TVNZ pays 168 employees over $100k a year

A reorganisation at TVNZ cost $3.7 million, the state broadcaster's annual report shows.

It also reveals 168 employees were earning more than $100,000 a year, with the top salary of more than $830,000 paid to chief executive Rick Ellis.

TVNZ listed expenses related to reorganisation at $3.7m for the 2009 financial year which included more than 80 redundancies.

The cut backs were announced in March as part of measures to save $25m, after lower than anticipated advertising revenue.

Savings of $13.1m were made against budgeted costs for the year which included savings from restructuring.

Yet TVNZ still made a $2.1m after tax profit and declared a final dividend paid to the government of $1.47m.

Total revenue was $7.5m, which was 1.9% down on the previous year.

Advertising revenue was $298.4m, a $17.1m or 5.4% decline on the previous year.

TVNZ said the decline was less than other Australasian media companies suffered, buffered by gains made from screening the Beijing Olympics last August.

The report said TVNZ had increased its share of advertising by 2% taking business off competitors.

It also said there were significant improvements in ratings and Freeview had taken off, with about 16% of the market picking it up.

A table showing what staff were paid showed top salary bands of one person each on over $830,000; $580,000; $500,000.

There were three people on around $400,000, and six between $290,000 and $380,000.

In 2004, there was public outrage when it was revealed One News presenter Judy Bailey had negotiated a $800,000 salary with TVNZ.

 

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