The New York Times reported that Randa Abdel Aziz was sitting with her friends in a cafe in Baghdad and reading a pamphlet about cosmetics out loud and in the formal language just for joking, before someone who was in the same place heard her and offered her a job on the official Iraqi television.

The American media shed light on the work of a young broadcaster on the official Iraqi channel – because of the color of her skin – Iraqis resentment on social media platforms, considering this an attempt to transfer color discrimination and racism in American society to Iraq.

We buy the New York Times (THE NEW YORK TIMESThe American newspaper reported yesterday, Saturday, about the young media, Randa Abdel Aziz, after her appearance on the state-run “Al-Iraqiya” channel as a news anchor, noting that “Randa” was the first black female anchor to appear on government television decades ago.

In its report, the newspaper stated, that 25-year-old Randa was brought by chance to the media field, noting that she was sitting with her friends in a cafe in Baghdad and reading a brochure about cosmetics aloud and in the classical language just for the sake of joking before someone who was in the same place heard her. She has to work on the official Iraqi TV.

The American Al-Hurra channel and the “Raise Your Voice” website, affiliated with the same network; The New York Times report about the brown anchor was published, which Iraqis considered an attempt to shed light on the social disparities that American society suffers from.

The young Iraqi woman, Randa Abdel Aziz, made her way to work as a news anchor on Iraqi state television, for the first time in decades. In a lengthy report published by the American newspaper “The New York Times”, Randa recounted: “They told me that there was an experiment… They wanted to see all the colors on Al-Iraqiya.” pic.twitter.com/zEg4H8lKfv

— IrfaaSawtak Raise Your Voice (@IrfaaSawtak) February 5, 2022

Journalist Saif Salah Al-Hiti said – through his account on Twitter – that “the color of the skin of the announcer, Randa Abdel Aziz, did not attract the attention of the Iraqi circles, especially her appearance on the official channel, which raised this issue and made stories from it, which is the American media or the American-financed.” Al-Hiti added that “the Iraqi people, not even the peoples of the region, knew this distinction, and it never drew the public’s attention. Good luck to our colleague.”

The color of the skin of the presenter, Randa Abdel Aziz, did not attract the attention of Iraqi circles, especially her appearance on the official channel. What raised this issue and made stories from it is the American media or the American funded, the Iraqi people, not even the peoples of the region, did not know this discrimination, and it never drew the public’s attention. Good luck to our colleague . pic.twitter.com/grFKmtBmeM

— Saif Salah Al-Heity (@saifsalahalhety) February 5, 2022

Journalist Ali Al-Bazi wrote on his Twitter account, “The American media is trying to promote racist concepts and draw attention to them. We do not deny the existence of such a view in societies, but humanity is higher.” Al-Bazi added, “Many people focused on the brown Iraqi broadcaster, Randa Abdel Aziz, as if it were a historical event that democracy took action.”

Journalist Maan Al-Jizani commented – via his Twitter account – saying, “A girl’s job in a television station has turned into a global event, not because she is efficient, but because she is brown.”

Al-Jizani added, “In America itself, there is an unequal debate over the conflict between standards of competence and other standards related to gender and color.” Noting that “America itself suffers from this problem, which has begun to significantly affect the level of efficiency of the institutions’ work.”

A girl getting a job at a TV station has turned into a global event!
Not because she is efficient, but because she is brown!
In America itself, there is an unequal debate about the conflict between standards of competence and other standards related to gender and color. America itself suffers from this problem, which has begun to greatly affect the level of efficiency of the work of institutions! https://t.co/6ko40hXzLA

— Maan ALJizzani (@maanaljizzani) February 5, 2022

Journalist and writer Jamal Al-Mudhaffar wrote a tweet on Twitter asking about the criteria for choosing any job, “Is it skin color or professionalism, competence and tact?”

Wow ..? !!!
They wear all colors.. or professionalism, efficiency and tact..?!!! https://t.co/MZ4OHQlBab

– Jamal Al-Mudhaffar (@jamalalmudafer1) February 6, 2022

For his part, activist Nabil Yaqoub considered that the New York Times was not successful in publishing such a report, because Randa Abdel Aziz is not the only black anchor who appeared on Iraqi television.

I mean, the news was unsuccessful.. dozens of black-skinned presenters appeared on the Iraqi screen, and this is not the first, as it was published.

– NABEL YAQOB ASHURAYA (@NAshuraya) February 6, 2022

On the other hand, commentator Hamza Zia considered that the New York Times’ publication of a report on the Iraqi broadcaster and the story of her entry to work in the media field is a joyous matter.

The international media’s interest in the first appearance of the brown woman on the Iraqi screen as a presenter of news programs through the Iraqi Media Network is very happy

Where the New York Times global newspaper touched on the biography of the beautiful “Randa Abdel Aziz” and the story of her entry into the field of the Fourth Estate 👏🏼

Randa Abd Al-Aziz pic.twitter.com/fPGFxSJPs8

– Hamza Dhia – Hamza Dhia (@hamza_dhia) February 5, 2022