Key Points
- An open letter calls for Bisan Owda’s Emmy nomination for her documentary with AJ+ to be rescinded.
- Both 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award after an open letter signed by more than 150 entertainment industry professionals called for her nomination to be withdrawn.
Owda is a 25-year-old journalist who documents life in the Gaza Strip after
She has amassed a significant following 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+.
This category is part of the News and Documentary Emmy Awards, which will be presented in September.
The documentary — titled It’s Bisan from Gaza and I’m Still Alive — references the opening lines of many of her social media videos. It follows her displacement by Israeli bombardments and the experience of sheltering outside the now-devastated .
The war between Hamas and Israel is the latest escalation in a long-running conflict that has killed more than 40,000 Gazans and 1,200 Israelis since October, according to local authorities.
Why is there so much criticism of her nomination?
The backlash to her nomination has been led by the nonprofit Creative Community for Peace (CCFP), which published an open letter signed by more than 150 industry leaders, including actors Selma Blair and Debra Messing.
Owda is alleged to have links to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), which is listed as a terrorist organisation by the US, Canada and the European Union, but not by Australia.
The letter claims that Owda has spoken at events organized by the PFLP, and urges her to withdraw her nomination for the prestigious television awards to “avoid glorifying a figure associated with terrorism.”
CCFP Director Ari Ingel also said the decision was “inexcusable” and “should never have happened.”
What was the reaction to the Emmys?
Adam Sharp is the CEO and chairman 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.
According to Sharp, the Emmys have been recognizing journalistic achievement for nearly 50 years.
“Some of these works are controversial and provide a platform for opinions that certain viewers may find offensive or even repugnant,” he said.
“But they have all committed to the journalistic mission of capturing every facet of the story.”
According to his statement, the documentary was judged by two panels of independent judges.
Also addressed were allegations about Owda’s ties to the PFLP. According to the organization, NATAS was aware of reports that she had spoken at events as a teenager six to nine years ago.
“NATAS has not been able to confirm these reports and has to date been unable to find evidence of any more current or active involvement of Owda in the PFLP organization,” the statement said.
Al Jazeera, a Qatari news organization, also released a statement defending the documentary, which won the Peabody and Edwards R. Murrow Awards.
The broadcaster called the allegations “baseless” and said the attempt to revoke Owda’s Emmy nomination was “an attempt to deny an important perspective” on the war.
Owda, who continues to post videos from Gaza, has not responded to the letter.
What is the situation for journalists in Gaza?
The nonprofit Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) estimates that at least 115 media workers and journalists have been killed as of August 21.
According to the group, the war between Israel and Hamas is the deadliest period for journalists since the group began collecting data in 1992.
One hundred and ten of the murdered journalists were Palestinians, three Lebanese and two Israelis.
Earlier this month, Al Jazeera journalists Ismail al-Ghoul and Rami al-Refee were killed in an Israeli attack.
Like Owda, other journalists living in Gaza have built significant social media followings through their work documenting the experiences of people who lived through the war.
In January, photojournalist Motaz Azaiza announced that he had been evacuated and .
He gained nearly 18 million followers on Instagram for his reporting, which also included the deaths of fellow journalists.
Plestia Alaqad also gained worldwide attention for her reporting on Gaza. In November, she moved with her family to Melbourne on temporary visas sponsored by her uncle.
Alaqad has since made several public appearances,
Both Alaqad and Azaiza continue to use their platforms to share information about the impact of the conflict on the people of Gaza.
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