Palestenian Journalist Bisan Owda Claims First Emmy Victory
Recently marked a historic moment at the 45 Annual News and Documentary Emmy Awards, as Palestinian journalist Bisan Owda and AJ+ News took home the prize for “Outstanding Hard News Feature Story: Short Form” for the docuseries It’s Bisan from Gaza, and I’m Still Alive.
In collaboration with AJ+ news, the filmmaker, activist, and journalist won the award for her moving coverage of life in Gaza one year after October 7. The series portrays her experiences of evacuating her home in Beit Hanoun, in northern Gaza, due to constant bombardment from Israeli forces, and her daily life as a displaced person moving between cities in the Gaza Strip. Bisan’s work has brought global attention to the everyday realities of Palestinians living through the ongoing conflict.
This Emmy win marks the first for Owda, adding to her growing list of accomplishments. Earlier this year, her docuseries also won prestigious Peabody and RTDNA Edward R. Murrow awards, as reported by Al Jazeera.
. @wizardbisan and AJ+ just won an Emmy Award for her films from Gaza. pic.twitter.com/HVghGQyktM
— AJ+ (@ajplus) September 26, 2024
However, Owda’s nomination and subsequent win have been met with backlash from pro-Israel groups and some Hollywood figures. Variety noted that celebrities including Debra Messing, Sherry Lansing, and Haim Saban signed a letter calling for the filmmaker’s nomination to be rescinded, citing accusations of links to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). Despite the controversy, the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) president and CEO Adam Sharpe confirmed that the docuseries had been thoroughly reviewed by two panels of independent judges, and the nomination stood. U.S.-based nonprofit Creative Community for Peace condemned the win, alleging it condoned the PFLP’s agenda.
“The war in Palestine ” was a central theme at the awards, with several honors going to related coverage. CNN took home multiple awards, including one for breaking news coverage of the conflict, as journalists Clarissa Ward and Anderson Cooper were recognized for their frontline reporting.
Despite criticism from pro-Israeli groups, Bisan Owda and AJ+ News received significant praise from audiences and social media supporters for their efforts to spotlight the lives of Palestinians enduring occupation, bombardment, and displacement
I am a third-year journalism student at St. John’s University in Queens, New York. I am originally from Boston, Massachusetts, though I have spent the past seven years growing up in New York. With a passion for storytelling, I engage in photography, dance, and travel, and I also enjoy baking, cooking, and reading. I aim to build a career in broadcasting and reporting on global news while traveling the world and incorporating my passion for activism. In the future, I aspire to host my own TV show or publish a book, sharing my insights and experiences with a broader audience.
