The Interchange review, completed in July 2024 and never made public, was commissioned by Seven's board in the wake of Federal Court claims by former Spotlight producer Taylor Auerbach that the network had reimbursed ex-Liberal staffer Bruce Lehrmann for drugs and sex workers to secure an interview. Seven vehemently denied those claims. Lehrmann was later found by the Federal Court, on the balance of probabilities, to have raped colleague Brittany Higgins in 2019, a finding untested in a criminal court. He has denied the rape allegation.
Interviews with employees, board members and advertising clients painted a picture of an organisation riven by 'territorial tribes', obsessed with ratings and dominated by what one Victorian leader called a 'big swinging dick culture'. An anonymous NSW leader told the review: 'Immoral, unethical and illegal behaviour has been prevalent for a very long time.' Another interviewee said: 'There are people in this office every day crying and there is nothing I can do about it.' One Queensland leader reported that an ambulance was called for an employee who 'mentally snapped' after an incident of bullying involving seven senior males piling onto a female.
Staff alleged that 'sacred cows' in leadership were protected because of their legacy, with one executive saying: 'The way to leave Seven with very heavy pockets is to behave appallingly.' A Victorian team member said a manager once threw a chair at a colleague, missing narrowly, and that the victim was later found crying. The review also noted multiple references to phone calls or emails from chairman Kerry Stokes requiring staff to justify ratings dips.
The report does not suggest that Stokes, former chief executive James Warburton or other senior management were aware of or involved in the alleged incidents discussed by staff. Stokes declined to comment for this story. Warburton resigned in April 2024 following the Lehrmann claims and the network's on-air misidentification of the Bondi stabber.
Since the review, Seven West Media was bought for $385 million by Southern Cross Media in a deal completed in January 2026. The Stokes family retains a 23 per cent stake in the combined company, and Kerry Stokes' son Ryan has been appointed chairman. A Southern Cross Media spokesperson told the ABC everyone in its business 'should feel safe, respected and supported', adding that the organisation has 'fundamentally changed over the past two years' with a 'merger and a cultural reset, with a new board, a new CEO and a new executive team'.