Karl Stefanovic's wife Jasmine has divided fans with a social media post showing an extravagant dinner party, funded by Channel 9, in the wake of mass redundancies.
Jasmine – along with the couple's three-year-old daughter Harper – is currently in Paris, where her Today host husband is working as part of the network's Olympics broadcast team.
On Monday, she shared a photo of herself and Karl at the glamorous — and stunningly expensive — La Girafe restaurant, which boasts stunning views of the Eiffel Tower.
The dinner is understood to have been attended by select Nine talent and corporate clients.
“At Giraffe with you. Thank you @channel9 for a lovely dinner,” Jasmine wrote in the caption.
While some followers complimented the stunning image, one pointed out that the timing of Nine's splash of cash couldn't be worse.
“I'm sure everyone who just got fired from Channel 9 will be happy to see you eating at the most expensive restaurant in Paris paid for by Channel 9!” one user wrote.
Another agreed, adding: “100%. To read the room. Go to dinner and have fun. But at least have enough compassion not to post about it.”
However, others were quick to jump to her defense.
“He works in Paris 24/7 either be kind and happy or maybe don't comment and go find Jesus you ugly troll,” wrote one.
Others simply wrote “beautiful” and shared love heart emojis.
News.com.au has contacted Nine for comment.
Nine – which holds the rights to broadcast the Olympics – has spared no expense as it hosts its corporate guests in the French capital.
In addition to dinner at La Girafe, VIPs were treated to award tickets to the Opening Ceremony and other events, after being flown in business class and accommodated in a five-star hotel costing around $1,500 a night, according to Reuters. Herald Sun.
It's been a tumultuous few weeks at Nine Entertainment after almost all journalists working for the company's newspapers voted for a five-day strike ahead of the 2024 Olympics opening ceremony last week, including 20 reporters in Paris.
It came after union representatives and management failed to find a resolution on annual pay rates during critical talks on Thursday.
Staff are said to have been “very upset” that pay rises have failed to keep pace with rising inflation, while culture is suffering following the recent announcement of 200 planned redundancies, including 90 from the publishing division.
It has been a hectic period of cost-cutting for the local media industry as a whole, including at News Corp Australia and Seven West Media, after independent content contracts with global tech giant Meta ended in June after three years.
After the five-day strike was announced, Nine chief executive Mike Sneesby said he was “deeply disappointed” in a group email to all staff last Friday.
He claimed the network had invested “significantly” in its Olympics bid, referencing the $305 million exclusive rights deal that will see Nine host the Games through Brisbane in 2032.
He said their decision to strike was “on the eve of one of the biggest news events on the planet”.
“It goes without saying that we are deeply disappointed by this decision, as we offered a new and improved agreement yesterday and negotiated in good faith for a constructive outcome,” Mr Sneesby wrote in an email seen by the news. com.au.
