NZ broadcasters won't follow BBC pay reveal

TVNZ's Kevin Kenrick said he was not surprised by the amount some BBC staff earned. Photo / File

State broadcasters TVNZ and RNZ won't follow the BBC and reveal top presenters' pay.

The BBC last night revealed what its top earners are paid, sparking controversy in the Isles.

The list is topped by Chris Evans who earned up to $3.98 million last year followed by Gary Lineker on $3.18m with the top 10 paid around $15m in salary between them - but Claudia Winkleman is the only woman among them on up to $882,895.

The British government ordered the BBC to publish the figures which the broadcaster fought against.

RNZ head of communications John Barr told the Herald the scales of salaries between RNZ and BBC are "quite different."

"RNZ is required to meet Government statutory obligations relating to remuneration reporting and it does so every year in the annual report. RNZ releases details of the range and numbers of employees earning in excess of $100,000 by $10,000 bands in its annual report," Barr said.

"Names are not included in the annual reporting apart from separate disclosure of Board of Directors fees," he said.

TVNZ chief executive Kevin Kenrick stressed that they are Government owned but not taxpayer funded.

"It's important that any organisation that is spending tax payer money is accountable for how that money is spent," Kenrick said.

"There needs to be sufficient transparency to highlight that accountability and that probably needs to be balanced against the rights to privacy for the employees in the business," he said.

Kenrick said TVNZ discloses director and chief executive remuneration in its annual report. He was revealed last year as the highest earner on roughly $1.2m.

Kenrick said he was not surprised by the amounts the British broadcasters were earning.

"Their top end is more than what you expect in New Zealand, but less than what you see in the US. There's always a level of public fascination in the remuneration and other personal details of high profile people and that's playing out in the UK," he said.