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Nine CEO: “We will get to the bottom of this”

Hugh Marks writes to Nine staff pledging answers once crew are home safe.

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Nine CEO Hugh Marks has emailled staff to boost morale following the ordeal of the 60 Minutes crew in Lebanon.

The Australian has published excerpts regarding an internal investigation.

“I know there are lots of questions about how this happened — questions we will get to the bottom of when everyone gets back.

“It is essential that we do whatever we can to help facilitate our crew’s fastest possible return to Australia. And I know it’s a testing and frustrating time for us all, especially for those who are close to the 60 crew, colleagues and friends.

“My priority is to get our crew home and every decision is made through that prism, while providing whatever support we can give to those who are impacted by these events.”

The Daily Telegraph has also noted emotive scenes with crew families at Nine in its story, “Child stealing, is that what we do now?” following media articles yesterday that heads will roll over the incident. Nine has since denied the exchange was uttered in its board room.

Former 60 Minutes presenter Ray Martin told ABC radio he was part of a child recovery for a Tasmanian mother in the 1980s, in Spain.

“I guess if you’re in the situation of the mother or the family and a child is taken, never to be seen again, that is a huge story that I would find a valid story for a journalist to do,” he said.

But no payment was made to the private investigator enlisted by the mother.

“We certainly didn’t pay any money to them,” Martin said.

Updated.

10 Responses

  1. Well I think you should get to the bottom of this. This has been a disaster and its the families that are here back home sick with worry is who I feel sorry for and I also feel very sorry for the cameraman and the sound guy.

    But there is still a chance that they could face jail time and if they do I would expect a few heads to roll and a lot of questions that need to be answered.

    The judge sounds like the only sensible on here. It’s a shame they didn’t try to do mediation in the beginning.

    1. Voluntary mediation often fails because one party refuses to attend, particularly where children are involved. The frustration that this creates often forces actions that cause the judiciary to become involved.

  3. The current CEO at Nine was not so long ago Head of Business Affairs and should have a pretty good idea as to what current affairs shows are up to. But this was such an act of stupidity I don’t think he would ever approve or sanction it and rely upon the good sense of the show’s executive producer. However Ray Martin’s admission that he drove a get away car for a similar story displays how some journos and their management can’t see the ethical divide. Imagine the furore if an ABC journalist admitted to that.

  4. The real issue for Nine is…. how high up does the responsibility really go? Surely the buck for a mess this big goes all the way to the top.

  5. “… when everyone gets back”. Um, they’re not on holidays champ, ever thought they may not come back? 60 Minutes and Nine think they are above the law of a foreign country.

  6. David, I think you should be clear that the “board room scenes at Nine” was Marks meeting with the families of the four incarcerated staff and not, as one might assume, a meeting of Nine’s Board.

    Also, that the question “Child stealing, is that what we do now?” was asked by one of the staff member’s partners. It does put a different complexion on things.

  7. But no payment was made to the private investigator enlisted by the mother. “We certainly didn’t pay any money to them,” Martin said.

    Sure. And yet you sent a reporter and a film crew. You could have just waited for the mother to return and tell her story to camera …

    I wonder if Martin has ever sent someone to get him a coffee …”I didn’t give any money to the barista ….”

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