Bisan Atef Owda’s nomination for a 2024 News & Documentary Emmy Award has become a flashpoint in the entertainment industry.

Her short documentary, It’s Bisan From Gaza and I’m Still Alive, which chronicles her family’s harrowing escape from bombardment in Gaza, earned her a nomination in the Outstanding Hard News Feature Story Short Form category.

Bisan and AJ+ have won a Peabody Award for coverage of the devastating impact Israel’s war on the Gaza Strip.

Bisan’s short documentary, It’s Bisan From Gaza and I’m Still Alive, is more than just a film; it’s a lifeline for those who have no voice.

The truth she bravely chooses to risk her life every day for.

It offers an unfiltered glimpse into the harsh realities faced by Palestinians, particularly in moments of intense crisis. Bisan’s work doesn’t cater to any sanitized narrative—it bravely captures the raw truth.

And that truth is precisely what makes her documentary so powerful, and why it has come under attack.

The Creative Community For Peace (CCFP) and its signatories have attempted to silence Bisan by accusing her of associations that have no bearing on her journalistic integrity and requesting that her nomination is revoked.

Over 150 entertainment industry leaders have called on NATAS to revoke Bisan nomination.

Signatories included:  Haim Saban (Chairman and CEO, Saban Capital Group); David Draiman (Frontman, Disturbed); Debra Messing (Actress); Rebecca De Mornay (Actress);  Sherry Lansing (Former CEO of Paramount Pictures); Rick Rosen (Co-Founder, Endeavor); Ben Silverman (Chairman & Co-CEO, Propagate Content); Modi Wiczyk (Co-Founder and Co-CEO, MRC); Fernando Szew (President, Fox Entertainment); Michael Rotenberg (Partner, 3 Arts Entertainment); Emmanuelle Chriqui (Actress);  Fred Tozcek (Partner, Felker Toczek Suddleson Abramson McGinnis Ryan LLP), amongst others.

They allege that Bisan has documented ties to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), a U.S.-designated terrorist organization, and claim that her nomination violates the ethical standards of the Emmy Awards.

But their motives are clear: they want to control the narrative, to dictate which stories can be told and by whom.

In targeting Bisan, they are sending a dangerous message to all journalists—one that threatens the very essence of a free press.

Despite the pressure, The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, NATAS, has chosen to stand by Bisan.

In a strong statement, NATAS President and CEO Adam Sharp defended the nomination, emphasizing the importance of journalistic integrity and the thorough review process that led to Bisan recognition.

NATAS CEO President Adam Sharp responded with this letter:

Thank you for your letter of August 19, 2024, concerning the nomination of “It’s Bisan From Gaza and I’m Still Alive” for a 2024 News & Documentary Emmy Award.

The News & Documentary Emmys have recognized excellence in television journalism for nearly half a century. The honored programs and reports have taken viewers to the front lines of every world conflict, probed political and cultural divides, and sought to illuminate even the darkest circumstances. Some of these works have been controversial, giving a platform to voices that certain viewers may find objectionable or even abhorrent. But all have been in the service of the journalistic mission to capture every facet of the story.

In every case, submissions to the News & Documentary Emmys are judged by experienced journalists from across multiple news organizations, serving in an independent, volunteer capacity. NATAS does not intervene in or countermand the judgment of these journalists except when competition rules have been violated, nor does NATAS determine the eligibility or ineligibility of news reporting based on the political views represented.

Sharp’s response underscores NATAS’s commitment to honoring journalism that captures every facet of a story, even when it challenges the comfort zones of certain viewers. He continues:

“It’s Bisan From Gaza and I’m Still Alive” was reviewed by two successive panels of independent judges, including senior editorial leadership from each significant U.S. broadcast news network. It was selected for nomination from among more than 50 submissions in one of the year’s most competitive categories.
The piece was also recognized for journalistic achievement by the Peabody Awards and the Edward R. Murrow Awards, each administered by processes and organizations wholly separate from and independent of NATAS and the News & Documentary Emmys.

NATAS is aware of reports, cited in your letter and initially surfaced by a communications consultant in the region, that appear to show a then-teenaged Bisan Owda speaking at various PFLP-associated events between six and nine years ago. NATAS has been 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.

Most critically, the content submitted for award consideration was consistent with competition rules and NATAS policies. Accordingly, NATAS has found no grounds, to date, upon which to overturn the editorial judgment of the independent journalists who reviewed the material.

Thank you. I appreciate your courtesy in sharing our response with your cosigners.

Sincerely,
Adam Sharp, NATAS President & CEO

By upholding Bisan’s’s nomination, they are affirming that journalism’s role is to shed light on every aspect of a story, even if it makes some people uncomfortable.

In an era where truth is often the first casualty, Bisan’s work stands as a beacon of hope, a testament to the enduring power of honest reporting.

Bisan Atef Owda deserves more than just an Emmy nomination—she deserves our unwavering support.

Her courage to document the harrowing experiences of her people in Gaza is a reminder of why journalism matters.

It is through the lens of reporters like Bisan that the world can witness the human cost of a genocide, and it is through their voices that the oppressed find a platform.

The attempt to strip Bisan of her nomination is not just an attack on her; it is an attack on the very foundation of free and fearless journalism.

NATAS’s decision to stand by her is a victory for truth and a powerful statement against censorship.

Bisan’s work is vital, and in defending her, NATAS is defending the rights of all journalists to tell the stories that need to be told, no matter how uncomfortable they may be.

Bisan Owda’s courage and dedication to the truth deserve recognition and applause. In a world where so many choose to look away, she has chosen to confront reality head-on. And for that, she—and those who defend her—should be celebrated.

Reminder:

115 journalists and media workers were confirmed killed in Gaza in pursuit of the truth.