Posted on 02/03/2010 11:13:53 AM PST by abb
Sean McManus, president of CBS News and Sports, denied reports Wednesday that “CBS Evening News” anchor Katie Couric is facing a salary cut when her contract expires.
“I have not had any thought to change Katie’s role, Katie’s salary, anything to do with it,” McManus told POLITICO by phone from Miami, where he’s gearing up for Sunday’s Super Bowl on CBS.
McManus said that Couric “has well over a year to go” on her contract—reportedly worth $15 million a year—and that “it has not even been a subject of discussion.”
The network, he said, is “focused on putting on the best newscast.”
Since taking over the anchor desk, Couric’s newscast has won several prestigious journalism prizes, including the Edward R. Murrow Award and DuPont award.
But the “CBS Evening News” has remained in a distant third place in the ratings. While it ranked third for over 15 years before Couric arrived, there were expectations that the former “Today” star could help boost the ratings. So far, that hasn't happened.
This week's layoffs at CBS may only add to internal grumbling about the anchor’s contract, which expires in May 2011.
Both the New York Post and Matt Drudge reported today that Couric faces a salary cut when her contract is up, and quoted network insiders critical of the fact that she’s making so much money while others are losing their jobs.
“Like any media company, we’re going through some adjustments which are not fun,” McManus said. “But they’re not going to affect the quality of what we’re doing, and they’re not going to affect Katie’s role in any way.”
In addition to denying the salary reports, McManus praised the anchor's high-profile interviews with Captain Sullenberger, Andre Agassi, and Sarah Palin, as well as, her reporting on the ground in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Haiti.
“If you look at her body of work,” McManus said, “I don’t think there is anyone out there that would imply she hasn’t done a brilliant and stellar job.”
ping
$15M year?? How much is the rest of the news budget??
How can you spend $15M for a news reader?
And it snows in Miami every July...c'mon!
“I don’t think there is anyone out there that would imply she hasn’t done a brilliant and stellar job”
Shouldn’t that be present tense: “that....she isn’t doing”
??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
To quote George C. Scott's General Harlan Bache in "Taps," "With the stroke of a pen, sir!"
Hey! I can read.
Where is my 15 million?
Pay all workers the same rate. Executives down to mailroom staffers.
Each shall contribute to the organization according to ability.
Good enough for the rewards of our labor, let’s cut it to the quick and implement it at the corporate level.
When management speaks in past tense...it’s curtains. Same lingo is being used for Olberman.
And would the ratings go UP or down if Jon Stewart were to take over the job?
Read between the lines on this one. If not for People, TIME, Inc. would be in the crapper.
http://mediamemo.allthingsd.com/20100203/time-inc-s-magazines-get-less-bad-with-some-help-from-people/
Time Inc.’s Magazines Get Less Bad, With Some Help From People
It was either Rush or Glenn Beck who stated that Couric is looking to take over from Oprah.
She’ll probably ask $50million for that gig.
Rush said her salary could have kept 150 reporters employed.
Olberman would be a loss. For one thing, he amuses me just because he’s so rabidly nucking futs. Then, for the folks with those wall-mount TVs who tune into his show to make sure the TV is level by moving it until the drool is running out of both sides of his mouth. They’d have find some alternative.
WHAT iceberg?
I don't see no stinkin' iceberg...
She attracts a large audience and the advertisers lover her? Wait? You mean she doesn't do any of that?
They are not cutting her salary but they are adding to her duties. For example she now will have to make coffee for the news dept staff.
Time to shove another camera up her rear end.... and this time, it’s an IMAX!
Awwww... too bad. There's a rumor going around that someone fom MSNBC might be available in the future.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.