The questions Channel 10 REFUSES to answer about The Project host Lisa Wilkinson's '$2.3million' salary - as viewers slam the network for keeping on 'Australia's most overpriced woman' despite brutal budget cuts
- At least 25 jobs have been cut at Channel 10 due to the decline in advertising revenue caused by the COVID-19 pandemic
- After prominent staffers were let go, the network is being criticised for keeping on Wilkinson - who has been described as the 'most overpaid person in Australia'
- The Project hasn't been affected by the budget cuts, with Wilkinson's co-hosts Waleed Aly, Carrie Bickmore and Peter Helliar all keeping their jobs
- The journalist, 60, had previously quit Nine's Today show because bosses wouldn't pay her the same salary as co-host Karl Stefanovic
Channel 10 is turning a blind eye to the public outrage over Sunday Project host Lisa Wilkinson's mammoth salary - as viewers call for her to take a drastic pay cut after the network sacked 25 staffers on Tuesday in response to the COVID-19 recession.
The 60-year-old journalist is rumoured to be earning between $1million and $2.3million per year, according to various reports, although the actual figure has never been disclosed.
When contacted by Daily Mail Australia on Wednesday, Channel 10 refused to confirm whether Wilkinson has taken, or offered to take, a pay cut to alleviate the financial pressure the company is under.
Telling silence: Channel 10 is turning a blind eye to the public outrage over Sunday Project host Lisa Wilkinson's (pictured) mammoth salary - as viewers call for her to take a drastic pay cut after the network sacked 25 staffers on Tuesday in response to the COVID-19 recession
After letting go of 25 prominent staffers, Channel 10 was called out for staying loyal to former Today anchor Wilkinson, who has been described as the 'most overpaid person in Australia' by frustrated viewers on social media.
'Channel 10 shredding their news division so they can continue to pay Lisa Wilkinson millions to do sweet f**k all on a program no one watches. Makes sense,' one critic tweeted.
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'They spent too much on Lisa Wilkinson,' another wrote, while a third chimed in: 'The most overpaid person in Australia.'
Despite the criticism, Channel 10 has steadfastly refused to confirm exactly how much money Wilkinson is earning at the network.
Furthermore, they refused to say when her contract expires, or if she's willing to sacrifice her salary to protect the livelihoods of her colleagues.
Will she make a sacrifice? When contacted by Daily Mail Australia on Wednesday, Channel 10 refused to confirm whether the 60-year-old has taken, or offered to take, a pay cut to alleviate the financial pressure the company is under
The rage from viewers intensified overnight, with some suggesting that Wilkinson should resign in solidarity with those who lost their jobs.
'Big job cuts at @10NewsFirst Our thoughts go out to Lisa Wilkinson, the highest-paid dud at the network, who was recruited with huge fanfare and self-promotion but now must be the first to go, on merit. 10 went woker, now going broker,' politician Mark Latham wrote.
Others took direct aim at the former magazine journalist.
One viewer tweeted: 'It's a weird thing you get to keep your job at 10 while a vast swathe of more capable and much, much lower-paid staff get the axe.'
Wilkinson moved to The Project in 2018, supposedly in protest because Nine wouldn't raise her salary to match that of her Today show co-host Karl Stefanovic.
She is believed to have quit Today because her male counterpart was reportedly earning $2million a year with bonuses, while she was on $1.1million.
When her contract was up for negotiation, Nine was only willing to increase her annual salary to $1.8million, but this wasn't enough for her and she quit.
'She's not worth the salary': After letting go of 25 prominent staffers, Channel 10 was called out for staying loyal to former Today anchor Wilkinson - who has been described as the 'most overpaid person in Australia' by frustrated viewers on social media
Meanwhile, Wilkinson isn't the only Project host to be breathing a sigh of relief this week, as Waleed Aly, Carrie Bickmore and Peter Helliar have also kept their jobs.
On Tuesday, the left-leaning current affairs show managed to avoid the swinging axe as the network announced a 'restructuring' of its news division, with the likes of Kerri-Anne Kennerley, Natarsha Belling and Tim Bailey being made redundant.
The 'restructure' was in response to the sharp decline in advertising revenue caused by the coronavirus recession.
Radio silence: Channel 10 refused to confirm Wilkinson's colossal earnings. They also refused to say when her contract at the network expires
Under scrutiny: The rage from viewers intensified overnight, with some suggesting that Wilkinson should resign in solidarity with those who lost their jobs
Get woke, go broke: 'Big job cuts at @10NewsFirst Our thoughts go out to Lisa Wilkinson, the highest-paid dud at the network, who was recruited with huge fanfare and self-promotion but now must be the first to go, on merit. 10 went woker, now going broker,' Mark Latham wrote
Daily Mail Australia understands The Project avoided cancellation because Channel 10 boss Beverley McGarvey considers it an essential part of the daily schedule.
A well-placed source said earlier this year: 'For some reason, the higher-ups at Channel 10 love The Project, even though the viewers don't. It doesn't rate, it's expensive to produce and a lot of the publicity it generates is negative.'
The insider added that despite many staffers believing the show 'peaked years ago', management sees it as one of the network's 'sacred cows' and 'will do anything to protect it'.
Gender pay dispute: Wilkinson moved to The Project in 2018, supposedly in protest because Nine wouldn't raise her salary to match that of her Today show co-host Karl Stefanovic (right)
They explained: 'Although it fails to attract a big audience, it does do well in certain demographics. There's also the argument that it is popular on Facebook and drives social engagement, but that doesn't translate to advertising dollars.
'Still, it will never be cancelled because senior management won't hear a bad word said against it.'
Despite recent calls for The Project to be cancelled, the show has won several Logie Awards over the years for Most Popular Panel and Most Popular Presenter, which are voted for by the public.
Staying put: Channel 10 is already facing criticism for refusing to axe The Project while brutally sacking at least 25 other employees on Tuesday in response to the COVID-19 recession
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