As Nine News’ Director, Fiona Dear is focused on restoring trust and improving gender equity. Find out her first steps towards change.
Fiona Dear, the recently appointed Director of News & Current Affairs at Nine, has acknowledged the significant work required to rebuild trust within the network’s newsroom, particularly among women.
Appointed in May 2024, following the departure of long-serving news chief Darren Wick, Dear has been tasked with addressing long-standing issues within the organisation.
In an interview tied to the release of the Women in Media 2024 Report, Dear reflected on the challenges she inherited and outlined her priorities for driving change. At the forefront is restoring a sense of unity and respect that, according to Dear, has been notably eroded.
“I’ve taken over at a difficult time, not just for Nine, but for commercial media in general,” she said. “My first priority with this team is to try and get the trust back. A lot of the trust, particularly with women in the newsroom, has been eroded. So, my first priority is to unite us, to get the trust back. And to get the respect back.”
Dear noted that her focus has shifted since assuming the role, given the state of the newsroom and the wider media industry. “That may not have been my priority if I had taken this role 12 months ago,” she explained, acknowledging the need to address current issues head-on.
Listening as a First Step
When asked about her initial strategy to foster gender equity and enact change, Dear was clear that it would begin with listening.
“The first strategy is listening. I think it’s really important. People want to have a voice, and they want to be heard. That is my very first priority, it’s to give them back their voice because a lot of people here feel like they may have lost their voice over time,” she said.
Despite the challenges, Dear pointed out that progress has already been made, particularly in increasing female representation in leadership roles across Nine’s news programming. “Twenty years ago, there were men in all the key seats. They controlled the narrative about what we presented to the audience every night. That has changed. There’s a female EP [Executive Producer] in the 6.00pm news tonight. There’s a female EP in the afternoon news.”
This progress, Dear emphasised, means her role isn’t necessarily about overhauling recruitment practices but rather improving internal processes to ensure all women feel empowered to step into leadership roles. “I don’t think I need to actively recruit. I need to better the process when positions come up so all women, regardless of their circumstances, feel like, ‘I can do that job.’”
Navigating a Hostile Environment
Dear was candid about her own frustrations in stepping into the role during a tumultuous period for the newsroom.
“I was angry myself. I worked in the newsroom in that period. I was angry. I was angry as a woman who worked in that environment at that time. I was angry that I was given this opportunity and had to clean up someone else’s shit.
This sounds selfish, but I was angry. I have worked really, really hard in my career. And I was angry that the time that I get a dream job, there was no time for me to step back and say: ‘Wow, you got that. You achieved that, that’s a pretty significant thing that you just achieved.’”
The weight of responsibility has been significant for Dear, as she grapples with both the personal and professional demands of the role.
“It feels selfish and maybe that’s part of that whole guilt thing that women go through,”
she remarked. However, she also recognises the responsibility that comes with the position:
“I also felt an incredible responsibility, it is now my time to give back and to make lasting change. So that this newsroom that I adore never has to go through that again.”
Advocating for Broader Change
Beyond addressing issues within the newsroom, Dear expressed a desire to influence change across the entire business. She aims to make Nine’s newsroom a model for the wider organisation.
“I want this newsroom to be the poster child for the business. This is how you do it. And let the rest of the business follow our lead,” she explained. Dear believes that the organisation as a whole is now committed to change. “They are very receptive to listening as well. The rest of the business knows we have got to listen.”
While the path forward will not be without its challenges, Dear remains optimistic about the opportunity to lead meaningful change. “It’s going to be a slow process, but we have to change it. Simple as that. We’ve got no choice.”
As Nine navigates this transitional period, Dear’s leadership will be critical in not only restoring trust within the newsroom but also setting a new standard for equity and respect across the organisation.
SOURCE: Women In Media
