NBC UNIVERSAL CHIEF LOSES A THIRD OF HIS PAY

NBC Universal CEO Steve Burke had his compensation slashed by more than a third in 2011, according to an SEC filing. Not that the reduction will inspire much distress. Burke wound up the year with $23.7 million versus $34.7 million he received the previous year. Also taking a significant cut in pay was Burke’s boss, Comcast Chairman and CEO Brian Roberts, who received $26.9 million in total compensation in 2011 versus $31.1 million in 2010. Burke’s pay cut may be easier to understand than Roberts’s. After all, NBC remained firmly in last place throughout the year. But overall, Comcast reported strong financial and operating results and managed to reduce its subscriber losses by nearly 40 percent for the year. The company increased its dividend by 44 percent for the current year.