It's bonus time for the Murdochs

[deminks]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/jul/26/james-murdoch-news-corp-phone-hacking?CMP=twt_fd

James Murdoch could soon earn a cash bonus of up to $12m (£7.3m) from News Corporation on top of his $3m salary even though the part of the company he has run has been mired in the phone-hacking scandal, shut one of its flagship British newspapers and been forced to abandon the bid for BSkyB in the wake of cross-party hostility in the UK.

His father Rupert is also entitled to a cash bonus of $25m on top of his salary of $8.1m, depending on the company's assessment of his performance in the year to 30 June. Last week Rupert Murdoch told MPs he was experiencing "the most humble day of my life" when questioned by a parliamentary committee about the phone-hacking crisis.

News Corp declined to respond to questions from the Guardian as to whether either man would be content to take any bonus in the light of the recent chain of events. Although both men are unlikely to be awarded the maximum amount by News Corp's compensation committee, the idea behind the bonus scheme is that James Murdoch should earn $6m and his father $12.5m from them.

(end snip)

Is this the most humble day in Ruppie's life? Will tomorrow be? Are they paid for each briefing on defense matters by Great Britain? How many defense briefings did they get in the US?

[no_hypocrisy]

1. Blame the Board of Directors. They have the discretion to award or withhold bonuses.

Shareholders should be paying attention.