Nine boss Hugh Marks says it was a 'mistake' to host Liberal fundraiser

Nine Entertainment Co chief executive Hugh Marks has said it was a "mistake" for the company to host a Liberal Party fundraiser, amid concerns the event could damage perceptions of the independence of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.

The $10,000-a-head dinner, hosted by Mr Marks at the broadcaster's Willoughby headquarters, was attended by Prime Minister Scott Morrison and members of his ministry. Nine metropolitan newspapers are covered by a charter of editorial independence that ensures the company's board and management do not play any part in editorial decision-making. However, the event has been criticised for raising the possibility the autonomy of the broadcaster's recently acquired newspapers could be compromised.

Nine chief executive Hugh Marks.Credit: Dominic Lorrimer

James Chessell, Nine's group executive editor of Australian Metro Publishing, which includes The Herald and The Age, said in a note to staff on Wednesday that he had raised his concerns with Mr Marks.

"He has responded by telling me it was a mistake to host the function," Mr Chessell said.

"Hugh made the point Nine’s primary motivation was to engage with the government on issues of importance to the newsrooms - such as press freedom and the [Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's] inquiry into digital platforms - which is a valid argument for management to make.

"But he agrees it could have been handled better."

Mr Chessell acknowledged that concerns about the fundraiser raised by Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance house committees at the mastheads reflected the view of many journalists.

But he reassured the mastheads' journalists that the charter of editorial independence, which has been in place since 1998, would be upheld.

The charter, which was endorsed by Nine when it merged with Fairfax Media in late-2018, requires the mastheads' management to "acknowledge that journalists, artists and photographers must record the affairs of the city, state, nation and the world fairly, fully and regardless of any commercial, political or personal interests, including those of any proprietors, shareholders or board members".

Mr Chessell said this made Nine's decision to host a Liberal party event irrelevant to the way the news was reported.

"Our mastheads have always stuck to the job of informing, engaging and holding the powerful to account regardless of what goes on in the boardroom. And to be clear, nobody at Nine has attempted to influence editorial coverage since the merger in any way," he said, adding that the merger had been "an extremely positive experience" overall for the newsrooms.

"Instead, management has allowed us to get on with our work and provided support when necessary, which is as it should be."