Exit signs: a timeline of Nine Entertainment’s annus horribilis

January 2024‘Sexist’ image editing makes Victorian MP’s outfit more revealing

Nine News in Melbourne broadcasts an image of Victorian upper house MP Georgie Purcell that has been edited to make her breasts look bigger and expose her midriff.

The network blames the graphics on “automation by Photoshop” but a spokesperson for Adobe says use of its generative AI features would have required “human intervention”. Purcell lashes the network for “sexist editing”.

March 2024TV news boss leaves abruptly

The news and current affairs director, Darren Wick, abruptly leaves Nine after 29 years with the company.

“After many long beach walks and even longer conversations, I know in my heart that this is the right time for me to step down,” he writes in an email to staff.

Nine reports that “the reason for Wick’s absence before his resignation had been a topic of internal speculation at Nine and across the industry over recent weeks”.

May 2024Nine launches review after complaints about toxic culture are revealed

It is reported publicly that Wicks left after complaints of sexual harassment, inappropriate behaviour and allegations of a toxic culture within Nine’s television newsrooms.

It is also revealed that the head of communications for Nine’s streaming service Stan, Adrian Foo, had left the organisation in 2023 amid an investigation into allegations of bullying and physical contact “that made staff uncomfortable”. Sneesby and his family had been close to Foo for more than a decade, according to a Nine spokesperson. Wick and Foo have not commented publicly.

Sneesby cuts short a holiday to address the crisis. Nine commissions an independent review after acknowledging “alleged inappropriate behaviour and broader cultural issues” in its television newsrooms.

Sneesby comes under pressure over what he knew of the allegations against Wick and the approval of his departure payout – believed to be close to $1m including entitlements.

In an email to staff, Sneesby notes “the distress and frustration the substance of these reports has caused”. Nine employees warn the review may not lead to meaningful change as predatory behaviour was “known and tolerated” for years.

June 2024Chairman Peter Costello steps down

Peter Costello resigns as chairman of Nine Entertainment, days after the former federal treasurer was accused of pushing over a journalist at Canberra airport. The reporter had been quizzing Costello about Nine’s response to the allegations.

Before stepping down, Costello says “there was no assault” and the journalist, Liam Mendes, “fell over an advertising placard”.

June 2024No-confidence motion against Mike Sneesby as job cuts announced

Staff at Nine pass a motion of no-confidence in Sneesby and prepare to take industrial action after he announces that 200 jobs will be cut from the company, including up to 90 jobs from newspapers in the publishing division.

Sneesby flies to Greece days later.

July 2024Mike Sneesby carries Olympics torch as journalists vote to strike

Sneesby carries the Olympic torch in Paris, hours after journalists in Nine’s publishing division vote overwhelmingly to strike for five days over pay and conditions.

The strike coincides with the start of the Paris Olympic Games, hampering Nine’s initial coverage after the company paid $305m for the official broadcast rights.

Sneesby stays in Paris at Nine’s expense along with TV personality Scott Cam, sporting executive Peter V’landys and NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo.

Journalists call off ongoing industrial action on their first day back at work after management offers an 11.5% pay increase over three years – one percentage point above the previous offer.

August 2024Senior staff exodus

Dozens of senior journalists take voluntary redundancies from Nine’s mastheads including the Sydney Morning Herald, the Age and the Australian Financial Review. Many staff seeking redundancies are knocked back as Nine’s publishing division is oversubscribed with applications.

August 2024Profits plummet

Nine announces a steep slide in annual net profit to $134.9m in the 2023-24 financial year. Sneesby’s total remuneration is down to $2.1m, from $2.7m in 2023, after he and other executives take significant cuts to bonuses.

Weaker economic and advertising conditions hit the broadcasting and publishing arms, with revenues falling 9% and 3% respectively.

September 2024Mike Sneesby steps down

Sneesby announces he will step down as chief executive within weeks, without an appointed successor.

In an email to staff, Sneesby says that “the timing was right to commence a leadership transition”. The chief finance officer, Matt Stanton, is set to take over on an interim basis while the company searches for a new CEO.

Sneesby says he decided to consider new opportunities in 2025 “after seeing through the important work we are doing around our workplace culture”. The company’s independent review into cultural issues – commissioned in May – is due to be released in the coming months.