‘We have all in a way, let you down’: Big name stars address Nine culture controversy

High profile Nine employees have slammed the cover-ups and lack of culpability at the network after findings of a damning investigation into the workplace culture were revealed.

As more details of the damning culture investigation into Nine emerge, the network’s own big name stars are slamming the beleaguered Australian host broadcaster.

And many within Nine are furious at the “appalling” way some key staff were made redundant just days before the report came to light.

Rumours were in overdrive at the “cloud of secrecy” in the last few weeks around Melbourne managing director Matt James being made redundant.

The news of his leaving was expected to be announced along with his executive assistant Jan Williamson around the same time as longtime Nine comms boss Victoria Buchan was told her time was up this week.

Nine managing director Melbourne Matt James. Picture: Supplied

While Williamson and Buchan — who knows where all the bodies are buried — are leaving after clocking up 22 years and 15 years respectively, now it appears James is staying on in the role, at least for now, with a structural change to happen at the end of the year.

We told you it was a mess.

Elsewhere, Today’s Karl Stefanovic and Sydney radio shock jocks Ray Hadley and Ben Fordham are among the high profile Nine employees who have spoken publicly since the report was revealed, all critical of the network for its cover-ups and lack of culpability.

Karl Stefanovic has urged the network to call out ‘perpetrators’ of bad behaviour.

Father of four Stefanovic weighed in, urging the network he has worked at for 24 years to call out “perpetrators” of bad behaviour and criticised the fact that the report didn’t “name names”.

“They feel like what was the point of speaking out if perpetrators are not called out? I asked the same question yesterday and it’s my understanding several investigations are now underway and we have to be patient for the process of all that,’’ he said.

“It’s essential and it’s critical. I want to say it’s not about us, but there are good men who do work here at Nine who find what happened absolutely intolerable, who struggle to understand how we didn’t know more and do something, how it grieved you.

“I feel like we have all in a way, let you down. I love my work colleagues here. Women I have the honour to present with women on the floor of this great show.”

60 Minutes reporters Tom Steinfort and Dimity Clancey and Channel 9 presenter Deb Knight were among the most outspoken employees who reportedly, “questioned the CEO like it was a press conference.”

Originally published as ‘We have all in a way, let you down’: Big name stars address Nine culture controversy