NYT Publisher Says Ex-Editor Actually Made More Than Male Predecessor

Reuters

New York Times publisher Arthur Sulzberger Jr. sent a memo to the paper's staff Thursday afternoon disputing reports former Executive Editor Jill Abramson was fired after complaining her pay was lower than that of her male predecessor, Bill Keller. In fact, according to a copy of the memo obtained by Daily Intelligencer, Sulzberger said Abramson's "total compensation package was more than 10% higher than that of her predecessor, Bill Keller."

"Jill was not singled out or differentially disadvantaged in any way," wrote Sulzberger. "Compensation played no part whatsoever in my decision that Jill could not remain as executive editor. Nor did any discussion about compensation. The reason - the only reason - for that decision was concerns I had about some aspects of Jill's management of our newsroom, which I had previously made clear to her."

Sulzberger, who announced Abramson's departure Wednesday, went on to note the Times is "fully committed to equal treatment of all its employees." On Wednesday, a Times spokeswoman told Business Insider Abramson's pay was never "meaningfully less" than Keller's.

View Sulzberger's full memo below.