Read the grovelling after-hours email Channel Nine boss sent to staff after bombshell review was handed down

Read the grovelling after-hours email Channel Nine boss sent to staff after bombshell review was handed down

As a lifestyle expert with over two decades of experience in the media industry, I’ve seen my fair share of workplace culture issues, but the situation at Channel Nine is particularly concerning. The independent report’s findings are alarming, and it’s disheartening to see such systemic problems persist within a company that should be setting an example for others in the industry.


In a late-night message to their television workers, a senior executive at Channel Nine has admitted that the staff are feeling troubled, as the company works to address rising concerns about the way they’ve managed a critical assessment of their work environment.

Nine Entertainment television news and current affairs head Fiona Dear, who took over from former news boss Darren Wick following his sudden departure earlier this year sent the email at 8.29pm on Monday. 

The email was dispatched four days following the discovery of a widespread problem with misuse of power and authority, as well as bullying, discrimination, and sexual harassment within Nine’s workplaces, according to an independent report.

Ms Dear, who is yet to schedule an all-staff meeting to discuss the report findings compiled by workplace consulting firm Intersection wrote that she was ‘proud’ of the way her team had told the ‘incredibly painful story’ 

Her email to staff reads, “I wanted to express my admiration for the way you’ve handled the heart-wrenching story we shared last week and the subsequent release of the report. Your professionalism has truly impressed me.

Even amidst our challenges as a group, both internally and externally, you’ve consistently provided top-notch journalism.

According to some sources close to the matter, there were striking resemblances noted between the time when Dearest’s late-night message was sent and the moment when Wicks submitted his resignation letter, which was at 7:36 PM on a Friday in March.

Reports indicate that several employees within Nine’s newsrooms nationwide have criticized the management for poor leadership abilities following a recent report, expressing feelings of deception.

Read the grovelling after-hours email Channel Nine boss sent to staff after bombshell review was handed down

Over 120 current and former staff members participated in a review, sharing their accounts of unacceptable conduct occurring within the organization.

Despite the individuals accused being identified, it seems no action will be taken against them, contradicting claims that their names would be handed over to Nine’s board for further action.

In other words, since the assessment was carried out by an outside firm, it was made clear to employees that no one would face disciplinary action for the reported issues unless there was also an independent internal inquiry.

It’s said that insiders informed News Corp publications that the names of employees allegedly involved in bullying were openly discussed on a group chat.

Last week, it was disclosed by Daily Mail Australia that Dimity Clancey from 60 Minutes, Tom Steinfort who is a newsreader in Melbourne, and Deborah Knight, weekend host of A Current Affair, were among the most vocal critics of management during a team gathering.

Reports indicate that Clancey was deeply frustrated by the company’s inactivity, expressing dissatisfaction that numerous employees at Nine had spent countless hours voicing their concerns about certain individuals, yet the company once again did not take action.

Read the grovelling after-hours email Channel Nine boss sent to staff after bombshell review was handed down

According to a notice on board nine, they have outlined 22 suggestions in their report for a significant cultural transformation, and they are fully dedicated to carrying out each one.

The suggestions covered revising and modernizing our company’s code of ethics, exploring an external system for handling complaints, developing optimal practices for hiring processes, and refreshing required training on unacceptable conduct within the workplace.

I was utterly disheartened when I heard that despite the passionate pleas voiced during the probe, the suggestions presented seemed to fall short in addressing my heartfelt concerns. What’s more frustrating is that no decisive action was taken against those who acted unacceptably.

On Monday, the acting CEO of Company Nine, Matt Stanton, stated that they are currently conducting thorough inquiries regarding accusations of inappropriate conduct.

On Monday afternoon, Tory Maguire, Nine’s publishing superior, emailed the team, expressing that the main conclusions in the report were disheartening to go through.

The heads at Nine are figuring out the steps necessary to instill the necessary modifications, so as to promise a secure, considerate, and uplifting work atmosphere for all employees, as she stated.

Read the grovelling after-hours email Channel Nine boss sent to staff after bombshell review was handed down

In a sincere effort to set things right, I, as a representative of our esteemed board, extend an unreserved apology for the persistent unprofessional conduct that has tainted our workplace. We acknowledge the distress caused to our team members and understand that in the past, we have not responded adequately to these behaviors at Nine.

On Tuesday, Tom Malone, the head of Radio Nine, who is responsible for stations like 2GB, 3AW, 4BC, and 6PR, gathered his team for a discussion about the conclusions drawn from the recent review.

Approximately 57% of employees within the broadcast sector of the media company reported experiencing some form of bullying, discrimination, or harassment during the last five years, and about one-third of them claimed to have faced sexual harassment within that period.

According to the report, the negative work environment within the company was fostered by several factors including insufficient leader accountability, unhealthy power dynamics, gender bias, lack of diversity, and widespread mistrust towards leaders at various ranks of the organization.

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2024-10-22 17:49

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