View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

23 of BBC’s journalism decision makers earn £100k plus

By Dominic Ponsford

The BBC’s disclosure of the salaries for its top 107 ‘decision makers’ has revealed that 23 editorial executives on the journalism side of the corporation earn more than £100,000 a year.

Yesterday’s revelations do not include journalists on the ‘talent’ side of the business earning more than £100,000 a year – such as Jeremy Paxman and John Humphrys.

And according to The Times, nearly 300 other senior managers earning more than £100,000 are not on the list published yesterday.

The top earner on the journalism side of the BBC is deputy director general Mark Byford, who is also head of journalism. The former Look North producer was paid £471,000 as of August 2009.

Other high earners include director of news Helen Boaden, with a salary of £320,000; director of global news Richard Sambrook, on £299,880; and chief operating officer for journalism, Dominic Coles, on £257,500.

Director of the World Service Peter Horrocks is on £200,l000 a year; deputy director of news Stephen Mitchell earns £195,00 and head of newsgathering Francesca Unsworth earns £165,000 a year.

Further down the list, director of the BBC College of Journalism Vin Ray is paid £135,188 and chief advisor on journalism Richard Addy earns £104,000.

Content from our partners
MHP Group's 30 To Watch awards for young journalists open for entries
How PA Media is helping newspapers make the digital transition
Publishing on the open web is broken, how generative AI could help fix it

Propping up the pay league for the top decision makers in the BBC’s journalism group is controller of strategy, journalism, James Heath on £85,000 a year.

Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog

Select and enter your email address Weekly insight into the big strategic issues affecting the future of the news industry. Essential reading for media leaders every Thursday. Your morning brew of news about the world of news from Press Gazette and elsewhere in the media. Sent at around 10am UK time. Our weekly does of strategic insight about the future of news media aimed at US readers. A fortnightly update from the front-line of news and advertising. Aimed at marketers and those involved in the advertising industry.
  • Business owner/co-owner
  • CEO
  • COO
  • CFO
  • CTO
  • Chairperson
  • Non-Exec Director
  • Other C-Suite
  • Managing Director
  • President/Partner
  • Senior Executive/SVP or Corporate VP or equivalent
  • Director or equivalent
  • Group or Senior Manager
  • Head of Department/Function
  • Manager
  • Non-manager
  • Retired
  • Other
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
Thank you

Thanks for subscribing.

Websites in our network