'Tonight Show' cuts staff; Leno pay drops by millions
Source: Agencies |
August 20, 2012, Monday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
"THE Tonight Show" has laid off about two dozen workers, prompting host Jay Leno to accept a pay cut to spare other staffers as NBC clamps down on expenses.
The payroll purge affected about 10 percent of the roughly 200 people who work on "The Tonight Show," still the top-rated late-night program. NBC Universal is trying to improve its financial performance under the ownership of Comcast Corp, which bought it last year.
Leno had been making between US$25 million to US$30 million annually as the host of "The Tonight Show." His salary will be reduced to about US$20 million after making the job-saving concessions.
"Jay's foremost concern is for the wonderful people who work with him at 'The Tonight Show,' " said Bruce Bobbins, a spokesman for Leno. "He did what was necessary to ensure their well-being."
David Letterman, host of a rival late show on CBS, took a significant pay cut in 2009.
Comcast bought a controlling interest in NBC Universal for US$6.2 billion in cash and several cable-TV channels valued at US$7.25 billion. Besides its TV network and several cable channels, NBC also owns the Universal Pictures movie studio and theme parks.
Despite solid ratings, "The Tonight Show" hasn't been a big moneymaker. That prompted cuts expected to trim the weekly budget by about US$600,000, or 25 percent, to US$1.7 million.
The payroll purge affected about 10 percent of the roughly 200 people who work on "The Tonight Show," still the top-rated late-night program. NBC Universal is trying to improve its financial performance under the ownership of Comcast Corp, which bought it last year.
Leno had been making between US$25 million to US$30 million annually as the host of "The Tonight Show." His salary will be reduced to about US$20 million after making the job-saving concessions.
"Jay's foremost concern is for the wonderful people who work with him at 'The Tonight Show,' " said Bruce Bobbins, a spokesman for Leno. "He did what was necessary to ensure their well-being."
David Letterman, host of a rival late show on CBS, took a significant pay cut in 2009.
Comcast bought a controlling interest in NBC Universal for US$6.2 billion in cash and several cable-TV channels valued at US$7.25 billion. Besides its TV network and several cable channels, NBC also owns the Universal Pictures movie studio and theme parks.
Despite solid ratings, "The Tonight Show" hasn't been a big moneymaker. That prompted cuts expected to trim the weekly budget by about US$600,000, or 25 percent, to US$1.7 million.
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