June 5, 2009 | Read Time: 1 minute
In what may be a sign of increasing scrutiny of nonprofit salaries during the recession, the gossip blog Gawker is taking aim at the pay of Laura Walker, chief executive of New York’s public radio station, WNYC.
The Web site’s “investigations” writer, John Cook, says Ms. Walker earned $486,688 in annual compensation and benefits as of June 2007. In 2008 she earned $508,520, according to WNYC.
Since the station recently announced it is laying off four people and eliminating 11 unfilled positions, Mr. Cook is asking whether Ms. Walker’s pay is justified. “Just remember where the money is going the next time WNYC begs you to support the important work that they’re doing,” he writes.
In response, Herb Scannell, chairman of the WNYC’s Board of Trustees, defends Ms. Walker’s compensation.
“Laura Walker’s leadership over the last 13 years has been exemplary, as she transformed the station from a municipal-run station into an independent, multi-platform journalistic organization,” he writes in an e-mail message to The Chronicle. “WNYC is now the most-listened-to public-radio station in the country, serving listeners in New York and beyond with 350 hours per week of original content on air and online. It’s a record that speaks for itself.”
In addition, Ms. Walker and other senior staff members have volunteered to cut their salaries by at least 5 percent during the rough economic times. Mr. Cook says he would like the cut to be deeper for Ms. Walker.
What do you think? Is Ms. Walker’s compensation questionable or has Mr. Cook overblown the situation?
