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Home / Philadelphia Magazine / Pulse: Chatter: They’re So Paid

Chatter: They’re So Paid

That Inquirer/Daily News honcho Brian Tierney pocketed a big raise just two months before his papers filed for bankruptcy got us wondering which media exec is more overpaid: Tierney, or WHYY president and CEO Bill Marrazzo. (For the record: Tierney cut his salary after being outed. Ball’s in your court, Bill.) Leave your comments below and let us know what you think.

By Tom McGrath

Posted on 3/24/09

Text Size: A | A | A

: Courtesty Ryan Lavine

Executive: Brian Tierney (Inquirer/Daily News)
Compensation: $850,000*
Increase Over Previous Year: 38%
Recent Company Performance: Racked up $395 million in debt; filed for Chapter 11 in February.
What It Takes To Pay Salary: All the money from sales of one Sunday’s worth of papers.
Weaselly Explanation: Took raise because he’d been doing two jobs for past couple of years.

Executive: Bill Marrazzo (WHYY)
Compensation: $740,090**
Increase Over Previous Year: 14%
Recent Company Performance: Fell $200,000 short of its $1 million goal in December fund drive.
What It Takes To Pay Salary: All the money from one on-air beg-athon.
Weaselly Explanation: It’s the board’s fault: "They designed the package. I didn't."

*Salary as of 12/31/08.

**Total compensation for year ending 6/30/07, the most recent info available.

Originally published in Philadelphia magazine, April 2009

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User Comments:

Bill Marrazzo Grossly overpaid
Posted by Anonymous | Mar. 26, 2009 at 8:05 AM

COMMENT:

The public is catching on to this ex being overpaid. The board needs to be changed to get thecompensation corrected.

Bill Marrazzo
Posted by Anonymous | Apr. 2, 2009 at 7:05 AM

COMMENT:

I cancelled my contributions to WHYY when Bill Marrazzo was being paid close to $500,000. I can';t believe that his compensation has govne upalmost 50% since then. What has he done to make WHYY a leader in public TV

Weasel Tierney
Posted by RICHARD | Apr. 11, 2009 at 10:32 AM

COMMENT:

Tierney by a landslide. Plus add his guy Frisby. Who while asking for money back from workers showed up at meeting in his new car......a Masaritti.

WHYY
Posted by Anonymous | Apr. 16, 2009 at 10:07 AM

COMMENT:

NPR & public broadcasting affiliates around the country are reducing staff and cutting exec salaries due to the economy. With the 2010 PA budget's impact on PA public TV, will Mr. Marrazzo sacrifice staff before some of his salary to make ends meet?

They're both despicable
Posted by Anonymous | Apr. 22, 2009 at 7:43 PM

COMMENT:

But Marrazzo is worse. At least Tierney cut his salary after the word got out, whereas Marrazzo maintains his "entitlement" no matter how many folks complain. How many more subscribers does WHYY have to lose before they get the message that we will not tolerate being ripped off by Marrazzo? And this is on top of Channel 12 not creating any programming! What the heck do they do for the community? Less than the bare minimum.

Marrazzo must go
Posted by Jon | Apr. 26, 2009 at 6:47 AM

COMMENT:

He is running a non-profit, i.e a charity! How can he dare ask for contributions so he can earn significantly more than the President of the United States! Outrageous.

Marrazzo has taken a pay-cut
Posted by Anonymous | Aug. 6, 2009 at 7:16 PM

COMMENT:

Check with WHYY, I am pretty sure I heard that Marrazzo has taken a pay cut too...

WHYY Sacrifice Staff
Posted by Anonymous | Aug. 28, 2009 at 10:25 AM

COMMENT:

You'd better believe that Marrazzo will sacrifice staff! I know ... I lost my job at WHYY after years of on and off devoted and professional service!

GREED
Posted by Rudy | Dec. 15, 2009 at 9:10 PM

COMMENT:

I stopped giving to a "charity" when I found out that the Chief Executive was making $350,000. Pretty charitable of this isn't it? This year will be the last year I send any money to WHYY. I have better places to put my money than in the pockets of these GREEDY executives.