Facing accusations of tone-deafness, Nine Entertainment CEO Mike Sneesby is under fire for embarking on a Greek holiday hours after announcing major job cuts at the media giant, while the company grapples with allegations of sexual harassment and bullying.
Just as Nine Entertainment confronts a growing scandal involving allegations of sexual harassment and bullying, CEO Mike Sneesby has sparked outrage by jetting off to Greece for a family wedding, mere hours after announcing the axing of 200 jobs across the company.
Sneesby's decision to proceed with his holiday, reportedly a week-long trip, has been met with anger from staff already reeling from the job cuts and disillusioned by the company's handling of the harassment allegations against former Nine boss Darren Wick. The timing, likened by some to former Prime Minister Scott Morrison's controversial trip to Hawaii during the 2019 bushfires, has intensified the pressure on Sneesby and the Nine board.
The job losses, attributed to a $30 million cost-cutting plan in response to declining profits and a shrinking advertising market, will see 90 positions slashed from the publishing division, impacting mastheads like The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. A further 38 jobs will be cut from the company's television division, with the remaining cuts spread across other areas.
Adding fuel to the fire, Sneesby's internal email announcing the cuts reportedly came as a surprise to many senior editors, prompting accusations of a lack of transparency and consultation. This latest controversy comes on the heels of the resignation of Nine Chairman Peter Costello following an alleged altercation with a journalist, further destabilizing the media company.
Staff at Nine's major mastheads have expressed a vote of no confidence in both Sneesby and the board, demanding an explanation for the seemingly disproportionate targeting of the publishing division, particularly given its recent strong financial performance.
With the company already facing an external review into its workplace culture, Sneesby's Greek holiday has been perceived by many as a sign of disconnect from the turmoil engulfing Nine Entertainment. The CEO's actions have only served to deepen the crisis at the media giant, leaving a workforce demoralized and a public questioning the company's leadership.
