PBS’s Mitchell Led Pubcaster CEOs in Fiscal 2006 Compensation
Pat Mitchell, who stepped down in June 2006 as CEO of the Public Broadcasting Service, made $751,489 in FY 2006, vastly out-earning other national public broadcasting organization heads, according to the latest Form 990 filings with the IRS. Mitchell’s remuneration included a $48,868 employee benefit program payment and “some end of contract items,” PBS said, declining to give a breakdown. Mitchell left PBS to head the Museum of TV & Radio.
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National Public Radio President Kevin Klose was second, paid $363,151, plus $260,013 toward his employee benefit plan. Association of Public TV President John Lawson got $422,088, including a one-time incentive bonus of $75,000. Lawson’s fiscal 2007 compensation of $436,696 included a $47,400 bonus and a $41,362 employee benefit payment.
NPR CEO Kenneth Stern was paid $235,890 plus $57,435 in employee benefits, Corporation for Public Broadcasting President Patricia Harrison, $229,375 plus $41,067 employee benefit, Public Radio International President Alisa Miller, $210,196 plus $24,948 employee benefit. Paula Kerger, who took the helm of PBS in March 2006, was paid $138,011 plus $13,870 in employee benefits.
PBS reported a surplus of $70.49 million on $540 million revenue for the 12 months through June 2006. Its main revenue sources were direct public support ($285 million), membership fees ($157 million), programming fees ($35 million) and government grants ($17 million). The enterprises’ net assets were $257 million. PBS spent $450 million for programming and related services, including 3,300 hours of programming provided to 355 member stations. Compensation for other PBS officials include: Chief Operating Officer Wayne Godwyn $378,833 plus $32,875 in benefits, Chief Financial Officer Landes Barbara $306,609 plus $29,367 in benefits and General Counsel Katharine Lauderdale $274,294 plus $24,247 in benefits.
The CPB reported a $5.88 million deficit on $509 million revenue for the year through September 2006. “In any given year, CPB may spend more or less than its annual federal appropriations due to the timing of when grant award contracts are signed with the various recipients,” said spokeswoman Louise Filkins. Federal grants made up $486 million of CPB revenue. The corporation earned $18 million interest on savings and investments. The corporation disbursed $392 million in grants to 670 public TV and 840 public radio stations. It provided $70 million for TV and $33 million for radio programming. Compensation for other CPB officials include: Former Executive Vice President Fred Demarco $231,383 plus $63,371 in benefits, Chief Operating Officer Vincent Curren $182,260 plus $48,197 in benefits, General Counsel Westwood Smithers $180,358 plus $24,051 in benefits, Corporate Secretary Teresa Safon $145,939 plus $35,756 in benefits.
The CPB paid former presidents Kathleen Cox $174,000 and Robert Coonrod $112,800. Cox, ousted in April 2005 by then Chairman Kenneth Tomlinson, was “compensated under an agreement after employment termination,” the filing said. Coonrod, who preceded Cox, was paid for “services performed under a time and material contract,” it said. Coonrod gave “strategic and business advice” about “existing and proposed CPB programs and grant projects, new program and project development, corporate business plans and initiatives,” Filkins said. He also monitored trends in the telecom, information technology and broadcast industries and “evaluated their potential impact on public radio and television,” she said.
NPR reported expenses of $140 million, about $111 million on programming and related services alone. It had a surplus of $2.65 million for the year through September 2006, with net assets of $102 million. The public radio network spent $92 million on news, entertainment and digital media programming and $371,903 on lobbying. Other NPR officials’ compensation included: Senior Vice President Jay Kernis $205,800 plus $45,599 in benefits, Vice President Robert Holstein $190,021 plus $21,763 in benefits, General Counsel Neal Jackson $183,885 plus $40,651 in benefits, Chief Financial Officer James Elder $178,184 plus $29,844 in benefits, Vice President Margaret Smith $174,590 plus $35,685 in benefits and Vice President Michael Riksen $164,306 plus $34,051 in benefits.
APTS had a $534,603 surplus on $6 million revenue for the 12 months through June. It received $2.9 million from the Department of Homeland Security for public TV deployment of digital emergency alert system equipment. Station membership fees accounted for $2.5 million. The association’s lobbying arm, APTS Action, reported a $554,196 loss on $1.5 million revenue. Other APTS officials’ compensation included: Chief Operating Officer Mark Erstling $241,615 plus $19,644 in benefits and General Counsel Lonna Thompson $190,832 plus $16,107 in benefits.
PRI took a $156,075 loss on $21.5 million revenue for the year ending June 30, 2006. The network’s revenue came mainly from programming services ($7.8 million), direct public support ($7.5 million) and membership fees ($5.9 million). It had net assets of $13 million.