While your cable bill rose in 2010, so did Comcast CEO Brian Roberts’ compensation package, totaling $31.1 million dollars last year — a 14 percent raise.
Most of Roberts’ increased salary came from a performance-based cash bonus of nearly $11 million, earned partly from bringing home the merger of the nation’s largest cable company with NBC-Universal. In fact, Roberts humbly declined part of his earned bonus, which was supposed to total $13.4 million, turning back the difference because of appearances.
Indeed, Comcast executives suffered from a salary freeze through much of 2010, which expired this February. But since bonuses far exceed base salaries on the top floor of Comcast’s executive suites, it’s unlikely any executive had to cut back on their personal spending to compensate.
Besides, the company covers many of the “extras” considered mandatory these days at America’s top companies:
- Enhanced health insurance benefits which often never expire, even after retirement;
- Personal use of the company’s executive aircraft ($200k);
- Three million to his deferred compensation plan;
- A $10,000 special company contribution to his retirement account (petty cash);
- Free cable
“We can afford 31 million for our CEO but can’t afford not to ration your bandwidth!”-Comcast
“I believe you!”-Randians
So that’s why Comcast’s prices are so outrageous! How very nice for Brian. Truly working hard for the money, that guy. (Rant pertaining to Comcast prices: I called about basic cable and asked for the cheapest package available. It was more than I wanted to spend: $25.00/month for what I used to get for 10.00/month back in 2005. Pressed the rep for a cheaper package and found out that, hey, there is one, AND it would give me more channels than the more expensive one! Still more than I wanted to pay, though. After explaining I’m on a tight budget,… Read more »
I don’t have any qualms with someone making a buck but how much is enough? 31.1 million, you could easily live on a 1/10th of that comfortably. I hope to see the day when people wake up and see that we are being hoodwinked by these select few in power. CEO salaries have been sky rocketing for more than a decade now while the average worker is seeing less and less pay. The ratio is just ridiculous, 500 to 1 or around that, considering it was around 30 to 1 back in the 60’s. Like I said, I don’t mind… Read more »