Bigad Shaban is an award-winning investigative reporter for NBC Bay Area.
Bigad has been recognized for his work by several news organizations, including the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Louisiana Associated Press, Society of Professional Journalists, Florida Associated Press, and the Iowa Broadcast News Association.
Most recently Bigad led an investigation into the misuse of school police officers and captured the attention of top officials at the White House. The investigation led to security changes in schools across the country and was recognized with a George Foster Peabody award, an Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University award, two Emmy awards and an Edward R. Murrow award.
Prior to joining the Investigate Unit, Bigad was a network correspondent for CBS News, based in Los Angeles. He reported for CBS Newspath, the network's 24-hour affiliate news service. In addition to providing coverage for CBS affiliates across the country and network news partners abroad, Bigad also filed reports for CBS national broadcasts, including The CBS Evening News, CBS This Morning, and CBS Sunday Morning.
Bigad has consistently been on the front lines of the nation's biggest stories, including the Asiana plane crash in San Francisco, and the devastating tornado in Moore, Oklahoma. He has covered the Oscars, major political elections, and some of the worst natural disasters in recent history. He also led the CBS coverage of the 2012 Summer Olympics as the network's only credentialed correspondent inside the London games.
Before joining CBS Newspath, Bigad reported for WWL-TV (CBS) and WVUE-TV (FOX) in New Orleans. His stories prompted government hearings, police investigations, and changes in state and local law. In 2010, he was the first reporter to break the news of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig leak in the Gulf of Mexico, after the U.S. Coast Guard initially announced no such leak existed. Prior to his work in New Orleans, Bigad reported for KGAN-TV (CBS) in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. There, he covered local and national politics, including the presidential campaign trail.
He graduated magna cum laude from the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Science in broadcast journalism and a Bachelor of Arts in political science.
Follow Bigad on Instagram @bigadshaban, TikTok @bigadshaban, X @BigadShaban and on Facebook.
The Latest
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Homeless fisherman rescued passengers from sinking boat in San Francisco Bay
After a 49-foot yacht capsized, fisherman Michael Montoya was among those racing to the sinking boat and told the NBC Bay Area Investigative Unit he pulled at least eight passengers out of the water.
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Man who died after boat capsized in San Francisco Bay identified
A passenger who died after being on a vessel that capsized and sank Tuesday in the San Francisco Bay was identified Wednesday by the San Francisco Medical Examiner’s Office.
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Coast Guard suspends search for 3 people after boat sinks in San Francisco Bay
U.S. Coast Guard crews have suspended a search late Wednesday for three people missing after a boat carrying 20 family members and friends as part of a memorial service capsized a day earlier in the cold, choppy waters of San Francisco Bay near Alcatraz Island, authorities said.
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Firefighter's insurance battle has Mayor Lurie concerned for other first responders
San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie says Blue Shield of California’s decision to deny cancer treatment for a longtime firefighter late last year now has him concerned about thousands of other city employees and retirees who maintain their city-backed health insurance plans through Blue Shield.
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Head of San Francisco Chinese Chamber of Commerce resigns amid scandalous legal disputes
The President of the San Francisco Chinese Chamber of Commerce, Donald Luu, has resigned from his influential position amid a legal dispute rocking one of the oldest Chinese American business organizations in the United States.
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Blue Shield explains why doctor's 3-hour call to insurance company led nowhere
Blue Shield of California says a “routing” problem with its internal phone system, and not the merits of a San Francisco firefighter’s insurance appeal, is to blame for why the patient’s oncologist was unable to submit his appeal over the phone after calling the number listed on Blue Shield’s denial letter and spending hours on the call.
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Blue Shield weighs insurance reforms after firefighter Ken Jones dies of cancer
Blue Shield of California executives met privately with leaders from the San Francisco firefighters union and other advocacy organizations on Monday to discuss implementing insurance policy reforms aimed at ensuring first responders aren’t left without critical medical care.
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Firefighter dies of cancer after protracted battle with insurance company
Ken Jones, a longtime San Francisco firefighter suffering from Stage 4 (metastatic) cancer, passed away on Saturday at the age of 71.
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California fishermen turn to new ‘pop-up' gear to save whales — and their jobs
Thousands of fishing traps lost at sea are damaging ocean ecosystems and threatening marine life, including whales, sharks, turtles, and seabirds, according to wildlife experts.
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Taxis, methadone patients, millions of tax dollars at center of Medi-Cal fraud investigation
At least two public agencies in Silicon Valley are investigating alleged fraud involving California’s Medi-Cal program.
