Nine’s upfronts have been the talk of the town in media land recently as a result of its rather damning cultural review.
The review conducted by 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 review revealed that the network has a systemic issue with abuse of power and authority, bullying, discrimination and harassment, and sexual harassment.
In fact, 62 per cent of employees reported abuses of power or authority. Additionally, 57 per cent of employees reported that they had experienced bullying, discrimination, or harassment, with behaviours like public humiliation, belittling comments, and intimidation becoming normalised.
Although sexual harassment rates in the division were below industry averages, 30 per cent of employees still reported incidents, often exacerbated by social events involving alcohol.
Nine’s acting CEO, Matt Stanton, who took over from Mike Sneesby last month, briefly addressed the situation at its upfronts in Eveleigh.
“Of course, it’s also been a significant year of change and disruption as an organisation.
“We’ve had to face some hard truths and confront systemic cultural issues, which has been incredibly challenging for our people.
“At all levels of the business, we are deeply committed to embedding meaningful and lasting change at Nine, and 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.”
Addressing the room, Stanton continued:
“As our trusted partners, I’d like to really thank you all for your ongoing support, of which there has been a lot, which I know our people really, really appreciate.”
Changing tone, Stanton moved on.
“So looking ahead, we’re focused on setting new benchmarks in content, data and technology, and continue to lead the Australian market.”
“We are all in this room today with the shared goal to grow our respective businesses. As you observe the presentations today, please reflect on how you plan to invest with us, for your brand and for your clients, Nine is uniquely positioned to help you make data-led decisions that will deliver a return on investment and the next phase of growth for your businesses.
“Going forward, today, we’ll share our vision for the future, continuing to shape culture, spark conversations and entertain Australia, you’ll hear about new initiatives that will unlock opportunities for your brand through our unmatched scale, data and content.
“Think of us as your growth partner for better business results. We’re excited about the opportunities ahead, and you should be too. I really mean that. So let’s work together. Thank you for being here today.”
More to follow.
