Four Corners has spoken to more than 200 people to investigate allegations of Channel Seven's toxic culture, uncovering allegations of bullying, sexism, and exploitation.
Current and former Channel Seven staff describe a 'degrading, soul crushing' workplace that's left some suicidal and unable to workIt bills itself as a family network, but an investigation into Channel Seven has revealed it to be a "second chance club" for senior men, with allegations of bullying, sexism, assault and exploitation that have left staff hospitalised, unable to work and attempting suicide.
"They're trying to present an illusion of being robust, happy workplaces, performing a public interest in cutting-edge journalism," says solicitor Josh Bornstein, who has multiple clients at Seven and Nine. "It was of a woman with her legs spread and there was a very detailed drawing of a vagina and it was dripping," the woman says.She does not suggest that the executive producer was aware of it.It was revealed in April that Spotlight paid accused rapist Bruce Lehrmann's rent for a year and there was also an allegation — denied by Mr Lehrmann and Seven — that the network covered the costs of sex workers and cocaine.
She says one male colleague — not the executive producer — blew the production budget on an overseas trip, drank so much he was "lying … on the ground, in the gutter" and, referring to a victim of sexual assault, told her: "Hey, hey, your job is to just to get this bitch's story."She says she had to spend her own money to finish the story, leaving her with no money for rent while waiting for Seven to reimburse her.
"The only way I can describe it is I felt like I had a noose around my neck," the young woman told Four Corners.On March 8, the young woman's shaken colleague made contemporaneous notes of what he just witnessed happen to her. Four Corners has those notes. "We did a story the other day and one of my said, 'We're all one or two pay cheques away from homelessness.' That's me."She says she was "mortified, angry and embarrassed" by the allegations made in the Lehrmann defamation hearing that Spotlight covered the cost of sex workers and cocaine. These allegations were denied by Mr Lehrmann and the network.
Her boss banned her from wearing glasses on camera because he said the network news director told him they make her "look like f**king Buddy Holly, don't f**king wear them again". Two male reporters in the newsroom wore glasses. His explanation for this and other patterns of behaviour he sees towards women journalists is "misogyny".Mr Bornstein is calling for the Human Rights Commission, as the "cop on the beat", to intervene and conduct an inquiry into commercial television.These issues are not confined to commercial TV. There have been allegations of sexual harassment at other media organisations too, including the ABC.
She heard senior men in the news division commenting on women's appearance in an inappropriate and sexualised way. "Under new management, we have refreshed and recommunicated our policies and procedures and we encourage all Seven team members to call out any behaviour that does not reflect the values of Seven."For former Seven Perth star, Mark Gibson, there is a disconnect between how the network presents itself to the world and how it actually operates behind the scenes.
Llewellyn was forced to resign in April after Spotlight became embroiled in the Bruce Lehrmann scandal. Gibson says he witnessed him being "very irrational, often aggressive, verbally abusive, bullying, harassing, belittling".Seven Perth's then-managing director Chris Wharton took staff concerns to management."Chris Wharton rang me emotionally and said, 'I'm so sorry. I feel like I've failed you,'" Gibson recalls.Three years later, in the face of persistent complaints, Menegola's contract as news director was not renewed.
7 News Four Corners Spotlight Mark Llewellyn Josh Bornstein Mark Gibson
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