‘Sold a pup’: Nine stars lash bombshell report for refusing to name names
Nine’s biggest TV stars have erupted over a bombshell report into a toxic bullying culture during an emotional all-staff meeting.
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Nine’s biggest TV stars have raised concerns they have been “sold a pup” over a bombshell report into a toxic bullying culture during an emotional all-staff meeting.
Leaked details have emerged of the meeting that was held on Thursday to coincide with the release of the bombshell report, which was first reported by news.com.au just after midday.
Two hours later, when Nine staff gathered to hear from executives, witnesses say that 60 Minutes 60 reporters Tom Steinfort and Dimity Clancey and Channel Nine presenter Deb Knight raised concerns including what the fallout will be for those accused of bullying.
“Tom Steinfort asked a very good question. He was just asking if there are no heads that are going to roll, where’s the accountability?,’’ a Nine employee said.
“They’re not committing to sacking anyone, there’s no names at all. And that’s where the frustration was,’’ the Nine staffer said.
The report into the toxic culture chose not to pass on the names of individual executives to Nine instead telling staff if they wanted to make individual complaints they needed to follow the usual processes.
Instead, it was a generalised report into the culture at Nine.
That angered some staff present who said they feared they had been “sold a pup” after “pouring our hearts out” to the inquiry.
Nine presenter Deb Knight then asked if the bad behaviour stopped today, “Well, what about those who behaved badly yesterday?”
“People were simply told, ‘okay, if you’ve got concerns about individuals or the way that you’ve been treated by individuals you need to make those concerns clear through the channels available,” a Nine employee said.
“People have come forward and poured our hearts out and told them, what, what, you know, what people have been through.
“No names have been passed on and so and now, if you want any action taken against individuals, you have to go through that process again. And a lot of people are just saying, Well, what was the point of this? Right? You know? What was the point of the whole exercise? We’ve been sold a pup.”
60 Minutes reporter Dimity Clancey told the staff meeting that “people poured their hearts out, and so they were in tears for two hours.”
‘Who did you f***?’: Shock question at Nine
Traumatised Nine staff have spoken out in a bombshell report about how they wanted to die working in the TV star factory, sharing what it was like to be “groomed” and “touched on the “bum”, and frozen out and put on “Punishment Island”.
In harrowing testimony current and former Nine employees have spoken out with men and women warning there was a “boys club” and that bullying, sexual harassment and abuse of power was rife.
One anonymous complainant told the inquiry: “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 said there were frequent sexualised comments in the newsroom: “It would not be uncommon to be asked or to hear: ‘Who did you f*** last night?’”
“This place is run like a boys’ club, and I say that as a male,’’ a Nine employee said.
“The “cool kids” (those in charge) are woefully underqualified at best.”
Women said they were “groomed” and sexually harassed and that male reporters were automatically awarded the “serious” stories about crime and politics.
“When I was in [location] (X) tried to groom me. He also touched me on the bum at the Xmas party and at other times he would rub my legs under the table,’’ one woman said.
Building on interviews with dozens of staff, a major report released publicly by Nine has laid bare shocking claims that executives turned a blind eye to complaints.
The report finds that women reported experiencing all forms of inappropriate workplace behaviours at greater rates than men.
“Casual sexism and being held to a different standard than men were common experiences for women in the Broadcast Division,’’ the report finds.
Multiple employees said that working at Nine destroyed their mental health.
“Every day I would wake up with this knot in my stomach thinking am I going to be screamed at, white-anted or publicly humiliated today, or is it someone else’s turn?’’ one said.
“Watching the humiliation happening to others was almost as bad as being the target, but at the same time you were grateful it wasn’t you that day.”
Intersection Pty Ltd was engaged by the Nine Entertainment Corporation (Nine) in May 2024 to conduct an independent review of Nine’s workplace culture (the Review).
The Review examined the prevalence and nature of abuse of power or authority; bullying, discrimination and harassment; and sexual harassment and the impact.
It did not extend to investigating or making findings about any individual incident or allegation.
Unspoken rules for female reporters
“It’s an unspoken rule that the male reporters are automatically assigned all the serious hard hitting stories – politics, finance and domestic violence, as if they are the only credible ones that will be taken seriously or considered trustworthy and reliable,’’ a female reporter said.
“Women reporters seem to be there just to look pretty. Women’s right to report seems tied to appearance. A woman presenter was told when she got pregnant ‘why would you go and do that?; What is more important – the news content or what I look like?!
“He would act noticeably differently towards females, especially if they were giving him work. For example, with female producers he was more dictating, he’d say like ‘you don’t know what you’re doing’, regardless of how experienced they were, like ‘I know best’.
“I was broken. I left the newsroom after a year. By the time I left my soul was gone,’’ a former employee said.
“I had to leave. I took (a period of time) off because I was so traumatised. I felt so used and I know I couldn’t work at Nine again because he would just talk s**t about me and undermine me. He has fatally damaged my career. (the bullying) has had a really significant impact on many people’s mental health and wellbeing... Seeing the impact on colleagues directly is really awful … Seeing it unfold is really distressing.
“It’s the news, we’re not bloody saving the world … it doesn’t need to be so damaging. It’s really damaging people who work here. (Individual) wages psychological warfare on people.
“When I left Nine I was a shell. I was broken. I had no confidence. I was worried about my income. It was a really horrible time.”
Staff said it was frowned upon to complain and take the issue further.
‘Never go to HR’
“It is drilled into us to never go to HR,’’ one Nine employee said.
“They are very much on the side of the company. Their attitude is ‘it’s not our fault this happened’.
The Review found very high prevalence rates of abuse of power or authority (62 per cent) in the Broadcast Division.
“Coupled with qualitative data gathered through interviews and submissions, these findings paint a picture of an organisation where accountability is lacking, where decisions in the workplace are made based on personal gain or preference, and where an individual’s role or status can be used to bully, harass or to ‘punch down’,’’ the report finds.
More than half of all employees in the Broadcast Division (57 per cent) also reported experiencing bullying, discrimination or harassment.
Experiences of public humiliation, “white-anting”, belittling comments or conduct, and aggressive or intimidating behaviour were found to be commonplace and normalised.
These behaviours are perpetrated by leaders and peers alike and are often not addressed.
The prevalence of sexual harassment in the Broadcast Division was found to be well below the very high industry prevalence rate (64 per cent) and just under the national average across all industries (33 per cent).
“Nevertheless, nearly a third of Broadcast employees (30 per cent) reported experiencing sexual harassment, with sexually suggestive comments or jokes and intrusive questions about appearance or private life being common behaviours. Although sexual harassment most often occurred at work, social events (where alcohol was present) were found to be a risk factor for sexual harassment,” the Review found.
Cover-up claims
The report found that “known perpetrators of inappropriate workplace behaviours have not been dealt with”.
“Rather employees have been warned about interactions with certain individuals, or told to avoid contact with them,’’ the report states.
“In other instances, leaders have attempted to ‘cover up’ inappropriate workplace behaviours, or to discourage the reporting of incidents. These behaviours come at a significant human cost.
“The anxiety I experienced before (each workday) was debilitating. He would humiliate me in front of everyone else on the team.
“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.”
‘Difficult reading’
The report has been described as “difficult reading” by Nine’s new Chair Catherine West, as she urged shell-shocked staff to reach out for support.
In a shock finding, the report has found that Nine has “a systemic cultural issue with abuse of power and authority; bullying, discrimination and harassment; and sexual harassment”.
The report finds that “no department is immune and the results are concerning across the company. There is no place for this behaviour at Nine. For those engaging in this conduct, it needs to stop.”
Warning the Nine Board is “deeply disappointed and saddened by the findings” Ms West signalled it is likely to trigger further changes at the network.
“This morning the Nine Board received the report from our independent external review conducted by Intersection. I want to start by acknowledging that this is an incredibly challenging day for us all and I’d like you to know there is support available should you require it,’’ she said.
“The report is difficult reading and it will affect us all in different ways. 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.
“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. Speaking on behalf of the Board, the behaviours identified by Intersection are unacceptable and have no place at Nine.”
While the Intersection review was initiated in response to allegations within the network’s TV News & Current Affairs division, Ms West said the decision was made to broaden the scope and include an organisation-wide survey to understand Nine’s culture.
“We had more than 1000 people participate in this process through face-to-face interviews and written submissions and survey responses. This strong participation shows how many people want Nine to be better and means our actions will be informed by direct experience,” she said.
“The report found Nine has a systemic cultural issue with abuse of power and authority; bullying, discrimination and harassment; and sexual harassment. No department is immune and the results are concerning across the company. 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.”
Ms West also offered a formal apology to staff that were impacted by the culture.
“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,’’ she said.
“We acknowledge that too many of our past and present employees have been harmed by poor workplace culture, the prevalence of inappropriate workplace behaviours, and an inadequate response from Nine in the past to those behaviours.
“The Board and Management are united and resolutely committed to driving change. To those who spoke up, we want to thank you for the courage you have displayed in sharing your experiences. We hear you and we will act. Your strength allows us to move forward as an organisation with a clear understanding of where we went wrong, and your insights will help improve Nine’s culture.
“While the report reveals concerning behaviours and experiences, we recognise it does not reflect the conduct of the majority of employees. We are sorry if this reflects badly on you, unfairly. We know there are a lot of good things about Nine and the report identified a strong culture of peer-to-peer support, a dedication to the work, and some examples of good leadership. As we move forward and address these issues, we also want to protect the great parts about working at Nine.
“As we reflect on the report today, we also move forward with a resolve to do better. We have a responsibility to you all to create a safe, respectful and inclusive work environment and today we reaffirm that commitment to you.
What happens next
Ms West said the clear directive of the Board is that Nine must be a safe, inclusive and respectful workplace for all.
“Despite the progress made in driving positive culture change, the reality is much more needs to be done and we will be moving immediately and with pace,’’ she said.
“Sadly, abuse of power and authority, bullying, discrimination and harassment, and sexual harassment is a problem across Australian society. It is also a particular problem in the media sector and Nine is not immune.
“After receiving the final report this morning, the Board has committed to implementing all recommendations. We have asked 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. This plan will be shared with you.
“Whilst this is a difficult day, we firmly believe that committing to this report was the right thing to do. It enables us to better understand the issues we face.
“These insights will help change Nine’s culture for the better. We want you to feel proud of Nine, your colleagues and the work you do.
“We are committed to everyone at Nine having a safe, inclusive and respectful workplace for everyone, irrespective of your role, to allow you all to do your best work and to thrive.
We are confident we can achieve this and Nine will be better for it.”
Nine stars speak out over toxic culture
Current and former Nine staff have told news.com.au they believe leaking against TV stars was all part of a toxic culture that in some cases included backgrounding against their own staff to rival newspapers.
“It was certainly something that would happen,” a Nine star said.
“Stories would be written up about the negotiations and the pay rise they wanted. Really specific details and you just knew there would only be a handful of people who knew the negotiations.
“When they were in the process of changing hosts it would be in the newspaper. The information was accurate.
“You would read about your career in the paper and go, ‘Right, so my job is on the line?’”
The Nine employee said the TV station was a “f**king mess” because of the fallout from that culture.
‘They all copped it’: Nine insiders speak out
It was a tactic deployed against high-profile presenters, particularly on the Today show including Lisa Wilkinson and Karl Stefanovic, according to Nine sources.
“They all copped it, whether it was Sylvia Jeffreys, Georgie Gardener or Deb Knight,” another Nine insider said.
In 2018, details of Karl and Peter Stefanovic’s unplugged views about colleagues at Nine were leaked by the driver who claimed the brothers launched an extraordinary 45-minute attack on colleagues including Gardner, Richard Wilkins, Mark Burrows and Nine bosses.
Peter and Jeffreys, his wife and fellow Nine presenter, were in the back of an Uber car late at night, speaking to his brother and fellow Nine Network host Karl on speakerphone.
According to the driver, Stefanovic vented his frustration at new Today co-host Gardner, who he accused of “sitting on the fence” and not having enough opinions.
During the trip, the driver claimed that Peter complained at length that he “hated his job” and it was “sucking the life out of him”.
The Stefanovics both later issued apologies as speculation swirled about what exactly had been said during the conversation.
“I did a silly thing and feel awful for any embarrassment I’ve brought to my (Nine) colleagues, who I deeply respect,” Peter Stefanovic said.
News.com.au has also been told of claims a Nine employee flogged details of Peter Stefanovic and Jeffreys’ wedding to paparazzi photographers tipping them off to the location for $500.
Female employee who complained about Darren Wick declined to be interviewed
The latest round of stories about Nine follow the departure of legendary news boss Darren Wick.
News.com.au has previously confirmed that the former news director took a period of leave after a workplace complaint was made against him by a female employee who engaged legal counsel.
But she declined to participate in the workplace investigation when Nine called in an external legal firm to investigate.
Employment lawyers sometimes advise clients not to participate in such investigations claiming they are “a sham” established to arrive at predetermined outcomes.
When Wick left the company in March, he explained he was simply “tired”.
“I don’t want to use the word ‘retiring’, because I don’t know how to sit idle. But I am going to take a very long break from what has been four decades of working as a journalist. I’m tired and need a rest,” he said.
‘Game of Thrones at board level’
Nine insiders claim the process of the investigation was “a mess” with Wick sidelined for six weeks and rumours swirling about him in the newsroom.
This was unfair to everyone involved according to Nine insiders and made it impossible for him to return to the newsroom regardless of the outcome.
“In the old days (former CEO) David Gyngell would have sorted that out in a week,” a Nine insider said.
The fallout has led to questions about how Nine is being run and claims there are “Game of Thrones” divisions at the board level.
Originally published as ‘Sold a pup’: Nine stars lash bombshell report for refusing to name names
Is Nine really up to the challenge to change its sorry ways?
There is little confidence the same board that fundamentally allowed an appalling corporate culture and poor leadership to thrive, can also fix it.
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