Entertainment
Channel 4 boss Alex Mahon rakes in eye-watering £1,200,000 salary as broadcaster’s profits smashed records-Ruth Lawes-Entertainment – Metro
Nice one, Alex.
Channel 4 has revealed what it pays its top execs (Picture: Channel 4/Getty)
Channel 4’s top boss Alex Mahon earned a whopping salary of more than £1million last year following the continued success of the It’s a Sin broadcaster.
The 48-year-old chief executive was handed the biggest bonus possible after the number of viewers tuning into the network’s programmes online boomed.
In 2020, Alex was paid £991,000, which soared to £1.2million a year later as Channel 4’s revenue passed the £1billion mark for the first time in history.
The Big Brother broadcaster reaped in £1.16billion last year, far above the previous £995million record.
Figures published in the annual report also showed more hefty pay rises for Channel 4’s senior team, with chief operating officer Jonathan Allan bagging a 5.5% pay rise, giving him £728,000, and chief content officer Ian Katz seeing his package rise nearly 16% to £620,000.
In a statement the broadcaster said the executive salaries were ‘benchmarked against and broadly comparable to other commercial broadcasters in the UK.’
Alex got a big payrise (Photo by David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images for AllBright)
‘The remuneration committee recommended the increase to recognise Alex Mahon’s leadership during a period of incredible creative and commercial success as well as significant uncertainty,’ it added.
The report comes amid a turbulent time for Channel 4 as the government is pressing ahead with plans to privatise it and put it up for sale.
But there are reports the proposals could be scrapped by the new prime minister when Boris Johnson leaves his post later this year after a slew of scandals and revolts within his own party forced him to resign.
When it was announced Channel 4 was set to be flogged off to a private seller, there was widespread criticism from celebrities and leading executives in the creative industries.
Rob Delaney, It’s A Sin writer Russell T Davies, and The Thick Of It creator Armando Iannucci were among those to have voiced their opposition to the sale of the broadcaster.
Rob Delaney thinks privatisation is a mistake (Picture: Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images)
Russell has slammed the government’s plans (Picture: Dave Benett/Getty Images)
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At the South Bank Sky Arts award, Russell slammed the government, saying: I’d also like to say while I’ve got this stage, [It’s A Sin] was made by Channel 4. Public service broadcaster, dedicated to making this sort of programme.
‘We know the government has said they are going to sell that off. I know the government is wounded at the moment, it’s like a wounded dog and a wounded dog bites everyone and rabies will spread. It’s still in danger.’
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