Comcast CEO Brian Roberts’ 2019 Compensation Rises Nearly 4% to $36.4 Million

By Brian Steinberg

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Comcast CEO Brian Roberts saw his 2019 compensation rise 3.8% to nearly $36.4 million, the Philadelphia cable giant disclosed in a filing Friday with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Many of the company’s top executives received relatively straightforward pay raises, though the totals they earn dwarf the average worker’s annual take-home pay. Former NBCUniversal CEO Steve Burke saw his annual compensation rise 6.5%, to approximately $42.6 million from nearly $40 million in the prior year. Comcast Cable CEO David Watson saw his 2019 compensation rise 14.8%, to $16.9 million from nearly $14.8 million in the prior year. And Comcast CFO Michael Cavanaugh saw his 2019 compensation rise about 23.5% to nearly $26.8 million from $21.7 million in 2018.

In a report contained in the filing, Comcast’s executive compensation committee said the executives’ 2019 performance warranted the compensation, citing increases in cash flow at the the company’s cable, NBCUniversal and Sky units.

Comcast disclosed that Roberts, Cavanagh and Watson, as well as two other senior leaders, intend to donate 100% of their salaries from April 1 to the end of the current pandemic to charities that support coronavirus relief efforts.