They are trade secrets, but The Hollywood Reporter revealed many of the Fox News amounts because they were required to be disclosed. Warning: Some are sickening like $569,423 for John Bolton. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/ ... s-1193630/
This was at the end of that story:
While CNN’s contributor salaries are also a trade secret, THR has learned that one former contributor who left the network in the past two years earned a salary of about $75,000 per year
Here's a quick primer on the difference, written on Quora by a reputable guy:
https://www.quora.com/What-do-the-talki ... o-how-muchJonathan Bates, Senior executive @ HBO, CNET, NBC, Ocean.com, JWT
Answered 1 year ago · Author has 1.5K answers and 6.6M answer views
How much do guests on shows such as Morning Joe and Hardball get paid for their comments and opinions?
Thanks for the A2A. This applies to the MSNBC shows you mentioned and cable news opinion/analysis shows on CNN, FoxNews and MSNBC in general.
If you listen to the introductions of panel members on a show, the host will identify each using specific language that identifies their relationship to the network (and by extension whether they’re compensated for appearing):
“Our special guest…”: When someone is introduced by the host as “our [special] guest tonight is Al Franken” or “here for the interview, Michael Moore,” they aren’t paid an appearance fee because the policy of news divisions at legitimate US networks prohibits payment to interview subjects.
(This is not a universal practice: in many countries like the UK, newspapers, periodicals and TV shows pay everyone. When someone is involved in an especially salacious scandal or is adjacent to a horrific crime, news outlets will often engage in bidding wars to secure an exclusive or public debut interview.)
In the US, the cable news networks fly guests first class to appear on a show, and they are put up in opulent suites at five-star hotels on the network’s dime. If the guest requires executive protection or has staff that usually travel with them, the network will pay for them, too. Almost all expenses related to a guest’s appearance are covered and permitted under network policy.
“MNSBC/CNN Contributor…”: Some of the occasional pundits you see on CNN or MSNBC news shows include journalists and notables with political backgrounds, academics, prolific writers and various flavors of celebrities. Depending on their stature (and/or the negotiating prowess of their managers), contributors are usually contracted under a Retainer Agreement for a limited time period (usually a week, month, several months or annually).
A contributor retainer will usually obligate the pundit to be available for breaking-news events as well as a minimum number of “availabilities” — meaning the network may or may not use them, but they need to be available — per show or per the duration of their retainer.
While the retainer may offer a holding fee ($1–3k to upper five figures), contributors are also paid a per-appearance fee that can range from a couple hundred dollars up to several thousand dollars for each “hit”, or segment of the show they’re featured in. The networks use retainers to keep a stable of experts on-call: when an airplane crashes, they have former National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigators ready to appear on a moment’s notice. The same is true for gun massacres, terrorist attacks, abducted children and dozens of other breaking-news events. It’s also helpful for major political news coverage like elections, the State of the Union address, presidential impeachment or big Supreme Court decision.
Note: Some cable news contributors do not receive any payment, and may be contracted under special arrangement that isn’t technically a retainer. These contributors may be journalists, academic scholars, think-tank representatives or others associated with organizations that prohibit payment for appearances. There are also certain professions with ethical codes that only allow members to receive reimbursements for expenses and travel arrangements associated with their appearances.
“MSNBC/CNN Analyst…” These are the regulars you see on “Morning Joe” or “Deadline: White House”, like John Heilemann, John Meacham and Malcolm Nance. They are typically experts in a field related to politics, government, business or subjects of ongoing coverage. They are paid under a retainer agreement usually running for a year or more, and are restricted from appearing on competing cable news network during and for a ‘blackout’ period after the their retainer is in effect. This doesn’t prevent them from having another job or even working as a journalist, as long as their work is non-competitive and no conflict of interest exists between their primary career and their analyst role.
The reputation and stature of a network news analyst usually determines the compensation they’re paid under a retainer. It’s not unusual for a network analyst to receive $50k, $100k or low to mid six-figures per year, especially if they’re uniquely qualified experts or have a high profile.
* If you don't know the frothy Santorium story, he deserved it and it's here (but it's graphic):
Campaign for the neologism "santorum"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Campaign_ ... antorum%22
What kicked it off was Frothy's "Man on Dog" comment and his other bigoted, repulsive comments that began with this AP article:
https://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/wa ... erpt_x.htmEvery society in the history of man has upheld the institution of marriage as a bond between a man and a woman. Why? Because society is based on one thing: that society is based on the future of the society. And that's what? Children. Monogamous relationships. In every society, the definition of marriage has not ever to my knowledge included homosexuality. That's not to pick on homosexuality. It's not, you know, man on child, man on dog, or whatever the case may be. It is one thing. And when you destroy that you have a dramatic impact on the quality —
AP: I'm sorry, I didn't think I was going to talk about "man on dog" with a United States senator, it's sort of freaking me out.
So, you know, don't swear much, but Fuck Frothy. Couldn't happen soon enough.