60 Minutes saga: Nine CEO Hugh Marks ‘sorry’ for kidnap drama and network’s mistakes

Nine network chief executive Hugh Marks breaks his silence on the 60 Minutes Lebanon kidnap debacle.

Nine CEO Hugh Marks says the broadcaster “must get to the bottom of what had happened”. Picture: Renee Nowytarger

Nine Network chief executive Hugh Marks has said he was “sorry” for the Lebanon kidnap drama, and felt “angry” about “mistakes” made by the network.

In his first interview since the scandal in Beirut, he said the broadcaster “must get to the bottom of what had happened”, ­refused to rule out sackings of executives, and defended an undisclosed financial settlement for the release of the 60 Minutes TV crew after 14 nights behind bars.

Nine reporter Tara Brown and her crew — Stephen Rice, Ben Williamson and David Ballment — were arrested as they covered Australian mother Sally Faulkner’s attempt to recover her two children from their ­father, Ali Elamine, in Beirut.

“I am certainly sorry for Sally that she has been unsuccessful, and certainly sorry that our team were put at risk. And I’m sorry that we’ve put ourselves in a ­position where we’re open to ­allegations we did the wrong thing,” he told The Australian.

“There’s a whole bunch of things to be sorry for, but let’s understand exactly what went on and why, before we make any decision.”

Mr Marks spoke in an exclusive interview with The Australian before 60 Minutes went to air last night. “There’s one thing we want to state very clearly from the outset,” 60 Minutes reporter Michael Usher said on the program. “We made mistakes.”

“Sally’s desperate efforts to be reunited with all her children are now the subject of a lot of soul searching here.”

While Mr Marks said the network would not shy away from paying for stories in the future, he said it must ensure mistakes were not repeated as a review is carried out by 60 Minutes founder Gerald Stone and former A Current Affair boss David Hurley. “It’s been a week of mixed emotions,’’ Mr Marks said.

“I’m feeling very ­relieved our team was able to ­secure their ­release and reach a deal with Ali Elamine .

“I’m also angry we got in this position in the first place — we opened ourselves up to an alle­gation that we were part of the story rather than covering the story.”