Updated at 3:17 p.m. PT: Yesterday, I challenged USA Today and The Washington Post to go beyond features about the Newseum's opening, a week from tomorrow in Washington, D.C. I suggested looking at the public tax returns of the Newseum's non-profit parent, the Freedom Forum, since that group had a history of questionable spending years ago. I wanted to know more about who's in charge, and how much they were paid while overseeing construction of a $450 million building that leading press critic Jack Shafer called a "gilded disaster." Many of those in charge are former top Gannett executives. So, I'll whet your appetite further, now that I've had a chance to peruse the organization's 2006 tax return.The question: Which 84-year-old suntanned South Dakota farm boy turned media mogul was the non-profit Freedom Forum's highest paid employee ($225,000!) in 2006? Bonus points: The return shows he also had the biggest employee expense account: $200,545!!!
The answer: It's in the return's compensation table (shown, below); click on it for a bigger view:
Note: Although this table shows Founder Al Neuharth as the highest-paid employee, there's more to consider. A separate table lists officers, directors and trustees, some of whom are also employees. Combining the two, I find the highest-compensated individual overall is Chairman and CEO Charles Overby, at $526,593. Neuharth is No. 2, at $425,545. But his expense account is still biggest of all.[Image: the museum at night, Newseum]
The answer is easy. Big Al himself.
ReplyDeleteHere's what I want to know:
ReplyDelete1. What did he do to earn that $225,000?
2. What were the $200,545 in expenses?
3. He worked 40 hours a week?
3. Who approved his compensation -- the board of trustees?
Jim: He wrote a weekly column for USA Today. I'm sure that demands $225,000 a year, plus expenses.
ReplyDeleteJim look into the private gym
ReplyDeleteAl, build for himself in the Forum, when he was head Freedom.
Jim, your plea to get a news company to investigate another will never happen. We never do. "Too Insider", we always say. Besides we have too much of our own dirty laundry to keep hidden.
ReplyDeleteJim, You do know that Gannett and the FF are separate entities?
ReplyDeleteIn fact they don't like each other.
Indeed! "Don't like" is quite the understatement, no?
ReplyDeleteThey may not "like" each other, but the FF remains a veritable post-Gannett-employment pipeline for GCI/USAT execs, staffers, buddies, etc. On the board alone, I count at least seven present and former GCI staffers.
ReplyDeleteAnd BTW, you don't think Howard Baker and Tom Daschle are aboard just out of some vague and general sense of community service, do you? Connect the ol' Tennessee and South Dakota dots there, boyz ...