October 17th 2024.
In recent news, a thorough investigation was conducted into Nine's workplace practices and culture, and the results are concerning. The review, which was carried out by an external consulting firm called Intersection, revealed that employees in the broadcast division were subjected to bullying, intimidation, and sexual harassment on a regular basis. This damning report, which consists of 22 recommendations, was published online this afternoon. As the publisher of this website, Nine is taking these findings seriously.
Initially, the review was prompted by allegations within the television news and current affairs division. However, it was expanded to include the entire organization. The report defined "inappropriate workplace behaviors" as any form of abuse of power or authority, bullying, discrimination, or sexual harassment. It found that these behaviors were prevalent at Nine, and they were enabled by a lack of leadership, power imbalances, and gender inequality and lack of diversity, particularly in the broadcast division.
The report, which spans 82 pages, concluded that the main drivers of these inappropriate behaviors were power imbalances, a high-pressure environment, and a culture that tolerated such behaviors. Shockingly, the survey found that 30% of broadcast employees and 24% of all Nine employees had experienced sexual harassment in the last five years. These numbers are significantly higher than the industry average, which is 64% in the media industry and 33% across all industries, according to the report. Furthermore, over half of Nine employees have either experienced or witnessed an abuse of power, and almost half have experienced bullying, discrimination, or harassment.
In the broadcast division, the number of employees who reported experiencing or witnessing an abuse of authority rose to 62%. The survey also revealed that one in six Nine employees had experienced all three forms of inappropriate workplace behaviors - abuse of power, bullying, and sexual harassment. It is worth noting that the review did not investigate or make any findings about specific individuals.
The board of Nine has committed to implementing all 22 recommendations from the report, including holding senior leaders accountable, engaging an external complaints investigator, reviewing employment arrangements in the broadcast division, and reporting annually on the number and nature of complaints about inappropriate workplace behavior. The report was compiled based on 934 responses to an anonymous survey, one-on-one interviews, confidential written submissions, and a review of the company's policies, procedures, and training materials.
Nine's chair, Catherine West, issued a statement on behalf of the board, acknowledging that today was a "difficult day" for the organization as they confront these findings and reflect on serious cultural issues. She also apologized to anyone who has experienced inappropriate behavior and stated that the board and leadership team are committed to driving the necessary change.
Acting chief executive Matt Stanton, who took over after the previous CEO's departure, admitted that the report "makes for hard reading." He expressed his personal distress upon reading the stories shared by Nine employees and emphasized that such behavior is unacceptable in any workplace. He also recognized the organization's responsibility to create a safe and respectful work environment for its employees. Stanton concluded by stating that they must do better and that their people deserve nothing less.
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