TRT’s Senior Broadcaster, Amira Debbichi: Trust is Earned, not Granted, & the Jeweller, not the Tin Vendor, Assesses the Gold!

In 2012, Amira Debbichi made her media debut on Tunisian Radio, showcasing her clear, youthful voice. She demonstrated her qualifications as a news presenter during her one-year tenure at Tobactus in Libya, which was her first time appearing on television. Her next post, which still exists today, was the Turkish Channel (previously TRT), which caught the attention of seasoned Turkish media outlets.

Interviewed by: Mohsen Hassan

She acquired a great deal of professional experience during this time, which allowed her to establish her value as the first veiled journalist on the Turkish Radio and Television Corporation. Both Arab and Turkish media experts and pioneers attest to her ability to provide high-quality news and commentary. Her professional and media expertise prevented her detractors and lurkers from sabotaging her career, yet they nevertheless managed to do so.

Amira Debbichi is a Tunisian media personality and senior anchor for TRT Turkey. Her love for Tunisia, the calm and peaceful atmosphere of Ankara, the bustling capital of Turkey, the vibrant city of Istanbul, and the captivating views of the Bosphorus all influenced her personal and professional identity. Arabisk London conducted this interview.

Firstly, how did your media and professional career progress from Tunisia, where you stood behind the radio microphone, to Turkey, where you spoke directly to the camera and audience?

I started working as a radio host for “Ana Tounsi FM” in 2012. In the same year, three of my station colleagues and I represented Tunisia at the Francophone Conference in Berlin, Germany, where we discussed the Tunisian revolution. After that, I relocated to Tunisia to work for Tobactus, a Libyan channel that produced its newscasts and shows there because of the civil war in Libya. There, I gave the news bulletins.

Describe your first camera experience. Which work situations were the most difficult for you, and how did you resolve them?

The cameras didn’t scare me when I switched to Topactus TV. I was approached by Turkish TV (now TRT Arabic) after a year of employment with the channel, and I was chosen from among the applicants to travel to the capital, Ankara, to work in Turkish media and present shows. Moving to Ankara from Tunisia presented the most professional challenge, but I also had the distinction of becoming the first veiled broadcaster on the Turkish Radio and Television Corporation, not only Turkish TV.

The dress code that prevented veiled women from working in official state institutions was changed by the then-prime minister of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Mr. Kamel Kayali, the channel’s then-director, and Mr. Mohammed Al-Abbasi selected me to host a live, daily show called “After the Event,” which covered Turkish issues five days a week. Mr. Al-Abbasi and I welcomed hundreds of decision-makers and bureaucrats, including many Turkish and Arab ministers and members of the Turkish National Assembly.

My work career underwent a significant change as a result of this curriculum. With all of its packages, I hosted 1,263 live episodes, making it the Turkish Radio and Television Corporation’s longest-running programme.

How is your programme’s live interviewing of Arab officials and leaders going?

I conducted discussions with Professor Al-Abbasi and other Arab officials, including in Khartoum during Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s visit to Sudan with Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir, his assistant, the Sudanese Foreign Minister, and other Sudanese ministers during their visit to Ankara.

The Sudanese Ministers of Agriculture and Finance, the Iraqi Minister of Health, the Tunisian Minister of the Interior, and other foreign ministers from Tunisia, Lebanon, and Palestine are also there, along with the Speaker of the Iraqi Parliament. This was before the channel’s news programming and visual identity changes.

For unprofessional reasons, a new management team removed me from the screen due to my hijab and professional abilities, which many consider superior to many foreign female broadcasters, despite my experience as a journalist in the newsroom.

I utilised this opportunity to enhance my editorial and journalistic skills, battling a professional and psychological battle for nearly four years against individuals I won’t reveal their identities. Until Professor Ibrahim Kleij took over the channel, restoring the reputation of those who had suffered professional injustices and enhancing working conditions for all employees, including those who had fallen out of favour with the previous management.

I returned to the television when the station invited all of its employees—male and female—to compete as broadcasters. I was one of four people who won this tournament. Being the first of my coworkers to take the screen again was an honour when I returned as a news anchor. Mr. Ibrahim Kleij, the channel director, then elevated me to senior broadcaster two years after I returned.

I covered significant events such as the US presidential elections, the Antalya Diplomatic Forum, Tunisian parliamentary elections, the Arab Summit in Bahrain, the anniversary of Turkey’s failed coup attempt, and the formation of a new Syrian government.

What kinds of difficulties might an Arab journalist encounter in a Turkish workplace?

As an Arab broadcaster for TRT Arabic, I encountered no challenges from Turkish administrators or coworkers. Except for the challenges I once faced from certain Arab editors, the discussions went smoothly. But suddenly everything is back to normal. I also feel at home in Turkey because the country’s lifestyle is comparable to Tunisia’s.

How much have you gained from your work experience at TRT Arabic? Are there plans to seek out further experiences in the future?

After 12 years and continuing to this day, I consider myself a daughter of TRT Arabic. It has taught me a lot in the newsroom and on television. Even though I’ve previously turned down offers from other channels, I don’t now have any plans to switch to another Arab channel because I consider myself a true product of this one.

What boundaries, in your opinion, maintain the media’s objectivity and professionalism?

The word “professionalism” is, in my opinion, employed to further a Western viewpoint while discussing Arab and Islamic affairs. What they now refer to as professionalism—maintaining a neutral stance between the murderer and the victim—is untenable. However, when reporting on occurrences, objectivity is crucial. Since media professionals are required to follow the editorial policy of the channel they work for, I think they should select the one that best reflects their views and philosophies in terms of independence of opinion and approach.

As a Tunisian journalist covering live events, how do you assess Tunisian-Turkish relations? What are the most striking aspects of Turkish culture that have attracted and amazed you?

Tunisia and Turkey want to preserve normal relations, despite certain political disputes, especially since citizens of both countries can access without a visa, which enhances popular relations. The Turkish people are a Muslim people with a history, hence they follow both Islamic and Turkish customs.

Even the secularists among them are friendly and welcoming, and I have never felt estranged from them. I can state that everyone in Turkey lives according to their views, without any party attempting to force its ideological inclinations on others. They are similar to the Tunisians in many ways. Hearing the call to prayer throughout the five daily prayers is sufficient.

The ability to quickly assist those in need is one of the most significant traits of the Turkish people, making them one of the groups that offer the greatest humanitarian assistance both within and outside of Turkey.

What accomplishments do you think Tunisian women have made in the media industry? What do they still need to accomplish?

In the Arab media, Tunisian women hold a significant role. They include journalists, editors-in-chief, producers, and prominent female broadcasters on major Arab channels. This illustrates how prevalent Tunisian women are in journalism, the media, and even in the humanitarian sector more broadly.

In what ways did a television station help to prevent the coup attempts in Turkey? How did this incident affect Turkish media in the aftermath?

I was present when the July 15, 2016, coup attempt in Turkey failed. After work, I was back at my house in the capital, Ankara. In defiance of the coup plotters, some people encircled the agency building close to my house when the coup plotters invaded the TRT news agency in Ankara and made a TRT Haber anchor read the coup announcement.

I attempted to get back on the channel, and we said we were prepared to broadcast, but due to technical difficulties, we couldn’t. The message sent by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan over FaceTime with a CNN Turk anchor was to resist. Consequently, by informing the public about the reality of what transpired, the media helped to foil the coup attempt. This demonstrates the significant role that the media can play in opposing dictatorships and coups.

What effect does Istanbul have on your mood? Which do you prefer—the activity of the city or the serenity and tranquilly of the countryside?

I spent four and a half years living in the capital, Ankara. It’s a peaceful city that I adore. However, my passion for Istanbul grew much stronger after I relocated there. I think it’s heaven on earth, especially since I live in the Ortakoy neighbourhood with a view of the world’s most beautiful area, the Bosphorus, and I always take advantage of the opportunity to stroll along its shores.

In your professional and journalistic activities, which role models do you always cite, whether in Tunisia, Turkey, the Arab world, or internationally?

The main people I look up to are Professor Mohammed Al-Abbasi, who taught me; Professor Fahmi Huwaidi, who taught me a lot; Professor Ibrahim Kleij, who helped me rebuild my reputation and put TRT Arabic in a prominent position in the Arab and international media worlds; former BBC broadcaster Rasha Qandil; and Professor Mohamed Krishan, who broadcasts on Al Jazeera.

Who has had the biggest impact on your career? What is the key to your remarkable bond with your father in particular?

I got my first chance to work in the media thanks to Ms. Fadia Al-Qasimi, the director of “Ana Tounsi FM” radio. I gained political and professional skills from Professor Mohamed Al-Abbasi. And Ibrahim Klij, the professor. My attachment to my family, particularly my father, is typical of any obedient son or daughter. Not caring for and being unattached to the family, which is our first school, is disobedient.

After working in the media for years, what are the variables and constants in Amira Debbichi’s beliefs?

Only the truth is true, in my opinion, and that is the constant. No matter how much injustice and persecution a person endures, he must have the strength to use his ability to reclaim his rights, which will eventually be valued. Additionally, I firmly believe that the jeweller, not the tin vendor, is the one who values gold. On the other hand, I’ve discovered that trust is earned rather than given.

To sum up, what is the goal and dream you constantly want to realise in your life?

Wherever I work, I strive to be a voice for truth and the people.

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