Following a period of unrest within Nine, Peter Costello has resigned as chairman and will also step down from the Board, effective immediately. With his departure, Catherine West has been appointed Chair of the entertainment giant.
The news comes after Costello appeared to push a journalist from The Australian over in Canberra Airport after asking about the allegations surrounding Darren Wick and whether he supported Nine CEO Mike Sneesby.
Costello played a key role in a number of milestones of Nine, including its successful re-listing on the Australian Stock Exchange in 2013, securing the landmark News Media Bargaining Code and the transformative merger with Fairfax Media.
“I thank the Board for their support over the last decade and particularly during the events of the last few weeks. I wish the Board, the employees and the Company well. There are enormous challenges ahead, but I believe Nine is the best-placed Australian media company to weather them and prosper,” Costello said.
West, who spent 17 years as a legal director for Rupert Murdoch’s Sky UK and was most recently the deputy chair at Nine, thanked Costello for his “dedication and commitment to Nine”.
“Peter has led the transformation of Nine from a free-to-air network to a fully integrated media company with traditional and digital media assets across television, streaming publishing, audio and marketplaces. As Chairman, he has always put the needs of the company first, and his decision to stand down and pass on the baton of leading Nine at this time is in line with that approach,” said West.
West, a lawyer by trade, has worked in the media and entertainment industry for over 30 years in the United Kingdom, Europe and Australia and brings extensive experience and a proven track record to the role of Chair.
The news comes after a period of great unrest within the network. In reports published by The Sydney Morning Herald and other publications, former news and current affairs boss Darren Wick has been accused of drunken and lecherous behaviour during his 13-year tenure running Nine’s news and current affairs team.
Staff have been quoted referring to Wick’s alleged conduct as an “open secret” within the network that lasted more than a decade. Three separate women have reported that Wick “brazenly groped them in public view of their colleagues.”
One woman told the SMH earlier this month how, as a young reporter, a ratings party at a city pub had taken a sour turn. “At one point in the night, in full view of everyone, he started feeling my arse,” she said. As the night went on, she bore witness to Wick doing the same to other women.
“It was obviously utterly shocking to me, but he was my boss with a huge amount of power”.
Her shock at Wick’s alleged actions was amplified as the incidents occurred in a room full of staff. “He was not hiding it. Like everyone could see it,” she told the SMH. “To think you’re hired for what you can bring in terms of skills and experience”, said one of the alleged victims “You’re just a piece of arse for him,” she added.
In a statement to B&T, a Nine spokesperson said, “We take all allegations of inappropriate conduct seriously. There is a review in place. We encourage anyone with concerns to come forward”.
Nine reportedly held a crisis meeting last month to discuss the incident. In an email to his staff, seen by B&T, Sneesby confirmed that Wick had been investigated as soon as reports of misconduct were received. “Our actions as a result of that investigation were based on the information we had available to us at the time, which was limited,” he wrote. He also added that he had not signed non-disclosure agreements “for any employee relating to a complaint or behavioural issue”.
Sneesby acknowledged several media reports and encouraged individuals with information to provide it so it could be independently investigated. “We will commission an independent review of the behaviours and concentration of power that has damaged the trust and fairness within our television newsrooms,” Sneesby wrote.
“It will be handled by an external firm and provide findings and advice on how we behave and how we can implement better systems and processes for the future”.
Commenting on her appointment, West did not shy away from acknowledging the allegations and unrest within the network.
“The Board knows that the events of recent weeks have been extremely difficult and destabilising for our employees and other stakeholders, and we are committed to ensuring, through our cultural review and other actions announced last week, that issues will be appropriately addressed”.
“The Board and management are united in focusing on the well-being of our people in all parts of our business. At Nine, we do work that has an important value to the community and the Board and management acknowledge their responsibility to ensure all parts of the business, including our newsrooms, feel supported. We want to ensure our people can feel proud of our
company and colleagues and the work they do”.
Costello also referenced the turmoil within the network over the last few months, making it clear that Mike Sneesby has always had his full support as CEO. “The Company has set up a robust process to investigate historical complaints, which has my full support. I believe it will get to the bottom of any unknown issues”.
Mickie Rosen has also been appointed to the Audit & Risk Committee, and Mandy Pattinson will become the chair of the People & Remuneration Committee.
