Staff at Nine Entertainment have passed a motion of no-confidence in chief executive Mike Sneesby after he announced 200 job cuts, blaming 'economic headwinds' and the end of a deal with Meta. Up to 90 positions will go from legacy mastheads including the Sydney Morning Herald, the Age and the Australian Financial Review.
Sneesby told staff the cuts were necessary to offset revenue losses from the Meta deal and challenges in the advertising market. The company aims to save $30m, with 'tough decisions' expected by mid-July. Internal messages indicate between 70 and 90 jobs will be cut from the publishing division, which houses the former Fairfax newspapers.
The Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA) said the cuts would result in a 'less informed Australian public' and added to a 'horror month for Australian journalism'. Nine staff have authorised their union to prepare for a vote on protected industrial action.
Nine's managing director of publishing, Tory Maguire, said it was the first reduction in editorial headcount since 2017, but further savings were needed to create a 'sustainable future'. The cuts come as Nine prepares for its Paris Olympics coverage, for which it paid $309m for exclusive rights.
