A young Channel Seven reporter suffering from “crippling” anxiety stepped in front of a moving car earlier this year moments after complaining about her treatment at the network.
The woman, who asked to remain anonymous, said she had been working “extremely long” hours for pay slightly above minimum wage and her life began to “fall apart”.
She was just one of several other women who spoke to him. The Four Corners of ABC about the work culture at Seven, which they described as “toxic” and “devastating”.
On March 8, the journalist had informed her superiors at the broadcaster’s Brisbane office atop Mount Coot-tha that she wanted to look for another job, but says she was told to stay another six months.
“The only way I can describe it is that I felt like I had a noose around my neck,” he said.
‘(I) felt like I was in a committed domestic violence relationship with (Seven News).’
At 10.45am that day, his worried partner received a call saying: “They won’t let me go”, “I’ve screwed up my career”, “I want to get run over by a car”.
Just five minutes later, the reporter threw herself in front of a vehicle.
A young Channel Seven reporter suffering from “crippling” anxiety stood in front of a moving car earlier this year, moments after complaining about her treatment at the network. Pictured: the network’s Brisbane office, atop Mount Coot-tha
“It’s one of the most degrading and demoralising places you can work,” said former Channel Seven reporter Olivia Babb.
“I just went into a spiral,” the woman said.
‘I saw a car coming towards me on the road, I ran in front of it and waited for it to hit me.
“It stopped. I kept running to find another car. I saw the edge of the cliff on Mount Coot-tha and jumped. I fell rolling down the hill into the bushes.”
She was taken to hospital and never returned to work at Seven.
The explosive allegations come amid a tumultuous time for the television station, with massive job cuts, falling ratings and recent civil court testimony from a former Spotlight producer alleging that interview subject Bruce Lehrman was provided with prostitutes and cocaine.
Mr Lehrmann and Channel Seven have denied the allegations.
“It’s one of the most degrading and heartbreaking places you can work,” former Channel Seven reporter Olivia Babb told the programme.
Seven reporter Olivia Babb (pictured) claimed she, like other women, had been “harassed and bullied” during her time at Seven.
The journalist said that she, like other women, had been “harassed and bullied” during her time at Seven.
“I wanted to go to Human Resources because I had been verbally assaulted,” she said.
“My boss looked me in the face and said, ‘Well, this is going to mean more work for me if we go to HR. ’”
“Do you really think #MeToo has made any difference to Seven?” he asks. “I’ve never seen anything that would make us think that it happened, that Seven even knew about #MeToo.”
Another female reporter working in Sydney, who also asked to remain anonymous, said a cameraman “sexually harassed” her, told her not to wear glasses on air and forced her to pass stories to male colleagues.
She is now suing the network after being hospitalized when her mental health deteriorated.
The explosive allegations come amid a tumultuous time for the television station, with massive job cuts, falling ratings and recent civil court testimony from a former Spotlight producer alleging that interview subject Bruce Lehrman was provided with prostitutes and cocaine.
Lawyer Josh Bornstein, who has several clients who have worked at Seven, said the network requires staff to sign non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) if they have reported sexual harassment or bullying.
“They’re trying to present an illusion of being robust, happy workplaces, representing a public interest in cutting-edge journalism,” Bornstein said.
‘What NDAs do is hide the reality of a brutal workplace culture where women in particular are routinely and severely mistreated.
“It’s an unusually brutal culture. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
Ahead of Monday’s episode of Four Corners, the network’s new boss issued an apology to staff and promised to do better.
Seven West Media CEO and managing director Jeff Howard addressed all employees in the email, assuring them that management is reviewing its policies, procedures and culture.
“Several people who have displayed behaviour that does not reflect SWM values have already been expelled from the organisation,” he wrote.
‘I want to make it very clear that the actions of some individuals do not reflect the values, behaviour and attitude of the company as a whole, which is home to some of Australia’s best, hardest working and most passionate media professionals.’
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Channel Seven for further comment.
