Post by Teddy Bear on Apr 29, 2009 21:10:00 GMT
The rumour is that the BBC will try to reduce the salaries of its (so called) top stars by 20%. Frankly if they gave only 20% of the existing salaries it would be more than 19% too much. If you pay your license fee think about how much goes towards these supposed stars, and if you don't pay it - REJOICE!
BBC slashes Graham Norton's £2.5m-a-year TV deal
By Paul Revoir
TV presenter Graham Norton is fighting to save his £2.5million-a year-TV deal with the BBC as the broadcaster plans to slash his salary by up to 20 per cent.
The performer is facing a vastly reduced new deal when his current £7.5million three-year agreement comes to a finish at the end of the year.
Corporation bosses are trying to reduce the pay of all of its top names on more than £100,000 by up to 20 per cent as part of cost cutting plans.
This would see the 46-year-old Irish presenter have his three-year-deal, signed in 2006, cut to £6million, or £2million a year, for his work across the BBC.
As well as his BBC2 talk show Norton also fronts Saturday night talent shows and has also replaced Sir Terry Wogan as presenter on Eurovision song contest.
Norton is among a group of the broadcaster's top stars that are set to be hit with pay cuts, which in some cases could be as much as 25 per cent, in new deals.
The BBC denied that negotiations over Norton's contract had even begun, but insiders admitted the BBC will target the deal for a sizeable cut.
Controversial presenter Jonathan Ross is also facing a drastic cut to his current £6million a year-contract, which ends next year, when it is up for renewal.
Sources have suggested that talent and their agents will fight hard against any pay cuts with the threat of switching channels likely to be used.
Many insiders have suggested the BBC will buckle under the pressure and may end up not achieving the savings it needs from the deals.
A source said: 'No star I know is going to take less money. Broadcasters don't want to upset their stars. The big stars could still go to other places.'
Sir Terry Wogan, Fiona Bruce, Chris Moyles, Jeremy Clarkson and Jeremy Paxman are all said to be facing similar cuts.
It expected that Clarkson would drop from £2million a year down to £1.5million, while Paxman would see his £1million a year reduced to £750,000.
Cost cutting: Top names including Jeremy Clarkson and Jeremy Paxman are also expected to be facing similar cuts
Less well-paid celebrities, those paid under £100,000-a-year, will be forced to accept up to 15 per cent cuts.
The corporation is desperately trying to save money as part of widespread cost-cutting at the broadcaster.
More than 400 BBC managers are having their pay frozen and bonuses axed to save more than £20million.
There are similar problems at ITV which is trying to cut the salaries of top performers Ant and Dec and Simon Cowell.
All the other commercial broadcasters are also looking to reduce what they pay their top talent as the recession takes its toll.
The BBC is also desperate to be seen to be getting tough on its costs as its rivals, who rely on advertising, are in a much worse financial state.
A BBC spokesman said: 'Talent fees are not excluded from the economic pressures faced across the organisation and this will be reflected in our ongoing negotiations.'
By Paul Revoir
TV presenter Graham Norton is fighting to save his £2.5million-a year-TV deal with the BBC as the broadcaster plans to slash his salary by up to 20 per cent.
The performer is facing a vastly reduced new deal when his current £7.5million three-year agreement comes to a finish at the end of the year.
Corporation bosses are trying to reduce the pay of all of its top names on more than £100,000 by up to 20 per cent as part of cost cutting plans.
This would see the 46-year-old Irish presenter have his three-year-deal, signed in 2006, cut to £6million, or £2million a year, for his work across the BBC.
As well as his BBC2 talk show Norton also fronts Saturday night talent shows and has also replaced Sir Terry Wogan as presenter on Eurovision song contest.
Norton is among a group of the broadcaster's top stars that are set to be hit with pay cuts, which in some cases could be as much as 25 per cent, in new deals.
The BBC denied that negotiations over Norton's contract had even begun, but insiders admitted the BBC will target the deal for a sizeable cut.
Controversial presenter Jonathan Ross is also facing a drastic cut to his current £6million a year-contract, which ends next year, when it is up for renewal.
Sources have suggested that talent and their agents will fight hard against any pay cuts with the threat of switching channels likely to be used.
Many insiders have suggested the BBC will buckle under the pressure and may end up not achieving the savings it needs from the deals.
A source said: 'No star I know is going to take less money. Broadcasters don't want to upset their stars. The big stars could still go to other places.'
Sir Terry Wogan, Fiona Bruce, Chris Moyles, Jeremy Clarkson and Jeremy Paxman are all said to be facing similar cuts.
It expected that Clarkson would drop from £2million a year down to £1.5million, while Paxman would see his £1million a year reduced to £750,000.
Cost cutting: Top names including Jeremy Clarkson and Jeremy Paxman are also expected to be facing similar cuts
Less well-paid celebrities, those paid under £100,000-a-year, will be forced to accept up to 15 per cent cuts.
The corporation is desperately trying to save money as part of widespread cost-cutting at the broadcaster.
More than 400 BBC managers are having their pay frozen and bonuses axed to save more than £20million.
There are similar problems at ITV which is trying to cut the salaries of top performers Ant and Dec and Simon Cowell.
All the other commercial broadcasters are also looking to reduce what they pay their top talent as the recession takes its toll.
The BBC is also desperate to be seen to be getting tough on its costs as its rivals, who rely on advertising, are in a much worse financial state.
A BBC spokesman said: 'Talent fees are not excluded from the economic pressures faced across the organisation and this will be reflected in our ongoing negotiations.'