Key Points
- An open letter has called for the removal of Bisan Owda’s Emmy nomination for his documentary with AJ+.
- The Emmys and Al Jazeera responded to the letter, defending Owda’s nomination.
- Adam Sharp, president of the organization behind the Emmys, said the awards recognize journalistic excellence.
The Emmys have defended their decision to nominate Palestinian journalist Bisan Owda for an award, after an open letter signed by more than 150 entertainment industry professionals called for her nomination to be rescinded.
Owda is a 25-year-old journalist who documents life in the Gaza Strip following
She has amassed a significant number of followers on social media, including over 4.7 million followers on Instagram.
Owda is nominated in the Outstanding Hard News Feature Story category for an eight-minute documentary produced in collaboration with Al Jazeera’s AJ+.
The category is part of the News and Documentary Emmy Awards, which will take place in September.
The documentary – titled It’s Bisan from Gaza and I’m Still Alive – references the first line of several of his social media videos. This follows his displacement due to Israeli bombing and the experience of sheltering outside the now destroyed territory. .
The war between Hamas and Israel represents the latest escalation in a long-running conflict. More than 40,000 Gazans and 1,200 Israelis have been killed since October, according to local authorities.
Why are there negative reactions to his appointment?
The negative reaction to his appointment was led by Creative Community for Peace (CCFP), a non-profit organization. They released an open letter with signatures from more than 150 industry executives, including actresses Selma Blair and Debra Messing.
It alleges that Owda has links to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), designated as a terrorist group by the United States, Canada and the European Union, but not by Australia.
The letter claims that Owda has spoken at events organized by the PFLP and urges that his nomination for the prestigious television awards be withdrawn to “avoid glorifying a figure associated with terrorism.”
CCFP Executive Director Ari Ingel also said the decision was “inexcusable” and “should never have happened.”
How did the Emmys react?
Adam Sharp is the CEO and president of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS), the organization behind the Emmys.
He responded to the open letter, defending the decision and highlighting how the documentary was nominated.
Sharp said the Emmys have recognized excellence in journalists for nearly 50 years.
“Some of these works have been controversial, giving a platform to voices that some viewers may find objectionable or even abhorrent,” he said.
“But all were in service of the journalistic mission of capturing every side of the story.”
According to his statement, the documentary was reviewed by two panels of independent judges.
He also addressed allegations about Owda’s ties to the PFLP, saying NATAS was aware of reports that she spoke at events six to nine years ago, when she was a teenager.
“NATAS has not been able to corroborate this information, nor, to date, have it been able to reveal any evidence of a more contemporary or active involvement of Owda in the organization of the PFLP,” the statement said.
Al Jazeera, a Qatar-based news agency, also released a statement defending the documentary, which was honored with Peabody and Edwards R. Murrow awards.
The network called the allegations “baseless” and said the push to have Owda’s Emmy nomination withdrawn was “an attempt to deny an important perspective” on the war.
Owda, who still posts videos from Gaza, did not respond to the letter.
What is the situation of journalists in Gaza?
The nonprofit Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) estimates that as of August 21, at least 115 media workers and journalists have been killed.
The group says the war between Israel and Hamas was the deadliest period for journalists since data collection began in 1992.
One hundred and ten of these journalists killed were Palestinian, three Lebanese and two Israeli.
Earlier this month, Al Jazeera journalists Ismail al-Ghoul and Rami al-Refee were killed in an Israeli strike.
Like Owda, other Gaza-based journalists have amassed a significant following on social media through their work documenting the on-the-ground experiences of those who lived through the war.
In January, photojournalist Motaz Azaiza revealed that he was being evacuated and .
He amassed nearly 18 million followers on Instagram for his coverage, which included the deaths of his fellow journalists.
Plestia Alaqad has also attracted worldwide attention for her reporting on Gaza. In November, she and her family moved to Melbourne on temporary visas, sponsored by her uncle.
Alaqad has since made several public appearances,
Alaqad and Azaiza continue to use their platforms to share information about the impact of the conflict on the people of Gaza.
