick McNultyHistory 2003 Expedition: Bismarck David Kitchens, Ben Zarai, Gonzalo Espinoza, Eric Lalicata, Chris McDonough, Eric Reuveni, Matthias Weber DiscoveryAmerican Experience "Seabiscuit"Kevin Lee PBSAmerican Masters "Joni Mitchell: Woman of Heart and Mind"Jeffrey Stern Before We Ruled the EarthMichael Payne, Stephen P. Robinson, David Esparza, Nancy Nugent, Dean Grinsfelder, Laura Macias, Sean RoweDiscovery Unchained Memories: Readings from the Slave NarrativesIra Spiegel, Marlena GrzaslewiczHBO 2004 Dinosaur Planet "Pod's Travels" / "Alpha's Egg" Michael Payne, Stephen P. Robinson, Nancy Nugent, David Esparza, Patrick Cusack, Lisa Varetakis, Dean Grinsfelder, Sean Rowe, Gregg Barbanell DiscoveryAmerican Masters "Judy Garland: By Myself"Margaret Crimmins, Greg SmithPBSThe Apprentice "DNA, Heads and the Undead Kitty"Derek Luff, Ryan Owens, Mark Jasper, Rick LivingstoneNBC JockeyLynne Feldman, Kate Davis HBO Three Sisters: Searching for a CureJohn Bowen 2005 Pompeii: The Last Day Simon Farmer DiscoveryThe Amazing Race "We're Moving Up the Food Chain"Matt Deitrich, Mike Bolanowski, Heeyeon Chang, Chris Dalzell, Evan Finn, Danny Flynn, Michael Friedman, Eric Goldfarb, Julian Gomez, Andrew Kozar, Paul C. Nielsen, Jacob Parsons, Jeff Runyan, E. WilsonCBSBroadway: The American Musical "Syncopated City"Deborah Wallach, Branka MrkicPBS Star Wars: Empire of DreamsDavid Comtois, Troy Bogert, Scott B. Morgan, Molly ShockA&EUnforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson "Part 1"Sean Huff, Erik Ewers, Jacob RibicoffPBS 2006 Baghdad ER Lila Yomtoob HBOThe Amazing Race "Here Comes the Bedouin!"Matt Deitrich, Mike Bolanowski, Evan Finn, Eric Goldfarb, Julian Gomez, Andrew Kozar, Paul C. Nielsen, Rick LivingstoneCBSAmerican Experience "Two Days in October"Jack Levy, Daniel Colman, Vince Balunas, Jeff K. Brunello, Kim Roberts, Doug MadickPBSAmerican Masters "No Direction Home: Bob Dylan"Philip Stockton, Allan Zaleski, Fred Rosenberg, Jennifer L. Dunnington, Annette KudrakSurvivor "Big Trek, Big Trouble, Big Surprise"Ryan Owens, Mark Jasper, Vince Tennant, Matt Slivinski, Glen Frazier, Rick Livingstone, Michael Brake, Monique ReymondCBS 2007 Planet Earth "Pole to Pole" Kate Hopkins DiscoveryThe Amazing Race "I Know Phil, Little Ol' Gorgeous Thing"Jon Bachmann, Eric Goldfarb, Julian Gomez, Andrew Kozar, Paul C. Nielsen, Jacob Parsons, Rick LivingstoneCBSAmerican Masters "Atlantic Records: The House That Ahmet Built"Richard Fairbanks, Pamela Scott ArnoldPBS Ghosts of Abu GhraibMargaret Crimmins, Greg Smith HBO When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four ActsFred Rosenberg, Allan Zaleski, Marko A. Costanzo, Marvin R. Morris 2008 The War "When Things Get Tough" Erik Ewers, Ryan Gifford, Mariusz Glabinski, Magdaline Volaitis, Ira Spiegel, Marlena Grzaslewicz, Jacob Ribicoff PBS Alive Day Memories: Home from IraqStuart Stanley, Philippe DesloovereHBOThe Amazing Race "Honestly, They Have Witch Powers or Something"Eric Goldfarb, Andrew Kozar, Paul C. Nielsen, Jacob Parsons, Steven J. Escobar, Julian Gomez, Rick LivingstoneCBSAmerican Masters "Les Paul: Chasing Sound"John PaulsonPBS Autism: The MusicalKeith RishkofskiHBO Life After PeopleDave Philips, Coby Taitano, Corey Morgan, Stephen Parise, Ryan Young, Nozomu Furuya, Jack CrosbyHistory 2009 102 Minutes That Changed America Seth Skundrick HistoryThe Amazing Race "Don't Let a Cheese Hit Me"Eric Goldfarb, Julian Gomez, Andrew Kozar, Paul C. Nielsen, Jacob Parsons, Rick LivingstoneCBS China's Unnatural Disaster: The Tears of Sichuan ProvincePaul Hsu, Branka MrkicHBO Glass: A Portrait of Philip in Twelve Parts (American Masters)Stephen R. Smith, Peter D. Smith, Tom Heuzenroeder, Adrian MedhurstPBS Roman Polanski: Wanted and DesiredD.D. StenehjemHBO
2010s Year Program Episode Nominees Network 2010 America: The Story of Us "Division" Phitz Hearne HistoryThe Amazing Race "I Think We're Fighting the Germans, Right?"Eric Goldfarb, Julian Gomez, Andrew Kozar, Paul C. Nielsen, Jacob Parsons, Rich Remis, Jennifer Nelson, Mike Bolanowski, Rick LivingstoneCBSLife "Challenges of Life"Kate HopkinsDiscoveryThe National Parks: America's Best Idea "The Scripture of Nature"Erik Ewers, Craig Mellish, Ryan Gifford, Dave Mast, Jacob Ribicoff, Margaret Shepardson-Legere, Meagan FrappieaPBS Teddy: In His Own WordsNeil CedarHBO 2011 Gettysburg Charles Maynes, Zach Seivers, Brent Kiser HistoryThe Amazing Race "You Don't Get Paid Unless You Win"Eric Goldfarb, Julian Gomez, Andrew Kozar, Paul C. Nielsen, Jacob Parsons, Rich Remis, Jennifer Nelson, Mike Bolanowski, Bryan ParkerCBSAmerican Idol "Auditions No. 2: New Orleans"Matt Slivinski, Bryan ParkerFoxAmerican Masters "Jeff Bridges: The Dude Abides" Deborah Wallach PBSBaseball: The Tenth Inning "Top of the Tenth"Ira Spiegel, Mariusz Glabinski, Jacob Ribicoff, Dan Korintus, Marlena GrzaslewiczWhale Wars "To the Ends of the Earth"Bryan ParkerAnimal Planet 2012 Frozen Planet "Ends of the Earth" Kate Hopkins, Tim Owens, Paul Fisher Discovery ChannelThe Amazing Race "Let Them Drink Their Haterade"Eric Goldfarb, Julian Gomez, Andrew Kozar, Paul C. Nielsen, Jacob Parsons, Rich Remis, Jennifer Nelson, Mike Bolanowski, Bryan Parker, Graham BarclayCBS George Harrison: Living in the Material WorldPhilip Stockton, Allan Zaleski, Jennifer L. DunningtonHBO Paul Simon's Graceland Journey: Under African SkiesEric Milano, Chris DavisA&EProhibition "A Nation of Hypocrites"Dan Korintus, Marlena Grzaslewicz, Ira Spiegel, Dave Mast, Erik Ewers, Jacob RibicoffPBS 2013 The Men Who Built America "Bloody Battles" Tim W. Kelly, Jonathan Soule HistoryThe Amazing Race "Be Safe and Don't Hit a Cow"Eric Goldfarb, Julian Gomez, Andrew Kozar, Paul C. Nielsen, Jacob Parsons, Andy Castor, Jennifer Nelson, Mike Bolanowski, Bryan Parker, Graham BarclayCBS Crossfire HurricaneCameron Frankley, Jon MichaelsHBOThe Dust Bowl "The Great Plow-Up"Craig Mellish, Ryan Gifford, Dave Mast, Meagan FrappieaPBS History of the EaglesPhilip Stockton, Ruy García, Annette KudrakShowtimeSurvivor "Create a Little Chaos"John Warrin, Paul Meyer, Michael Brake, Michael Dobbins, Todd Babiak, Brooke LowreyCBS 2014 Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey "Standing Up in the Milky Way" Christopher Harvengt, Richard S. Steele, Jeff Carson, Jason Tregoe Newman, Bob Costanza, Lisa Varetakis, Bill Bell, Tim Chilton, Jill Schachne FoxThe Amazing Race "Part Like the Red Sea"Eric Goldfarb, Julian Gomez, Andrew Kozar, Paul C. Nielsen, Jacob Parsons, Andy Castor, Jennifer Nelson, Ryan Leamy, Eric Beetner, Aaron CrossCBSAnthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown "Punjab"Benny Mouthon, Hunter GrossCNNVice "Terrorist University & Armageddon Now"Sean CanadaHBOThe World Wars "Trial by Fire"Tim W. Kelly, Jonathan Soule, Brian McAllister, John Kilgour, Mike AlfinHistory 2015 Foo Fighters: Sonic Highways "Seattle" Justin Lebens HBOAnthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown "Madagascar"Benny MouthonCNN Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of BeliefBill Chesley, David Ellinwood, Daniel Timmons HBO The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst "Chapter 2: Poor Little Rich Boy"Duncan Clark, Matt Snedecor, Suzana Peric, John Carbonara Kurt Cobain: Montage of HeckCameron Frankley, Dan Kenyon, Jon Michaels 2016 Cartel Land Tom Paul, Ryan Collison, Joanna Fang, Leslie Bloome, Mark Filip, Billy Orrico, Sean Garnhart A&EAnthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown "Okinawa"Brian Bracken, Nick BrigdenCNN He Named Me MalalaSkip Lievsay, PK Hooker, Susan Dubek, Bill Bernstein Nat GeoMaking a Murderer "Lack of Humanity"Daniel Ward, Leslie Bloome Netflix What Happened, Miss Simone?Joshua L. Pearson, Dan Timmons 2017 The Beatles: Eight Days a Week — The Touring Years Jon Michaels, Harrison Meyle, Dan Kenyon, Will Digby, Melissa Muik Hulu Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown "Hanoi" Benny Mouthon CNN Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath "Golden Era" David Crocco, Rolando Nadal A&E Planet Earth II "Cities" Kate Hopkins, Tim Owens BBC America 13th Tim Boggs, Alex Lee, Julie Pierce, Lise Richardson Netflix 2018 Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown "Seattle" Brian Bracken, Nick Brigden CNN Blue Planet II "Coral Reefs" Kate Hopkins, Tim Owens BBC America The Defiant Ones "Episode 1" Jay Nierenberg, Todd Niesen, David Mann, Katrina Frederick, Del Spiva HBO Jane Warren Shaw, Joshua Paul Johnson, Odin Benitez, Peter Staubli, Will Digby, Suzana Peric, Tara Blume Nat Geo The Vietnam War "Episode 6: Things Fall Apart (January 1968-July 1968)" Erik Ewers, Mariusz Glabinski, Dave Mast, Jacob Ribicoff, Ryan Gifford, Margaret Shepardson-Legere, Ira Spiegel, Matt Rigby, Marlena Grzaslewicz, Dan Korintus PBS Wild Wild Country "Part 1" Brent Kiser, Jacob Flack, Elliot Thompson, Danielle Price, Timothy Preston Netflix 2019Free Solo Deborah Wallach, Filipe Messeder, Jim Schultz, Roland Vajs, Nuno Bento Nat Geo Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown "Far West Texas" Benny Mouthon, Hunter Gross CNN Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened Nathan Hasz, Tom Paul, Jeremy Bloom, Esther Regelson, Daniel Ward, Curtis Henderson NetflixLeaving Neverland Ross Millership, Poppy Kavanagh HBO Our Planet "Frozen Worlds" Kate Hopkins, Tim Owens Netflix
2020s