OK kids, who wants to work in the media? Think Nine is bad, try Channel Seven. Bullying in the media is at plague proportions. This story is by Calum Jaspan and Jordan Baker from the SMH.
Bosses in Nine’s broadcast division singled out employees and belittled them until they could take it no more. Workers were routinely shamed, gaslighted and intimidated – sometimes to the point of self-harm.
A recent report on the company’s culture found belittlement, public white-anting and the abuse of power were commonplace in the broadcast news division, and leaders lacked accountability and often made decisions based on status, relationships or their own self-interest.
Decisions were based on personal gain or preference. It details abuses of power imbalances which are commonplace at Nine, led by a culture of fear in taking complaints to the HR division.
“When I left Nine I was a shell. I was broken. I had no confidence […] It was a really horrible time,” said one anonymous staff member. No individuals were named in the report.
More than half of employees in Nine’s broadcast department – which makes up more than one-third of the company – reported experiences of bullying, discrimination or harassment over the past five years, while 30 per cent experienced sexual harassment.
“I have endured thousands of microaggressions over time. It is death by a thousand cuts … there was a point when I wanted to kill myself,” another interviewee said.
There was an accepted objectification and exploitation of women specifically identified in the broadcast division, including leaders and co-workers openly commenting on the appearance and bodies of women, in particular those who appear on-air, pregnancy discrimination, and women who are caregivers being exploited due to fear about job security.
Two-thirds of employees in the radio division, which includes 2GB and 3AW, reported being victims or witnessing abuse of power or authority, while 49 per cent experienced bullying, discrimination or harassment. Almost a third (29 per cent) experienced sexual harassment.
One-third of staff at Nine’s subscription streaming service Stan reported experiencing sexual harassment. Across the company, almost a quarter of staff reported experiencing sexual harassment.
The report said practices in Nine’s broadcast news and current affairs division, the key subject of the review, created an ecosystem of inequality, where poor performance wasn’t dealt with, high performers were overworked, bullies rewarded, and those not in favour were given undesirable tasks such as being allocated the worst stories, shifts or denied advancement opportunities.