Crown Execs Pay Increased in 2011

Executives who run the Hallmark Channels got more than greeting cards in their pay envelopes last year from parent company Crown Media Holdings.

According to a proxy statement released Friday by Crown, CEO Bill Abbott's total compensation rose 18% to $1.381 million in 2011.  That includes a salary of $697,168, bonus of $409,542, deferred compensation of $27,231 and other compensation of $247,500.

Ad sales chief Ed Georger earned $953,210, up 32%. His salary was $549,426. He earned a bonus of $277,763, deferred compensation of $11,271 and other compensation of $114,750.

Executive VP and general counsel Charles Stanford earned $817,245 up 27% from 2011. He got a salary of $532,458, a bonus of $178,804 and other compensation of $105,983.

Michelle Vicary, executive VP for programming, earned $369,993, up 35% from 2010. Her salary was $298,774, plus a bonus of $44,219 and other compensation of $27,000.

None of the company's named executives received stock awards.

Jon Lafayette

Jon has been business editor of Broadcasting+Cable since 2010. He focuses on revenue-generating activities, including advertising and distribution, as well as executive intrigue and merger and acquisition activity. Just about any story is fair game, if a dollar sign can make its way into the article. Before B+C, Jon covered the industry for TVWeek, Cable World, Electronic Media, Advertising Age and The New York Post. A native New Yorker, Jon is hiding in plain sight in the suburbs of Chicago.