Nine Entertainment Company has provided the following statement on 60 Minutes cameraman Ben Williamson, who has today revealed the full story of what happened to him on assignment for the network in Beirut. Williamson is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of his treatment at the hands of Lebanese security and is seeking damages through Nine’s insurer, GIO.
“We are aware that Ben Williamson is pursuing a claim via the insurers, but we are not in a position to make comment on that action at this time,” the statement reads.
“The matter is being dealt with between the insurer and Ben and we are aware of his comments. Ben remains a valued member of the Nine team and is an extremely talented 60 Minutes cameraman. An investigation of Lebanon, handled independently once all those impacted were back home, included our acknowledgment that Nine staff were exposed to damaging risks and we have since taken steps to address this.
“Nine takes the welfare of our employees seriously and the business, along with his friends and colleagues at Nine, remain supportive of Ben and his family. We will continue to offer support and assistance to them.
“We have also implemented a number of measures, over the years, to further support and provide assistance to reporters, editors, producers and camera people who experience traumatic events through their work. These measures include a dedicated safety and wellness team, trauma training, a dedicated employee assistance program along with a number of other measures, and this is available to all employees.”
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Having spent a lifetime working a cameraperson throughout the world I find it appalling that Ben has been treated in this way. We work under the direction of others, often at great danger to ourselves. This needs to be recognised by the networks we work for. I know many camera people who suffer from PTSD, and they suffer in silence. Not good enough.
Gotta love the corporate line “we support our staff, but this is out of our hands” as if their duty of care is insofar as they can pay to make it someone else’s problem…
Absolutely disgraceful, but not surprising, from Channel Nine executives.
Following that particular (stuff-up) story on 60 Minutes, I actually stopped watching the program.
I felt at the time that they’d placed their employees in a particularly dangerous situation, in the name of yet another, ‘exclusive’ – which could have resulted in the death of any one of those employed by the network.
Only hope Ben receives the support and assistance, along with his family, that he justly deserves.
Shame on all at the Nine Network, who have abandoned this man!
Am glad I no longer support the program.
Never watched the freak-show program. It’s enough to give the viewer PTSD, never mind the crew. Nine management will kowtow to the insurance company in an attempt to keep premiums down, I presume. Ask any ex ambo, cop, soldier or firey. More of the same here – but, who knows, maybe they’ll come good? Maybe the insurance company will admit PTSD is for life and pay accordingly. Associated medical expenses and loss of earnings for a very long time…
What were they doing? Kidnapping kids? In the Middle East? And they’re still alive? Lucky idiots.
The comedian Austentashious had the most accurate description of the 60 Minutes show,
“48 minutes of bullshit and 12 minutes of commercials….”