Nine Entertainment CEO Mike Sneesby, Karl Stefanovic address staff

During a ‘solemn event’, Mike Sneesby addressed some of the network’s biggest stars as Karl Stefanovic said ‘men need to do better’ at Nine.

Nine Entertainment chief executive officer Mike Sneesby. Picture: Britta Campion

Nine Entertainment chief executive Mike Sneesby told some of the network’s biggest stars on Friday that he was unaware there were cultural problems at the TV station prior to the recent allegations of harassment and mistreatment of female employees.

In a meeting attended by Today show staff, including some of the company’s highest-profile presenters – Karl Stefanovic, Sarah Abo, Sylvia Jeffreys, and David Campbell – Mr Sneesby told employees he had been invited to the gathering by Stefanovic.

Karl Stefanovic also gave a powerful address to his colleagues.

Sources told The Australian that Mr Sneesby said he understood why some female employees felt they could not speak up about issues in the workplace, while revealing he was not aware of the cultural issues at the network until a raft of allegations about the toxic culture at the company were laid bare over the past fortnight.

Stefanovic also gave a powerful address to his colleagues, telling them that “men need to do better” at Nine, while praising the network’s female employees, describing them as the “heart and soul” of the media company.

Insiders told The Australian that the meeting, convened by Nine’s director of morning television Steven Burling, was a “solemn event”.

Staff from all around the country attended, both in person and online.

Sources told The Australian that Mike Sneesby revealed he was not aware of the cultural issues at the network. Picture: Nikki Short

In his written correspondence prior to the meeting, Burling said it had been an “extraordinarily challenging couple of weeks” for many people within the news division, and the meeting was an opportunity to “reset and reinforce the positive ways” in which to help the Today show team move forward.

On Thursday the Nine board, chaired by Peter Costello, met for the first time since The Australian exclusively revealed allegations of inappropriate conduct – including sexual harassment – had been levelled against Nine’s former long-serving news boss Darren Wick.

Nine this week announced it had commissioned an independent review of the “behaviours and concentration of power that has damaged the trust and fairness within our television newsrooms.”

The review will be conducted by Intersection, an independent, external organisation that specialises in trauma-informed workplace cultural transformation and in creating safe, respectful and inclusive workplaces.

The review is expected to be completed by the end of July.

Mr Sneesby said in an all-staff email on Monday: “It is critical we face up to any failings with integrity.”

The Australian revealed earlier in the week that Mr Sneesby approved a near $1 million payout for Wick, despite opposition by some of Nine’s board members, with the decision to approve the golden handshake falling under his delegated authority.

Some of Nine’s highest-profile radio stars including 2GB’s Ray Hadley and 3AW’s Tom Elliott were among those to reveal damaging claims made by network staff.

3AW radio host Tom Elliott. Picture: Jay Town.

Elliott said he was personally aware of four female Nine staff members who claimed they were the subject of inappropriate behaviour from Wick, which included sexual harassment.

Wick announced his resignation on March 15, releasing a statement in which he said after 13 years as the boss of the news and current affairs division, he was exhausted.

“And 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,” Wick said.

Nine declined to comment on Friday.

Originally published as Nine Entertainment CEO Mike Sneesby, Karl Stefanovic address staff