Nine boss’s mealy-mouthed promise as network reels from bombshell report into toxic sex pest culture

Nine’s acting chief executive Matt Stanton has promised ‘meaningful’ change at the network in the wake of the toxic scandal engulfing the media giant. 

Speaking at Nine’s star-studded ‘upfront’ on Thursday, Stanton addressed the  independent investigation which found the network had an ingrained culture of bullying, abuse of power and sexual harassment.

He promised changes would follow the confronting revelations, and thanked advertisers for sticking with the channel despite the damaging headlines. 

‘As an organisation, we’ve had to face some hard truths and confront systemic cultural issues, which has been incredibly challenging for our people,’ he said. 

‘At all levels of the business, we are deeply committed to embedding meaningful and lasting change at Nine.

‘[We] believe that this difficult yet necessary process will allow more of our people to perform at their best and pave the way for positive, industry-leading change.

‘As our trusted partners, I would like to really thank you for all your ongoing support, which has been a lot, (and) which I know our people really, really appreciate.’

An awkward silence hung over the room before Stanton abruptly changed tack – and topics. 

‘So,’ he said, immediately more upbeat. ‘Looking ahead, we’re focused on setting new benchmarks in content, data and technology and continuing to lead the Australian market.

‘We are all in this room today with the shared goal to grow our respective businesses.’

Nine’s biggest household names, including Liz Hayes and Karl Stefanovic, attended the star-studded luncheon at Sydney’s Carriageworks on Thursday

60 Minutes star reporter Tara Brown was also among the network celebrities at the event

Stanton’s comments came after reporters covering the ritzy luncheon were warned not to probe the network’s star panellists with embarrassing questions about the ongoing scandal. 

Instead, they were encouraged to ask Nine’s assembled ‘personalities’ about the channel’s exciting raft of upcoming programs. 

But despite the network’s best attempts to bury talk about its internal dramas, the subject continued to dominate conversations among its guests. 

Nine’s executives had been worried the saga would overshadow its ‘upfront’ – an annual party designed to wow would-be advertisers into buying up airtime – after the bombshell report on the network’s culture was made public last Thursday. 

The review, conducted by workplace culture firm Intersection, found Nine had ‘a systemic issue with abuse of power and authority; bullying, discrimination and harassment; and sexual harassment’.

The investigation revealed 57 per cent of staff in the media company’s broadcast division had experienced bullying, discrimination or harassment over the past five years, with a third saying they had been sexually harassed in that time frame. 

Mike Sneesby commissioned the independent report into Nine’s workplace culture in June but ended up exiting the company five weeks before the findings were finalised 

The report said the company’s toxic culture had been enabled by ‘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’.   

Former Nine chief executive Mike Sneesby commissioned the external inquiry in June following a string of allegations against the broadcaster’s recently departed head of news and current affairs Darren Wick. 

Sneesby quit the company last month, just five weeks before the report was finalised, but maintained he was leaving for unrelated reasons. 

His departure came three months after Peter Costello was forced to resign as Nine’s chairman in June after he appeared to deliberately knock over a reporter peppering him with questions at Canberra Airport.

Ironically, the reporter had been asking Costello whether he continued to support Sneesby’s ongoing reign as chief executive. 

Stanton was appointed as caretaker chief executive while a formal recruitment process for Sneesby’s replacement is underway, though insiders speculate he is likely to end up taking on the role full-time.  

Former Nine chairman Peter Costello resigned in June after a controversial encounter with a reporter at Canberra Airport while being peppered with questions about Sneesby

Costello is captured on video during the run-in as the reporter falls to the ground

Staff at Nine have been outraged by the network’s ham-fisted handling of the Intersection report and a perceived lack of accountability.

High-profile network stars – including 60 Minutes reporters Dimity Clancey and Amelia Adams and weekend A Current Affair host Deborah Knight – hammered the media giant’s bosses at an internal staff meeting about the review.

They raised concerns after staff were told no action would be taken against alleged bullies lurking within the executive ranks despite the report’s findings.

Stanton this week assured staff there would be ‘change at Nine’ in the wake of the damning external investigation.

‘Given some of the conjecture within and outside Nine, I also wanted to be clear about what we are doing to hold people to account,’ he told staff in an internal email.

‘We currently have a number of active investigations underway into issues raised by employees, some of which are being led by an external investigator whom we have partnered with.

60 Minutes star Amelia Adams raised concerns about a perceived lack of accountability at the network as colleagues raged about Nine’s handling of the report

Respected weekend A Current Affair host Deborah Knight also questioned the network’s handling of the damning external investigation during the staff meeting

‘No two cases are the same, and I’m sure you can appreciate these investigations need to be conducted in a manner that follows a just and proper process, which can take time. This will not be influenced by outside interest or public scrutiny.’

He said wrongdoers would face anything from counselling to disciplinary action or even dismissal.

‘There is no place at Nine for the abuse of power, bullying, sexual harassment of inappropriate conduct outlined in the Intersection report of for people who behave that way. 

‘There will be change at Nine and individuals will be held to account for behaviour of this nature.’