In short:
A 2024 review found allegations of sexism, bullying and a toxic culture at Seven West Media.
asserted
review → find → Media
The review was commissioned after court claims the company reimbursed Bruce Lehrmann for drugs and sex workers to secure an interview.
What's next?
uncertain
What → commission → interview
The company's new owner says it has since had a "cultural reset".
asserted
it → say → reset
A bombshell review of Seven West Media in 2024 has been told of a "diabolical" corporate culture, with allegations that sexism, bullying and harassment were rife and "sacred cow" executives favoured by then-chairman Kerry Stokes were protected amid a ratings obsession.
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executives → tell → obsession
The ABC has seen a copy of the 65-page review, conducted by independent consultancy Interchange.
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ABC → see → Interchange
It was concluded in July 2024 and has never been made public.
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It → conclude → July
The review was commissioned by the former Seven West board in May that year in the wake of Federal Court claims by former Spotlight producer Taylor Auerbach, that the network had reimbursed ex-Liberal staffer Bruce Lehrmann for drugs and sex workers in order to secure an interview with him.
uncertain
network → commission → him
Mr Auerbach acknowledged he had never seen an invoice for this and Seven vehemently denied the claims, saying it was "appalled" by them.
uncertain
it → acknowledge → them
Former Seven chief executive James Warburton resigned in April 2024 following those claims as well as the network's on-air misidentification of the Bondi stabber, and was replaced by Jeff Howard.
Mr Warburton had previously announced his intention to step down in June.
uncertain
Warburton → resign → June
Mr Lehrmann was ultimately found by the Federal Court, on the balance of probabilities, to have raped colleague Brittany Higgins in a federal Parliament House office in 2019.
asserted
Lehrmann → find → 2019
That finding was made as part of a defamation trial and remains untested in a criminal court.
asserted
finding → make → court
Mr Lehrmann has denied the rape allegation.
asserted
Lehrmann → deny → allegation
The Interchange review into the network's corporate culture interviewed Kerry Stokes and the rest of the board, as well as half a dozen advertising clients and agencies, and did 127 interviews or small focus groups with Seven employees across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth.
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review → interview → Sydney
Interchange also drew on more than 800 responses to a company survey.
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Interchange → draw → survey
The report does not suggest that Mr Stokes, Mr Warburton or other senior management were aware of or involved in the alleged incidents discussed by staff.
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Stokes → suggest → staff
Mr Stokes declined to comment for this story.
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Stokes → decline → story
"Immoral, unethical and illegal behaviour has been prevalent for a very long time," one anonymised NSW Seven West leader told the review.
asserted
leader → tell → review
Another interviewee said: "There are people in this office every day crying and there is nothing I can do about it."
"The culture here is abhorrent …
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culture → say → it
I know the stuff they have been exposed to.
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they → know → stuff
Some of them have been touched up; the less pretty ones get verbally abused.
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ones → touch → them
It's not just the girls either, but they cop it the worst."
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they → cop → it
"We've had some diabolical situations culturally, but they've been allowed to keep going," another said.
"
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another → have → situations
Certain people in power who have continually abused their position time and time again; nothing happens because they are a protected species."
Interviewees told Interchange that they immediately believed the Lehrmann allegations "because of other misconduct they witnessed."
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they → abuse → misconduct
Other testimonies in the final report include:
- "The news guys are ruthless and get away with really bad behaviour because of their legacy and results.
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guys → include → legacy
People are scared to cross them because they're sacred cows."
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they → cross → them
- A senior leader in NSW said: "I think decisions made in the past indicate that people are protected by the Stokes'."
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people → say → Stokes
- One executive said: "The way to leave Seven with very heavy pockets is to behave appallingly".
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way → say → pockets
- A Queensland leader said: "The ambulance was called due to someone who 'mentally snapped' after an incident of bullying at the office — it included seven senior males piling onto a female".
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males → say → female
- A Victorian leader said: "We are a man's world in media.
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We → say → media
It is a big swinging dick culture, unfortunately.
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It → swing → ?
It's got better than it used to be, but everyone's having affairs, and people are getting ahead because of those things."
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people → get → things
- A Victorian team member said a manager once threw a chair at a colleague.
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manager → say → colleague
"It didn't hit him, but it didn't miss by much either.
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it → hit → much
I noticed him crying a bit later at his desk, but he was embarrassed when I went over, so I left him to it."
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I → notice → it
- A WA team member said their manager was "a chronic gaslighter …
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manager → say → ?
I saw a psychologist for a while because I started having panic attacks at work".
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I → see → work
- A WA leader said: "It's relationship and loyalty to Kerry over all else — and the people that play that game play it very well".
asserted
that → say → it
The company-wide survey found 63 per cent of respondents did not know what Seven West Media's organisational purpose was, 59 per cent were not clear on its future strategy, and 48 per cent said "yes" there were psychosocial hazards in the workplace.
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cent → find → workplace
Ratings dips had to be justified to Stokes, review told
The review also painted a picture of an organisation with "low commercial acumen", fixated on Channel Nine and divided into "territorial tribes" with the executive committee "Kings and Queens of the drama cyclone".
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review → have → cyclone
"We make drama, but internally, if you want drama, you can set the clock for 8:58 every morning when the ratings come out,"one executive said.
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executive → make → 8:58
…and 17 more, not listed.
The Aporia
