The Salary Battle Royale: Moonves vs. Iger

Forty-three million dollars - that's what CBS Corporation President and Chief Executive Officer, Leslie Moonves, earned last year.  A host of reports in the press last week reported that Moonves' total compensation - inclusive of base salary, bonus, and stock options - more than doubled his 2008 earnings.

And who said we're in a down economy?

To put these numbers in perspective, Bob Iger, President and CEO of The Walt Disney Compnay (parent of rival CBS broadcast network, ABC) earned approximately 33% less.

According to proxy statements filed with the SEC, Iger's 2009 compensation summed to $29 million.  The package included a base salary of $2 million plus a $9.3 million performance-based bonus (Moonves commanded $3.5 and $15 million, respectively).  

Not slim pickings by any means, but if I were Iger, I'd insist the next dinner out is on Moonves.

Nevertheless, at a time when we are scrutinizing executive compensations in the financial sector, should we be extending that analysis to other industries....like entertainment?

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