John B Fairfax says Nine has trashed its brand

One of Australia’s most celebrated former media proprietors, John B. Fairfax, says the sordid allegations around Nine have left a deep scar on the company’s reputation.

One of Australia’s most celebrated former media proprietors, John B. Fairfax, says the sordid allegations that have emerged in the past month about the management failures at Nine have left a deep scar on the company’s reputation.

Mr Fairfax’s forebears purchased The Sydney Morning Herald in 1841 – with the masthead staying in the family’s hands until the late 20th century – but the Fairfax corporate brand ceased to exist when the publishing company merged with Nine Entertainment in 2018.

Mr Fairfax, who also built Rural Press into a publishing empire before it was merged with Fairfax Media in 2007, said he was disappointed by the allegations of serious misconduct at Nine, under which his family’s former mastheads now sit.

“I think Nine has allowed its reputation to slide and I think that’s unfortunate,” Mr Fairfax told The Australian on Thursday night, following his appearance at the Walkley Foundation’s mid-year awards in Sydney.

“The recent allegations have tarnished the image of a great ­organisation.”

Mr Fairfax, who holds an Order of Australia for services to rural journalism, said although Nine’s publishing division was no longer attached to the Fairfax brand, the family name would forever have a special connection to its former mastheads, including the SMH and The Age.

“With recent events at Nine, perhaps it was just as well that no Fairfax (family member), nor the name, was associated with that company whose corporate conduct, I have to say, has cast a shadow over media ethics,” Mr Fairfax said, before presenting the Walkleys’ award for young journalist of the year.

“Culture permeates an organisation from the top. Good leadership is paramount. Our media leadership needs to be held to ­account.

“Obviously I’m disappointed. This stuff doesn’t reflect well on the company, and the company’s governance.”

John B Fairfax is a descendant of John Fairfax, who bought the Herald in 1841.

The one-time publisher was referring to the scandal that has engulfed Nine since The Australian revealed last month that longtime news boss Darren Wick left the company in March after a serious allegation of sexual harassment was levelled against him.

A wave of anonymous, follow-up complaints about the company’s mistreatment of staff ensued, with many blaming management for turning a blind eye to instances of serious misconduct by senior executives.

Earlier this month, Peter Costello resigned as the company’s chairman after more than eight years, following a physical confrontation with a journalist from The Australian at Canberra Airport.

Mr Fairfax said the rolling scandal at Nine had prompted him to look back on the history of Fairfax.

“I’ve reflected on the Fairfax name and the contribution it, or we, have made to journalism in Australia,” he said.

“Nine decided to drop the Fairfax name after more than 150 years and I lamented this, not from a personal point of view but rather a recognition of what had been decades of quality journalism associated with the name.”

Mr Fairfax said Nine faced a tough battle to restore its once strong corporate brand.

“When you have a reputation and you lose a reputation, it’s very hard to revive it,” he said.

Mr Fairfax is a descendant of John Fairfax, who bought the Herald in 1841, and a cousin of Warwick Fairfax, whose notorious attempt to privatise the company sent it to receivers in 1987.