Media Diversity Australia’s Response to the ABC Racism Review and Nine Culture Review
Media Diversity Australia (MDA) welcomes the release of both the ABC Racism Review on 1 October and the Nine Culture Review on 17 October. We commend all those who contributed to these essential reviews, particularly the courageous current and former staff who came forward to share their stories. Their willingness to speak out ensures that their pain and suffering were not in vain, and it paves the way for the critical changes needed in these organisations.
The findings of both reviews are deeply troubling, revealing entrenched cultures of discrimination, abuse, and misconduct. The detailed reports lay bare systemic issues of racism, sexism, and the abuse of power. Many of the sentiments raised in these reviews align closely with what has been shared with MDA confidentially over the past 18 months.
At the ABC, the review uncovers long-standing issues of exclusion and racism, leaving staff from First Nations, Culturally and Racially Marginalised (CARM), and other underrepresented backgrounds feeling unsafe, marginalised, and unsupported in their workplace.
At Nine, nearly half of the staff in the publishing division—including The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, and The Australian Financial Review—reported experiencing or witnessing abuse of power or authority over the past five years. Alarmingly, one in five staff members reported experiencing sexual harassment during that time. These staggering statistics point to a systemic breakdown in leadership and workplace culture that has failed to protect staff.
These revelations force us to ask critical questions: How have these toxic workplace cultures impacted the quality and potential objectivity of the editorial decisions made by these organisations given revelations of abuse of power/ authority? How can we trust the public interest is being served when such significant internal failures exist?
The ABC and Nine reports are not isolated instances but part of a broader, systemic problem that requires urgent reform. MDA remains steadfast in our commitment to advancing cultural safety, racial literacy, and true diversity within the media. We stand ready to work with all media organisations to address these critical failings and ensure the voices and stories in our media reflect the diversity of our nation.
MDA is currently conducting a National Survey that aims to create an authentic snapshot recording the widespread nature of these issues across the sector. The survey asks questions in hopes to better understand patterns of and attitudes towards racism, exclusion, and barriers to career progression for culturally and racially marginalised communities within Australian media.
Link:
https://lnkd.in/dNCZy5Si
MDA CALL TO ACTION
Refer to below.
