NBC - NBC WILL ASK NEWS "TALENT" TO TAKE PAY CUTS

NBC WILL ASK NEWS "TALENT" TO TAKE PAY CUTS

As part of NBC Universal's planned budget cuts, some on-air news talent will be asked to take smaller paychecks, NBC News chief Steve Capus has told the Philadelphia Inquirer. "Some of the salaries have gone crazy out of control," Capus told the newspaper. He said that if enough on-air personalities agree to the cuts, it may save some jobs. Capus made it clear that he's planning to do some serious arm twisting. "We may go to somebody and say, 'We may ask you to take less money in your new deal. If you're not interested in that, we may have to part ways.'" Capus indicated that he's not planning to ask Brian Williams or Meredith Vieira to take less than their current salary of $10 million a year. He explained, "We're not going on the cheap. We're still investing in our people, those who are the faces of NBC News."

23/10/2006