Nine’s darkest day: review finds ‘systemic’ culture of bullying, harassment

One of Australia’s largest media companies has a ‘systemic cultural issue with abuse of power and authority, bullying, discrimination and sexual harassment’, according to a damning external review.

One of Australia’s largest media companies, Nine Entertainment, has “a systemic cultural issue with abuse of power and authority, bullying, discrimination and sexual harassment”, according to a landmark review of the organisation’s workplace culture.

More than 1000 employees of Nine, both past and present, made submissions to the external review, through face-to-face interviews, written complaints and survey responses, with 57 per cent of current employees in the company’s news and current affairs division claiming to have “experienced bullying, discrimination or harassment”.

It found 49 per cent experienced bullying in the radio division which includes 2GB, 3AW, 4BC and 6PR, 43 per cent of bullying in publishing which includes The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age and 55 per cent of employees at Nine’s streaming service Stan experienced bullying.

The report stated that it: “Did not extend to investigating or making findings about any individual incident or allegation.”

This has raised concerns within the newsroom that the alleged perpetrators will face no consequences for their actions.

When acting chief executive officer Matt Stanton addressed hundreds of staff on Thursday afternoon across the country among those to speak up included Deb Knight, Amelia Adams, Tom Steinfort and Kendall Bora.

Nine Entertainment’s acting chief executive officer Matt Stanton. Picture: Nine.

One insider told The Australian: “No-one will be held personally accountable from this.

“The report was a farce to make it look like Nine was responding.

“They kept responding by saying, ‘this is the beginning of change. This behaviour is not acceptable’.”

The external consulting firm Intersection’s principal Natasha de Silva was also present at the staff meeting and a staffer said she was asked and confirmed that some names of leaders came up repeatedly.

She was also asked if names would be passed on for further investigation if there was a risk to staff – she confirmed they would be however no names had been passed on at this stage.

One anonymous complainant quoted in the report told of the mistreatment encountered in the workplace.

“The anxiety I experienced before (each workday) was debilitating. He (unnamed offender) would humiliate me in front of everyone else on the team,” the complainant said.

“I have endured thousands of microaggressions over time. It is death by a thousand cuts. … There was a point when I wanted to kill myself.”

While another participant said in the report: “While we like to believe that the #MeToo movement improved working conditions for women, the Nine newsroom reeked of a man’s locker room.

“I had regularly overheard men … boisterously joke about sexual assault … and objectify women in general … I knew it was a ‘man’s place’.”

Another staffer was quoted about inappropriate dialogue in the newsroom: “It would not be uncommon to be asked or to hear: ‘Who did you f. k last night?’”

Former Nine Entertainment chief executive officer Mike Sneesby delivering the company's annual results on Wednesday, August 28, 2024. Source: Channel 9.

In an email to staff on Thursday afternoon, Nine chair Catherine West said: “There is no place for this behaviour at Nine. For those engaging in this conduct, it needs to stop.

“The drivers of these behaviours are broad, however the report has told us there is a lack of leadership accountability; power imbalances; gender inequality and a lack of diversity; and a significant lack of trust in the organisation and leadership at all levels of the business.

“To our past and present employees who have experienced unacceptable conduct in the workplace, as a Board, we are deeply sorry. We unreservedly apologise. You should not have had to endure this conduct.”

Channel 9 news director Darren Wick at the station headquarters in Willoughby, Sydney.

Ms West said the damaging findings of the review represented “an incredibly challenging day for us all”, and made for “difficult reading”, and said the Board will adopt all 22 of the review’s recommendations.

“The Nine Board is deeply disappointed and saddened by the findings and more determined than ever to create a safe, respectful and inclusive culture at Nine,” she said in her note to staff.

“We produce world-class content that is vitally important to Australians and we have the best and most innovative people in the industry, but we also have undeniable problems with our workplace culture.

“We have asked (interim CEO) Matt Stanton and the management team to come back to the Board in November with a comprehensive response plan to address the issues raised by the Intersection report.”

In May, The Australian revealed that Nine’s former news boss Darren Wick departed the company two months prior, after a complaint of inappropriate conduct was lodged against him by a female staff member.

Many other women – including both past and present employees – subsequently came forward with separate allegations of bullying, misogyny, harassment and inappropriate behaviour at the network.

At the time of Wick’s departure in March, he said in an email to staff: “After many long beach walks and even longer conversations, I know in my heart that this is the right time for me to step down and leave Nine.”

The company’s former chief executive officer, Mike Sneesby, commissioned external consulting firm Intersection to conduct an independent review into misconduct at the network following the revelation of the allegations against Wick.

The media company has been dogged with bad headlines for the past five months, following the initial reports about Wick published in The Australian.

In June, Nine chairman Peter Costello resigned three days after he barged into The Australian’s Liam Mendes at Canberra Airport. Costello had taken umbrage at Mendes’ questions about Nine’s handling of Wick’s departure from the company.

Stills taken from vision of reporter for The Australian, Liam Mendes approaching Nine chairman Peter Costello at Canberra airport. Costello shoulder barges Mendes where he subsequently falls to the ground. Picture: Liam Mendes.

Mr Sneesby left the company at the end of September, telling staff in an email that “the timing was right to commence a leadership transition”.

“To give some context, this year has been one of the most challenging in my career – one where our resilience has been tested,” he said in the email on September 12.

Earlier this week, Nine announced that head of communications, Victoria Buchan, had been made redundant and will leave the company at the end of November.

Buchan has been at Nine for 15 years and had close ties to Wick.

Originally published as Nine’s darkest day: review finds ‘systemic’ culture of bullying, harassment