A former Channel 9 boss has slammed the corporate’s management underneath embattled 9 Leisure chairman Peter Costello.
Collingwood president Jeff Browne advised the Herald Solar on Sunday that he had been approached to think about a return to the community following Mr Costello’s bodily altercation with a journalist at Canberra airport on Thursday.
“I’m deeply dissatisfied to see the current press relating to the 9 Community, a as soon as mighty organisation which I proudly served for practically eight years,” Mr Browne advised the newspaper.
“It jogs my memory of the significance of tradition within the office and good governance across the board desk.
“It additionally jogs my memory of the current job I took on at Collingwood three years in the past and the significance of values-based management.
“Not solely has the enterprise failed to attain a tradition of mutual belief and respect, it has did not ship any incremental worth to shareholders.
“Clearly, there must be a top-down and bottom-up evaluation and a cultural reset.
“I’ve been contacted by a variety of 9 executives who’re lamenting the present scenario and wish to see change.”
Mr Browne, managing director of Channel 9 from 2009 to 2013, confirmed he could be excited by changing Mr Costello as chairman to assist “restore the corporate to its true place as a frontrunner within the Australian media house”.
He mentioned whereas he didn’t “know the complete particulars” of the airport incident, “clearly it requires some investigation”.
Mr Costello was accused of knocking The Australian’s Liam Mendes to the bottom because the journalist was following him by the terminal and asking him a sequence of questions associated to 9’s dealing with of harassment allegations towards its former information director Darren Wick.
Mr Costello denies knocking Mendes over.
Within the video, Mr Costello seems to stroll in the direction of Mendes earlier than the reporter crashes to the bottom and falls backwards together with his legs within the air because the digital camera retains rolling.
Mr Costello, who’s seen standing over Mendes, then turns and walks away because the reporter lies on the bottom.
“You’ve simply assaulted me,” Mendes says to Mr Costello whereas mendacity on the ground.
Mr Costello mentioned Mendes fell over after he backed into an promoting placard.
“I didn’t strike him,” Mr Costello later advised reporters at Parliament Home.
The 9 chairman was within the nation’s capital for the launch of 9’s newly renovated Canberra bureau within the press gallery.
He mentioned any suggestion he ought to resign was “garbage” and he didn’t “lay a finger” on the reporter.
“As I walked previous him, he walked again into an promoting placard and he fell over,” Mr Costello advised 9 newspapers.
“I didn’t strike him. If he’s upset about that, I’m sorry. However I didn’t strike him. I wasn’t offended. Similar to you blokes right here in case you’re backing again, and there’s a placard behind you, you possibly can stroll into it. I’ve seen it occur 1,000,000 instances, I’ve seen it right here at Parliament Home 1,000,000 instances, reporters again into the bollards and fall over.”
Mr Costello bluntly rejected any suggestion he assaulted the journalist.
“It’s not assault,” he mentioned.
“As I mentioned earlier than he was backing backwards. He hit an promoting placard. I didn’t lay a finger or a fist or the rest.”
Australia’s longest-serving Treasurer and former deputy Liberal chief was backed by opposition chief Peter Dutton, who mentioned that they had been pals for over 20 years and “I’ve by no means seen any lively aggression from him”.
“Firstly, I don’t know Liam, however he’s clearly a superb journalist,” Mr Dutton advised Channel 9 on Friday.
“And, a very powerful factor is that I hope that he’s okay. However the Peter Costello I do know is any person who doesn’t have an aggressive bone of that nature in his physique, and I hope that the matter will be resolved amicably. And, we transfer on.”
However Treasurer Jim Chalmers slammed Mr Costello, saying the top of a media large ought to know to deal with reporters respectfully.
“I feel it’s actually necessary that we deal with journalists with respect, that journalists are secure of their office,’’ he mentioned.
“And if anybody ought to know that, it must be the chairman of a serious media organisation. It’s a matter for the journalist whether or not or not that’s taken any additional.”
9 radio star Ben Fordham from Sydney’s 2GB mentioned on his Friday present that “boss, you’ve had a shocker”.
“That is what I wrote to the previous federal Treasurer final night time who’s now the chairman of 9 who personal this radio station,” Fordham mentioned on his program.
“I mentioned, ‘You’ve received to deal with the airport incident, you already know that higher than anybody, and there’s just one place to do it, 2GB at 7.15am.”
“I haven’t acquired a response.”