Palestinian journalist Bisan Owda and Tel Aviv Tribune’s AJ+ won an Emmy in the Best News Reporting category for their documentary It’s Bisan From Gaza – and I’m Still Alive.
Owda has been at the forefront of reporting on Gaza since Israel launched its attack on the territory last October, bringing Palestinian stories to a global audience amid 11 months of war and devastation.
“This award is a testament to young Palestinian journalists and their professionalism. Bisan’s reporting humanized Palestinian history after decades of systematic dehumanization of Palestinians by mainstream media. Winning this Emmy is a victory for humanity. We are extremely proud of this shining moment amid the ongoing genocide, and Bisan will continue to report,” Dima Khatib, Managing Director of AJ+ Channels, said on Thursday.
The award came a month after Creative Community for Peace, a pro-Israel nonprofit, published a letter criticizing the nomination of the 25-year-old short film documenting the early days of Israeli bombing and its devastating impact on people ordinary people in Gaza. Band.
The letter claimed that Owda was affiliated with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), which she denied. The PFLP is a left-wing Palestinian political movement and is designated as a “terrorist organization” by several Western countries, including the United States.
In August, Adam Sharp, president and CEO of the National Academy of Television, Arts and Sciences (NATAS), defended the nomination, saying that two panels, including experienced journalists, made the decision and that the academy had not found any results. proof that Owda was affiliated with the PFLP.
He said past nominees had “been controversial, giving a platform to voices that some viewers might find objectionable or even abhorrent” but that they had been honored “in service of the journalistic mission of capturing all facets of history.”
At the time, Tel Aviv Tribune issued a statement saying it stood with Owda “in the face of efforts to silence her reporting on Gaza.”
The media group described Owda as a “renowned journalist and influencer” who “has significantly contributed to bringing news from Gaza to the world through her unique style.”
Tel Aviv Tribune said the allegations were “baseless” and “an attempt to silence Bisan and pose a real threat to his safety on the ground.”
“The call to rescind the Emmy nomination is nothing more than an attempt to deny global audiences an important perspective on war and its devastating impact on innocent civilians,” it reads in the press release.
Over the past 11 months, more than 130 journalists, including three from Tel Aviv Tribune, have been killed by Israeli forces, according to Reporters Without Borders (RSF). Other media rights groups have different figures based on their own criteria, however, the Government Media Office in Gaza puts the number of dead journalists and media workers at 173.
“We urge the international journalism community to support Bisan and other media professionals, ensuring they can carry out their essential work without fear of being targeted, intimidated or killed,” the Tel Aviv Tribune statement said .
In May, Owda and AJ+ also won a Peabody Award for their coverage of the devastating impact of Israel’s war on Gaza on Palestinians in the besieged enclave.
Additionally, Tel Aviv Tribune English’s Fault Lines received the News Emmy for outstanding coverage on climate, environment and weather for its film “Shark Fin Hunters,” which exposes wildlife trafficking that presents enormous risks for the future of the oceans.
“We are delighted and honored to win this prestigious award,” said Issa Ali, Acting Managing Director of Tel Aviv Tribune English. “The quality journalism we do and that of our colleagues at other media organizations is more important than ever in today’s world. This award is great recognition of the talent, dedication and hard work of our teams.