The 45th News and Documentary Emmy Awards, held Wednesday evening in New York by the American Television Academy, was meant to be a glittering celebration of the year’s most impactful journalism. However, it became a sobering reflection on the world’s most pressing crises. Alongside the glitter of award statuettes were harrowing images of battlefields in Sudan and Ukraine, the surge of global refugees, the opioid and gun crises gripping the U.S., and the ever-present threat of climate change. But the most intense spotlight of the night was on the ongoing war in Gaza.
CNN dominated the awards, securing multiple wins for its comprehensive coverage of the October 7th massacre and the aftermath in Gaza. Yet, many presenters and recipients emphasized that the true heroes of the night were the Palestinian journalists who lost their lives reporting from the frontlines. “Journalism is not a crime,” proclaimed several award winners, highlighting the deadly risks reporters face in conflict zones.
One of the most controversial and talked-about moments of the evening was the victory of 25-year-old Bisan Owda, a Palestinian journalist from Gaza, who won an Emmy for her web series titled "I Am Bisan from Gaza and I Am Still Alive." Through her reports for AJ+, part of the Al Jazeera network, Owda has become a prominent voice for Gaza residents amidst IDF strikes, covering the harrowing realities of life under siege.
Her nomination sparked outrage from some pro-Israel advocacy groups. In August, the Creative Community for Peace—a coalition that includes Hollywood figures like Haim Saban, Debra Messing, and Sherry Lansing—urged the American Television Academy to disqualify her nomination, citing concerns over her alleged connections to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), which is designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S. government. The Academy dismissed these calls, stating there was no evidence linking Owda to the group. Al Jazeera expressed full support for Owda, denouncing the attempts to "silence her voice and reporting from Gaza."
Despite the controversy, Owda received the award for Best Short Hard News Story for her poignant reporting from Gaza’s Al-Shifa Hospital, delivering a voice from a warzone that few could ignore. The night, meant to honor the power of journalism, instead highlighted the dangers faced by those who strive to tell stories from the world’s most volatile regions—no matter the political consequences.
* Ynet contributed to this article.