julian_craster

And if C4 get a percentage of the BBC licence fee, they will be able to pay this idiot even more in the future......


Channel 4 doubles chief executive's salary, despite posting losses
By Ciar Byrne, Arts and Media Correspondent

THE INDEPENDENT
Thursday, 24 April 2008

Channel 4's chief executive, Andy Duncan, saw his pay double in 2007 to £1.2m, (while UK school teachers are on strike today over a 2% increase....) even though the channel is pleading for a £150m public subsidy.

Details of Mr Duncan's salary emerged as Channel 4 revealed that its main channel made a loss for the first time since 1992, as a result of poor ratings for Big Brother and the loss of phone-in revenue following the premium-rate phone-in scandal. Ratings for Channel 4's main channel fell by 11 per cent.

But Channel 4's digital channels increased their share of viewing and made a profit of £16.2m, leaving the Channel 4 family as a whole just in the black.

In 2006, Mr Duncan was paid £622,000, but in 2007 this rose to £1,211,000, largely due to a loyalty bonus of £450,000 for staying with the company for three years. Mr Duncan has now signed up to a new loyalty scheme which will pay out another £450,000 next year.

Luke Johnson, the Channel 4 chairman, justified the payouts, saying: "We operate in a competitive market place and we believe that we need the best talent available. Organisations like Sky and ITV pay significantly more and we think it's necessary if Channel 4 is to do as well as it can that we reward people."

The maximum bonus that can be paid to Channel 4 board members was reduced from 30 per cent of salary to 20 per cent last year, as a result of the outcry over premium-rate phone-ins.

In its 25th anniversary year, Channel 4 spent a record £624m on programmes. It also increased advertising revenue by 32 per cent to £148.4m. But Mr Johnson warned that Channel 4 was at a "tipping point" and urgently needed new funding if it was to continue to compete with the BBC as viewing and advertising income fall as a result of the digital switchover. "We have been defying gravity for the last few years where advertising is concerned," he said.

Channel 4 has pledged to cut the amount it spends on overseas acquisitions by £20m, but this will only take it back to a similar level to 2006. Last year it spent £148m on foreign rubbish, including Desperate Housewives and Ugly Betty.

batman

My boss got a loyalty bonus last month from the NHS, after 15 years of dedicated service .... she got the boot!

"Boom boom a baby .... Banham Zoo .... Banana pants! Hahahaha"

Fellwanderer

It would appear that the greater the incompetence or mismanagement, the greater the financial reward.

All the best
FELL

A signature is no substitute for a life

Marky B

The chairman of our local NHS Trust a massive pay rise - a real massive pay rise. When he is not chairing the trust,he is a solicitor.
Ta Ta
Marky B

I am special. The heavens always open for me.

batman

What's his phone number? Do you think he lend me a few quid?

"Boom boom a baby .... Banham Zoo .... Banana pants! Hahahaha"

Marky B

In February,Russel Hart,solicitor and former Labour councillor,got a 150% pay rise,going from £20,000 to £50,000.

BBC NEWS | England | Tees | NHS trust defends 150% pay rise

Ta Ta
Marky B

I am special. The heavens always open for me.

julian_craster

Channel Four should not receive one penny of TV licence payer's cash !

They can hardly plead poverty can they ?

batman

Maybe it got mixed up with our 1.5% pay increase.

That bloke looks like the love child of Leonid Brezhnev and Boris Yeltsin..

Hart

Brezhnev

Yeltsin

"Boom boom a baby .... Banham Zoo .... Banana pants! Hahahaha"

Marky B

I honestly thought,in my naivety,that such a role was unpaid. I can think of better things to spend £50,000 on in the NHS and I am sure you can more so,Bats.
Ta Ta
Marky B

I am special. The heavens always open for me.

Lord Brett

If the channel remains in its current lowest common denominator mode then you're dead right. If it meant a return to the channel's glory days when it actually lived up to the responsibilities in its charter with regards to covering minority interests, then maybe they should be thrown a few bob.

It doesn't matter if ratings go down - C4 was never ever supposed to be a mainstream chnnel. Shut down BBC3 and use that money instead.

Sorry if this is a bit heated, but the current state of C4 really makes me mad.

batman

As usual m'Lord, I am in agreement with you on this one.

"Boom boom a baby .... Banham Zoo .... Banana pants! Hahahaha"

suzepulcheria

When Channel 4 started, many of us got our first ever VHS machines, because of all those movies shown all night. Now its just the same old dumbed down rubbish. I know I am preaching to the converted but I had to get it off my chest.

"I've come a long way you know!" "Equally long way to go back..."