A media dispute erupted between Egyptian TV host Hala Sarhan and a reporter for the Lebanese channel 'Al Jadeed', sparking widespread controversy in Arab media circles. The incident occurred during coverage of the Arab Media Forum in Beirut. The reporter, Jasmin Atar, approached Hala Sarhan for a live interview, asking: 'Good evening, we are live on air. May I ask which country you are from?' This question surprised Sarhan, who responded: 'No, if you don't know who I am and where I am from, then good morning... Are you a journalist? Tell me who I am.' This moment was captured on camera and sparked a wave of mockery on social media. Some considered the reporter's behavior an unacceptable display of ignorance when dealing with a guest, while others found Sarhan's reaction harsh and humiliating, noting that it is not necessary for everyone in the Arab world to know her. As the debate escalated, the 'Al Jadeed' channel deleted the video from all its platforms without issuing an official statement, leading to speculation among viewers. In response, reporter Jasmin Atar shared several posts on her personal Instagram account written by her supporters who expressed their disagreement with the exaggerated reaction or described the event as a 'scandal.' One post read: 'Not every mistake becomes a media scandal... Hala Sarhan is from her mother's or grandmother's generation, and it's natural that she wouldn't know her, especially since she hasn't appeared on shows in a long time. There's no need for all this drama.' Later, Jasmin Atar appeared on a television interview on the 'Al Jadeed' channel to comment on the incident from her perspective. She stated that she was not prepared for the interview and saw Hala Sarhan among a crowd of journalists, so she decided to approach her directly for a short live conversation without prior preparation. She added: 'When she was a star, I wasn't even born yet. She didn't realize we were on a live broadcast. I tried to conduct a quick interview with her, asking where she was from, but she got angry and spoke to me harshly.' Atar emphasized that she did not intend to offend or diminish Hala Sarhan, and was only trying to get to know her and interact during the live broadcast, but was surprised by the sharp reaction. She also said that the Egyptian TV host later returned and spoke to her kindly when she realized the camera was live, attempting to rectify the situation. Furthermore, Atar expressed her displeasure with the bullying she faced after the video went viral, noting that she received many negative comments from Lebanese and Arab journalists, and described this as the 'ugliest' aspect of the incident, saying she was surprised by the scale of the attacks, which went beyond professional criticism into personal insults.
