Palestinian journalist Bisan Owda just won her very first Emmy in the Outstanding Hard News Feature Story category. She is also the first Palestinian to have won this award. Not to be confused with the Oscar awards, Emmy distinctions honor those in the field of broadcast production. Bisan Owda has gained millions of followers across platforms such as Instagram, since October 7th, 2023.
From a young age, Owda has always found herself interested in journalism and the art of storytelling. Owda has also participated in various other organizations that cover different societal issues. A few of these organizations include the European Union on climate change, a member of UN Women’s Youth Gender Innovation Agora Forum, and she also works for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
Documenting the destruction in the Gaza Strip, Owda also has continuously reminded her audience of what life looked like before the occupation in Gaza. The occupation has historically begun in June 1967, and generations of Palestinians have faced the chain reactions of the Israeli settlement. However, recent spotlight on the October 7th conflict has led some to believe that the possession of Palestine first arose in 2023. Bisan has highlighted her own life, along with the lives of many other Palestinians before October 7th, and implores her audience to speak up for the injustices that everyday people and children face in the area.
The 25-year-old reporter was nominated and won in the Emmy category of Outstanding Hard News Feature Story. Originally from Beit Hanoun in the Gaza Strip, Owda has been recording her struggle to find shelter, basic resources, and more, simply using her iPhone as a recording device. AJ+ is a social media publisher that Owda works under, owned by a larger media distributor, Al Jazeera Media Network. Her AJ+ documentary titled It’s Bisan From Gaza, and I’m Still Alive. Owda’s documentary depicts the ongoing struggle in Gaza as she and thousands of other Palestinians flee from their homes. The title of her documentary stems from the chilling introduction she begins each of her vlogs with.
On September 26, 2024, John Laurence, senior executive producer at AJ+ accepted the award on Owda’s behalf. Owda was unable to accept the award herself, as she still remains trapped in Gaza. Laurence referenced the ongoing struggles journalists face as they remain trapped in the Gaza Strip during the acceptance speech, “Over 100 Palestinian journalists have been killed in Gaza including several of our Al Jazeera colleagues”. Later in the speech, Laurence continued to urge the audience to join them in spreading an important message, that “journalism is not a crime.”
Despite this, the Emmy win and nomination were met with controversy and backlash from many individuals. Over 150 entertainment industry leaders signed a letter asking for Owda’s nomination to be revoked before the winners were announced. This letter was organized by the Creative Community for Peace, a Jewish non-profit, which claimed that Owda allegedly had ties to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). The PFLP is considered a terrorist organization in the United States, Japan, and European Union.
The letter was met with a swift response from NATAS (National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences), stating that they were “unable to corroborate these reports, nor has it been able, to date, to surface any evidence of more contemporary or active involvement by Owda with the PFLP organization” CEO Adam Sharp said. Sharp also included in the letter that past documentary nominations “have been controversial, giving a platform to voices that certain viewers may find objectionable…” He adds that all of these nominations, including Owda’s It’s Bisan From Gaza, and I’m Still Alive, are meant to carry out the journalistic mission, which is to provide every angle of a story, no matter how controversial or subjective it may seem.