Channel 9 acting CEO hit with tough questions about bombshell report into network’s culture

Channel Nine’s new CEO has been confronted over a bombshell report on Thursday exposed a culture crisis within the organisation, but is remaining tight-lipped about the accusations.

The inquiry found widespread cases of abuse and sexual harassment at the network’s newsrooms.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Nine’s CEO is tight-lipped after damning culture report.

Independent investigators found abuse and harassment was rife at the company, saying Nine “has a systemic issue with abuse of power and authority; bullying, discrimination and harassment; and sexual harassment”.

It comes after the Nine Network’s long-standing news boss Darren Wick abruptly left, accused of sexual harassment and abusing his power. He denies these allegations.

7NEWS reporter Annie Pullar confronted acting chief executive Matt Stanton on Friday, though he refused to answer her questions.

“Will heads roll today?” Pullar asked.

“Can you guarantee accountability to staff at Nine? What will you be doing for Nine’s victims? Have you promoted a culture of fear?”

He responded by asking her to step back, before saying: “Thanks very much, guys. Nice to see you.“

Nine’s stars were not as tight-lipped as their boss on Friday morning, blasting the network on the Today Show.

“What it found was gut-wrenching and devastating,” Sarah Abo said.

“And there’s concern about whether those responsible will be held to account.”

“What was the point of speaking out if perpetrators are not called out,” Karl Stefanovic said.

While the report examined the company’s entire business — including its newspapers The Age and Sydney Morning Herald, its radio stations, and streaming service STAN — the new report was most scathing of Nine’s TV newsrooms, with accounts from scores of employees detailing their experience working for the company.

“When I was in (location) (employee) tried to groom me. He also touched me on the bum at the Christmas party and at other times he would rub my legs under the table,” one staff member said.

“I saw him do it to other women.”

Another staff member was warned not to let a senior male employee “touch (her) boobs”.

“His comments about my body were constant,” another employee said of their interactions with a male employee.

“He made me feel like I was just a piece of meat to be ogled at, and that he was the credible one just because he was the older man.

“Over time, this eroded my confidence. It just chipped away at it.”

READ THE FULL INTERSECTION REPORT ON CHANNEL NINE HERE

Other employees said the culture at Nine “destroyed (them) as a human being”, left them “broken” and a “shell” or gave them “debilitating” anxiety.

“I was broken,” one former employee said. “I left the newsroom after a year. By the time I left my soul was gone.”

If anyone complained, they were sent to what was known as “punishment island”.

“I have only been at the company a short time, but in my opinion there is a concerning culture among senior older men of sexual(ly) inappropriate jokes. There is sexual intimidation against young women and I find this completely unacceptable. I will always call them out,” another said.

The report admitted some of the worst stories couldn’t even be put into the report because they would identify Nine employees.

“Examples of some of the more egregious incidents of inappropriate workplace behaviours Intersection heard about are not reflected in this report due to their potential identifiability,” they wrote.

Another said talking about getting bullied at Nine had become commonplace.

“We used to talk about being bullied, harassed or publicly humiliated like you’d talk about the weather. Now when I look back it horrifies me how normalised it had become,” they said.

Media insiders respond

While the behaviour revealed in the report is not exclusive to the Nine Network, media insiders said the human stories were particularly shocking.

PR professional and former journalist Peter Wilkinson — who worked at Channel Nine until 2002 — said he has never seen anything as bad as the incidents reported on Thursday in “20 odd years”.

“It’s shocking. Like everybody else, I’m pretty appalled and I feel really sorry for the staff,” he said.

“The critical thing is looking after the staff who are justifiably angry.

“I suspect it’s going to need some quick movements by the board, which includes heads in management rolling and probably some deep soul-searching in the board and possibly some change there.

“It’s very hard to change a culture without doing that. Some people can’t change.

“What has to happen is actually fairly easy. It’s just difficult making the decision of who has to go.

“And the board will know who the perpetrators are and more importantly the staff knows who the perpetrators are.

“And if they aren’t removed or go through some extraordinary training then the staff will justifiably continue to be angry for some time.”

Wilkinson also flagged potential lawsuits following the report.

“It’s quite common in situations like this for staff who leave feeling stressed and badly mistreated to take legal action.

“So there’s a likelihood, there’s a prospect that lawyers will be encouraging staff who do leave to get revenge through the courts.”

The best course of action for the company would be to act quickly, Wilkinson said.

“Once stuff is happening and people can see it, the people at Channel Nine, despite their anger, will have a fairly high tolerance for the board and its behaviour in responding to the 22 recommendations.

“But change must happen and in situations like this you want things to happen quickly, not drag out.

“Otherwise the disillusionment, the anger, the feeling of not being listened to drags on as well.”

Nine’s new chair Catherine West said on Thursday: “We are deeply sorry ... I unreservedly apologise.”

“Today is an incredibly difficult day for Nine as we confront these findings and reflect on serious cultural issues as an organisation,” West said.

“The behaviour outlined in the report is unacceptable.

“Abuse of power, bullying, sexual harassment and inappropriate conduct is not OK.

“This behaviour has no place at Nine.”

The identities of the perpetrators were not revealed in Thursday’s report with some stories being omitted because of identifying details.

Some perpetrators are thought to have left already, and there are 22 recommendations to address the negative culture — including training, accountability and another external review in three years.