CBS’s Moonves banks $62m

Leslie Moonves, the CEO of CBS Corp, banked an eye-watering US$62 million last year.

The compensation package, totalling almost US$62.2 million, means Loonves remains one of the highest paid executives in television. However, the figure, which was disclosed in a SEC filing over the weekend, is 11% down on his 2011 renumeration of US$69.9 million.

CBS’s founder and executive chairman Sumner Redstone pocketed US$31.1 million.

Moonves earns a basic US$3.51 million per year, while Redstone makes US$1.76 million. Most of their pay comes through bonuses and share and stock awards.

CBS is the top rating US broadcast network and currently counts series such as The Big Bang Theory, Two and a Half Men, the CSI franchise (pictured), NCIS and Criminal Minds among its big-hitting programmes.