Khaberni - Egyptian media personality Hala Sirhan responded to the video that caused widespread controversy on social media, after she faced an embarrassing moment during her participation in the Arab Media Forum held in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, when a young Lebanese broadcaster asked her her name live on air.
In her first comment on the incident, media personality Hala Sirhan explained in her statements to local media that the situation did not deserve the uproar caused by the video, saying: "We Egyptians love to joke, and the broadcaster was a young girl appearing on air for the first time, and had been prompted with questions beforehand, so she asked me: From which country are you? And what is your name? I joked with her and said: My dear, don't you know my name?"
Sirhan added that she did not intend to embarrass the broadcaster, confirming that the situation was spontaneous and Sirhan said, "I told the broadcaster she needs to prepare well next time, and to assess the age and appearance of the person in front of her, It's a small lesson for everyone starting their path in media: you must know the names that have made history in the profession."
The incident occurred during the activities of the 21st session of the Arab Media Forum in Beirut, attended by a group of prominent Arab media figures and intellectual and cultural personalities, aiming to discuss the role of Arab media amid rapid technological transformations and new digital platforms.
The video documenting the incident spread widely on platforms.
The clip caused a division among followers, where some believed the broadcaster was at fault for her ignorance of Hala Sirhan, while others thought Sirhan's response was harsh and could have been handled with greater lightheartedness.
In related context, correspondent Jacinth spoke to local media, clarifying the details of the situation and said: "While I was at the Arab Media Forum to present a live message on air, I approached the prominent media personality Hala Sirhan to request a quick interview with her about the atmosphere of the forum. At that moment, I did not know her personally and had not followed her work previously, and I confess that this was a neglect on my part, because she is one of the most prominent and important media names in Egypt and the Arab world."
She added: "Media personality Hala Sirhan did not realize we were live on air, so her reaction was somewhat sharp," continued the correspondent, saying: "It might have been my fault initially, but I acted completely spontaneously, and I never intended to offend any media personality or belittle anyone, I just wanted to conduct a quick interview with a prominent figure amid the event's atmosphere."
