‘These behaviours come at a significant human cost’: Nine’s abuse of power revealed in ‘distressing’ report
Nine Entertainment has revealed the results of a months-long third-party review into the company’s culture, which includes 22 recommendations to refresh the workplace.
Former CEO Mike Sneesby and the Nine Board commissioned the report, carried out by independent company Intersection, following a litany of complaints regarding misbehaviour across all levels of the network.
Acting CEO Matt Stanton informed Nine staff on Wednesday afternoon that the report would be handed down the following day, and acknowledged the process was likely to have proven “distressing” for some staffers.
“Overall, the Review found concerning levels of inappropriate workplace behaviours at Nine,” the report reads.
“These experiences vary by Division. The survey results indicate that the drivers and risk factors for these behaviours are similar for those Divisions with higher prevalence rates of inappropriate workplace behaviours.”
The review found “very high prevalence rates of abuse of power or authority (62%)” 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’.
“These practices have created an ecosystem of inequity, where poor performers are not dealt with in real time, if at all; where high performers carry a more significant workload as a result; and where those not perceived to be ‘in favour’ of leadership are allocated undesirable tasks, shifts or working conditions and denied opportunities for career advancement.
“More than half of all employees in the Broadcast Division (57%) 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 is well below the very high industry prevalence rate (64%) and just under the national average across all industries (33%). Nevertheless, nearly a third of Broadcast employees (30%) 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. 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. 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 experience of inappropriate workplace behaviours in Broadcast is also gendered. 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. Women reported observing and experiencing a higher tolerance for inappropriate workplace behaviours and less confidence that the behaviours would be appropriately addressed.”
These inappropriate behaviours are underpinned and enabled by:
• a lack of leadership accountability and skill to identify, prevent and respond to inappropriate workplace behaviours
• power imbalances which manifest in workplace processes and practices that lack transparency and consistency, and result in the unequal treatment of employees
• gender inequality and a lack of diversity including the impact of an appearance based medium for women in the Broadcast Division.
“Despite the concerning levels of inappropriate workplace behaviours, employees who participated in this Review indicated that they also held positive views about the level of respect demonstrated within the workplace. Employees spoke of isolated examples of good leadership, a strong culture of peer-to-peer support, and a dedication to the role they play in keeping the community informed about the news despite the challenges of workplace culture.”
“The survey results show that in the last five years, Nine employees reported the following:
• more than half had experienced or witnessed abuse of power or authority (52%)
• nearly half had experienced bullying, discrimination or harassment (49%)
• nearly a quarter had experienced sexual harassment (24%).
One in six (16%) Nine employees had experienced all three forms of inappropriate workplace behaviours. The workplace experience at Nine is also gendered.
Women experienced all forms of inappropriate workplace behaviours at higher rates than men:
• abuse of power or authority (women: 55%, men: 49%)
• bullying, discrimination or harassment (women: 55%, men: 44%)
• sexual harassment (women: 35%, men: 15%).
The experience across Divisions varied. However, the data clearly shows that inappropriate workplace behaviours are most prevalent in the Broadcast, Radio and Stan Divisions.
“Inappropriate workplace behaviour at Nine is normalised and occurs out in the open.”
“Incidents of inappropriate workplace behaviours at Nine were commonly witnessed by others. Nearly half of Nine employees (44%) had witnessed bullying, discrimination or harassment, and sexual harassment (30%). Power imbalances, a high-pressure environment, and a workplace culture that tolerates inappropriate workplace behaviours were identified to be the drivers for inappropriate workplace behaviours at Nine.
“The Review also found an absence of a safe reporting culture at Nine. The rates of reporting inappropriate workplace behaviours at Nine are very low, with fewer than one in six (15%) victims indicating that they reported the most recent incident of bullying, discrimination or harassment, and fewer than one in ten (7%) reporting the most recent incident of sexual harassment.”
Nine released the following statement and issued the report in full on its website.
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Nine Entertainment (Nine) has today released an independent review of its workplace practices and culture.
The review, conducted by leading organisational culture firm, Intersection, involved a company-wide survey in addition to comprehensive interviews held with members of the TV News & Current Affairs department.
The Nine Board received the Intersection report today and, in the interests of transparency, has released it in full to Nine’s 5000-strong workforce and shared it publicly. The report will inform the work underway to strengthen Nine’s organisational and workplace culture.
The report found that Nine has a systemic issue with abuse of power and authority; bullying, discrimination and harassment; and sexual harassment.
Driving these behaviours is a lack of leadership accountability; power imbalances; gender inequality and a lack of diversity; and significant distrust in leaders at all levels of the business.
The report has made 22 recommendations, prioritised into foundational, intermediate and advanced changes required for the reset of culture at Nine.
After considering the report today, the Nine Board committed to implementing all 22 recommendations, and has requested management to provide the Board and employees a comprehensive action plan to uplift the company’s culture during November 2024.
Nine Chair Catherine West said: “Today is an incredibly difficult day for Nine as we confront these findings and reflect on serious cultural issues as an organisation. The behaviour outlined in the report is unacceptable. Abuse of power, bullying, sexual harassment and inappropriate conduct is not okay. This behaviour has no place at Nine.
“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 in the past from Nine to those behaviours.
“To any individual who has experienced inappropriate conduct that does not meet the values of Nine, we are deeply sorry. On behalf of the Board, I unreservedly apologise.
“The strength and courage these individuals have shown in sharing their stories as part of this process will allow us to move forward as an organisation with a clear understanding of where we went wrong and their insights will help strengthen Nine’s culture for the better. For that, we thank them.
“Despite the proactive culture change agenda already underway, the reality is much more needs to be done and a cultural reset is required. Nine’s Board and leadership team are united in their commitment to accelerating and driving the required change.”
Nine Acting Chief Executive Officer Matt Stanton said: “The Intersection report makes for hard reading for the many people who love working for Nine and all that we stand for. It was personally distressing for me to read these stories from our people. The behaviour experienced by many of our people right across the business is not acceptable in any workplace and falls well below what our people should expect in the work environment.
“While it is important that today all of us at Nine take a moment to reflect, we also move forward with a resolve to do better. We have a responsibility to our people to create a safe and respectful work environment to ensure they can perform at their best. Our people deserve nothing less.”
Intersection Principal Natasha de Silva said: “This report reflects the findings from the most comprehensive review of culture ever undertaken in the Australian media sector. While our review contains sobering findings, the strong survey participation rate is an indication of the willingness of the Nine workforce to be part of the cultural change.
“The recommendations made by the review are intended to build a safe, respectful and inclusive culture at Nine into the future. I am encouraged by the Board and management’s commitment to transparency demonstrated by releasing the review report in full as well as their commitment to implementing the recommendations.”
The report is available on Nine’s website.
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Nathan Jolly is the Features Editor at Mumbrella. He joined the team in July, 2023.
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A sad day at Nine. A lot of tears and frustration. Horrific statistics and verbatims and yet the line is “no heads will roll”. Hopefully that’s corporate speak for a holding pattern on comms whilst they weed out the obvious perpetrators. A big broom is needed from a new, externally appointed, CEO. Can Mumbrella and other trade media keep holding a flame to the feet of the leaders of media companies that keep falling short of their people? Legacy media companies are in the spotlight and it should stay that way until there is real change. PS where are the comments on this? I’m shocked that this is the first.
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Very unsurprising. I worked at Nine for a number of years, I’m just disappointed to see this culture is still prevalent in 2024. What a toxic workplace… And senior management knew about it all along, they just never did anything about it or failed to recognise it was a problem
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Zero accountability, a huge amount talk of empty promises but no actual action. People who bullied still at company with no fear of action from previous actions.
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Unless Nine are going to weed out the people responsible for either perpetrating or enabling this behaviour, this is all just noise that they hope will go away in time – and it will. Like it always does.
Also, it’s not just Nine. Every legacy media company should have to conduct one of these reviews every 2-3 years and continue to find and oust those responsible for the toxic culture that is prevalent in every one of those businesses. Whether it’s bullying, intimidation, harassment or gender bias, it’s happening everywhere, and everyone knows it.
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Just shameful. I work in this industry and crossed paths with Nine many times and this culture has been apparent and accepted for years. All the masterminds will survive and go under the radar because they can earn for the business. They’re hidden from public eye so they go into PR advised hibernation. If it was a TV news presenter they’d be gone today.
Our industry is obsessed with lip service for feel good social initiatives but we are absolute dinosaurs.
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Anyone has has worked for Nine in recent years, knows all too well that it is a toxic boys club.
However damning the report, the reality of working there was significantly worse.
Time for a clean out Nine !
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The media industry in Australia is antiquated, racist, sexist, ageist and abusive. The male CEO’s want younger versions of themselves who have the headlines! That is why the C-suite teams are predominantly male.
Women of age, colour and strength will never get a look in – because these men are threatened!
It wont be long, a new male CEO will be announced, the findings will be swept under the carpet and it will be business as usual!
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