A bombshell cultural review of Nine Entertainment has found the Channel 9 owner has “a systemic issue” with abuse of power, bullying, discrimination and sexual harassment.
The independent report was released publicly on Thursday, with the Nine board vowing to implement all 22 of its recommendations.
“The report found that Nine has a systemic issue with abuse of power and authority; bullying, discrimination and harassment; and sexual harassment,” Nine said.
“Driving these behaviours is a lack of leadership accountability; power imbalances; gender inequality and a lack of diversity; and significant distrust in leaders at all levels of the business.”
Nine said the review by consultants Intersection involved a company-wide survey and interviews with members of the company’s television news and current affairs department.
Catherine West, who recently replaced former chair Peter Costello, said: “today is an incredibly difficult day for Nine as we confront these findings and reflect on serious cultural issues as an organisation.”
“The behaviour outlined in the report is unacceptable,” Ms West said.
“Abuse of power, bullying, sexual harassment and inappropriate conduct is not okay.
“This behaviour has no place at Nine.
“We acknowledge that too many of our past and present employees have been harmed by poor workplace culture, the prevalence of inappropriate workplace behaviours, and an inadequate response in the past from Nine to those behaviours.”
Former Nine chief executive Mike Sneesby commissioned the review into the network’s culture after widespread allegations of sexual harassment and bullying.
Mr Sneesby followed his chairman out of the door last month after a horror few months at the helm, marred by an ill-timed Paris junket during strike action by hundreds of print journalists and allegations of inappropriate behaviour against the network’s former top news man, Darren Wick.
“This year has been one of the most challenging in my career — one where our resilience has been tested,” he told staff before his exit at the end of September.
Those tests began in earnest in May when revelations about the alleged inappropriate behaviour of long-time TV news boss Mr Wick exploded to the surface.
Mr Wick walked out — with a $1 million golden handshake signed off by Sneesby — after a wave of allegations from female staff about alleged verbal or physical misconduct.
He has denied the allegations.
A month later, when a journalist attempted to ask then-chairman Peter Costello about the culture within his organisation, he was accused of assaulting the reporter while refusing to answer the questions.
Mr Costello initially said the reporter fell over an advertising placard. The former federal treasurer fell on his sword and quit days later.
Nine’s flailing 6PR in chaos
The damning report comes just a day after Nine’s Sydney radio boss was forced to admitted its Perth flagship — talkback station 6PR — is losing money.
The station shocked listeners on Wednesday when star presenter Gary Adshead announced the axing of his colleagues, including the only female host, live on air.
Rookie afternoon host Julie-anne Sprague and long-time presenter Tod Johnston were unceremoniously informed they had only three more days on air as the Sydney media company revealed it was not making money from radio in WA. It comes just months after Nine also abandoned print in WA, calling a halt to the publishing of its boutique business sheet the Australian Financial Review.
Sources inside 6PR on Wednesday said the news of changes had come out of the blue, and had shocked staff who were left devastated by the departures.
“It’s a Sydney decision,” one Nine employee said. “There’s not too many happy faces here today.”
Others said it was clearly a cost-cutting exercise, and raised why revenue issues had not been raised earlier.
Reading an email from Nine Radio managing director Tom Malone, Adshead said the changes were needed to keep the station “on track for longer-term success”.
https://thewest.com.au/business/media/damning-report-on-toxic-culture-at-nine-finds-systemic-abuse-of-power-bullying-and-sexual-harassment-c-16417837
