From the Columbia Journalism Review a short lesson in modern newsroom economics.

Katie Couric’s annual salary is more than the entire annual budgets of NPR’s Morning Edition and All Things Considered combined. Couric’s salary comes to an estimated $15 million a year; NPR spends $6 million a year on its morning show and $5 million on its afternoon one.

But hey, Katie interviewed Glenn Beck on the evening news, and then followed up by devoting the whole of her new online "news program" to Beck, who has a new book out. A book from a publisher that happens to be owned by CBS.

When you consider that NPR is doing news and Couric is doing pitch sessions for CBS-owned products, it's really not a fair comparison. Billy Mays made about $10 million a year. That's a much better match up with Katie.