According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the non-farm average wage for American workers is $25.12 per hour, August 2016 data shows, but the U.S. presidential forums between Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton are stacked with television network-employed moderators who are also rich.
Those asking questions on the public’s behalf of the major party candidates running for president –- the event moderators — are paid from 29 times more, to 480 times more than the average American worker.
Matt Lauer, 58, who hosted the first presidential forum earlier this month, signed a $25 million per year contract back in 2012 to host The Today Show, Huffington Post reported at the time.
Lester Holt, 57, of NBC, who moderates the Sept. 26 debate at Hofstra University, makes nearly $5 million a year.
CNN’s Anderson Cooper, 47, makes $10 million annually with a net worth exceeding $100 million. Cooper, and Martha Raddatz, 63, of ABC, with a net worth of about $10 million, will share moderator duties at the October 9 presidential forum between Clinton and Trump in St. Louis.
Fox News anchor Chris Wallace, 68, a registered democrat, earns about $1.5 million per year. He will moderate the Las Vegas presidential forum scheduled on October 19.
