Channel Nine news boss reveals why she was very angry when she got her dream job: ‘This sounds selfish’

As a seasoned journalist and a woman who has spent decades navigating the tumultuous waters of Australian newsrooms, I can wholeheartedly say that Fiona Dear’s journey resonates deeply with me. The anger she felt when taking over her dream job is a feeling I’ve had far too many times – not because I wanted to sit back and celebrate, but because I was handed someone else’s mess to clean up.

When Nine Network news director Fiona Dear got her dream job, she was angry.

Instead of basking in the fruits of her long years of journalistic labor, she found herself having to tidy up someone else’s mess.

In the month of May, I stepped into the shoes of a seasoned news director, Darren Wick, who chose to step aside amidst allegations of unprofessional conduct towards our female team members, involving behavior that was not appropriate.

Ms Dear was interviewed for the Women for Media Report 2024, released on Wednesday.

The report, published by the Women’s Leadership Institute Australia, examined prejudice against women in news broadcasts within Australia.

In a straightforward manner, Ms. Dear was open about the challenges at Nine, mentioning that when she took on her role, many women in the newsroom were actually quite upset.

‘I worked in the newsroom in that period,’ she said.

‘I was angry as a woman who worked in that environment at that time.

I felt frustrated, as I found myself assigned a task that seemed like cleaning up after someone else’s mess. It may seem selfish, but I was truly upset about it.

She said her focus was to regain the trust of staff in the newsroom.

‘A lot of the trust, particularly with women in the newsroom, has been eroded,’ she said.

She plans to give women back their voices because many felt her predecessors had taken them away.

Last week’s independent investigation uncovered systemic problems within Nine Entertainment, including misuse of power, workplace bullying, discrimination, and sexual harassment occurring throughout the organization.

From the findings of 122 interviews, it was determined that those identified as repeat offenders were not held accountable, and instead, both victims and staff members were advised to steer clear of them.

One objective is to enhance the hiring process such that it becomes more inclusive for women, irrespective of their situations, ensuring that they feel capable and empowered to apply for open positions.

According to the Women for Media Report, headed by Professor Andrea Carson, even though there are almost as many male and female journalists, a significant influence of gender bias continues to loom large.

Women tend to be assigned more often to ‘softer’ news stories, whereas men typically handle ‘harder’ news topics. Additionally, women are given fewer opportunities to use exclusive tags and have less prominence on a newspaper’s front or high-profile pages.

Seven has also faced allegations of bullying, misogyny and toxic workplace culture.

Investigation by Four Corners reveals the organization as a ‘redemption hub’ primarily for senior males, associated with accusations of harassment, sexism, and violent misconduct. These incidents have resulted in employees requiring hospitalization or being unable to perform their duties.

A recent evaluation of incidents of racial bias at ABC during the past month uncovered systemic problems that have unfairly impacted employees from diverse backgrounds.

The research conducted by Professor Carson additionally revealed an overwhelming predominance of male specialists being cited in news reports, accounting for approximately 80% of the sources.

‘Gender equality is vital in the news media for democracy and civic engagement,’ she said.

Let’s change the conventional idea of who qualifies as a leader or an expert, and this transformation begins by amplifying a wider range of perspectives in public discourse, particularly those from diverse backgrounds.

‘Both in terms of who produces the news and who features in it.’

The report made six recommendations to news organisations to fix the gender bias imbalance, including encouraging women to take on roles in traditionally male-dominated reporting areas.

Furthermore, it recommended boosting the presence of women on prominent pages, utilizing a broader range of female sources, and establishing safety measures to shield female journalists from cyberbullying.

A study on racial discrimination against women of color in Australian workplaces revealed that approximately 67% of them (two out of every three) have faced discrimination, marking a 10% rise compared to the statistics from 2021.

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2024-10-22 22:52