The new Seven Network boss began his tenure in the top job with an email in which he bizarrely boasted about his sobriety and family values, while warning that he would not tolerate “bad apples” as the broadcaster recovers. of a series of recent damning scandals.
Jeff Howard sent out a general email introducing himself to staff after taking the reins following the hasty departure of James Warburton, who left Seven West Media’s top job on Thursday, bringing his scheduled departure forward by two months.
Warburton’s immediate departure, which was announced that day, came in the wake of startling revelations. Seven landed an exclusive interview with accused rapist Bruce Lehrmann by paying for drugs and sex workers.
The network is also being sued by university student Benjamin Cohen, who Seven incorrectly reported as the Westfield Bondi Junction knife-crazed man who fatally stabbed six innocent bystanders last Saturday.
New Seven West Network chief executive Jeff Howard (right) replaced James Warburton (left) on Friday.
Howard was promoted from Seven’s chief financial officer to the top job.
“As you know, James left yesterday and today I assumed my new role,” the staff email began.
Howard acknowledged that it had “been a difficult couple of weeks for the great people at Seven” but wanted to offer “some reflections that may help us move forward.”
“First, some revelations,” Mr. Howard wrote.
“I am above all a family man. I have never smoked. I don’t use drugs. I never have, I never will.
‘Call me boring but I don’t even drink coffee.
‘Personally I like to stay fit and try to run every day. From time to time, as happens with many people, a glass of red or a beer does the trick.
‘The most important thing is that it’s just me. People can do whatever they want in their own time. I won’t judge.
“But when it affects others, or the workplace, it’s a different story.”
Mr Howard warned staff against adopting a “win at all costs” attitude and told them they needed to “reacquaint themselves with the “tried and tested processes” that guarded against “jeopardizing the reputation we have built over years.” “.
In his introductory email to all staff, Howard warned that the “bad apples” will “be weeded out.”
The warning came after Taylor Auerbach, former senior producer of Seven’s Spotlight show, claimed in court papers that he was Lehrmann’s ‘babysitter’ to secure the interview and that the pair used drugs and partied with sex workers. and Seven footed the $10,000 bill.
“Our business exists in a world of intense competition,” continued Mr. Howard.
‘Are we the only ones who pay for content? Absolutely not. Should we be honest about it? Absolutely. We all want to win. Do we approve of a “win at all costs” attitude? No, we don’t.
“A very small percentage of our people might think that they do not need to operate within the frameworks or expectations of what is considered appropriate in SWM.”
“If poor judgment or unacceptable behavior persists, or if it is outside our comfort zone, we will investigate.”
‘If necessary, we will have to move people.
‘The best organizations will do so without fear of retaliation from competitors. Our great people do not deserve to be treated with the same brush as a small number of bad apples.’
Seven Network has seen its share price fall 22 per cent in the last 12 months.
Warburton served as chief executive of Seven West for four years and had recently driven the company’s acquisition of long-term cricket and AFL television broadcast rights.
In December he announced he would step down from the top job.
Last week, Spotlight executive producer Mark Llewellyn also left Seven following Auerbach’s claims about everything he did to get Lehrmann to break his media silence last year over his alleged rape of Brittany Higgins.
A secret recording made of Mr. Llewellyn during a meeting with Spotlight staff spoke of the pressure to “do whatever it takes to get the story.”
Seven is also facing legal proceedings after its Sunrise program last Sunday wrongly named Cohen as the Bondi Junction attacker.
Seven issued an on-air apology to Cohen on Sunday, read by journalist Sarah Jane Bell during a crossover.
It has since emerged that Cohen has retained two of Australia’s most prominent defamation lawyers: Patrick George of Giles George as his lawyer and Sue Chrysanthou SC as counsel to seek damages.
Taylor Auerbach, a former Spotlight senior producer who was Bruce Lehrmann’s “babysitter,” alleged in court papers that the couple used drugs and partied with sex workers, and Seven was charged more than $10,000.
Last week, Nine reported that Seven had ordered two separate investigations into allegations that a small number of employees of its top-rated breakfast show, Sunrise, had committed fraud.
Seven West’s main business is television, but it also owns The West Australian newspaper and recently launched a new national online news publication called The Nightly.
The company’s share price has plummeted more than 22 percent over the course of a year, leading to rumors that owner Kerry Stokes may be preparing to sell it.