CBS Corp. president and CEO Leslie Moonves received $57.7 million last year, nearly 34 percent more than he did the year before, according to SEC filings Friday.
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Moonves (left) received $43.2 million in 2009 and $21.1 million in 2008 for leading the top-rated network. While his base pay remained at $3.5 million, his bonus climbed to $27.5 million, up from $15 million in 2009. His stock awards remained unchanged at just under $8 million, and his other payments came from $14.9 million in option awards, a change in pension value, and other sources.
His payday makes him the second-highest paid media executive of 2010 behind Viacom president and CEO Philippe P. Dauman, who is also the highest-paid CEO of 2010 at $84.5 million, according to Equilar.
Viacom and CBS Chairman Summer Redstone, meanwhile, received $20.3 million, a 25 percent increase from the $16.2 million he received in 2009.
CBS said Moonves' bonus reflects "the successes in his role as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company and a special cash payment of $7,500,000 for his leadership in connection with the creation of premium content across the Company's portfolio of businesses, particularly with respect to the CBS Television Network, which outperformed its media peers in 2010."
He also had to deal with Charlie Sheen.