NBC's $750 million budget cut will hit more than the production assistants running scripts around MSNBC's Secaucus studio. Reports the Philadelphia Inquirer's Gail Shister, the top-paid talent across NBC's programming may be asked to take a reduced fee in order to meet GE chief Bob Wright's bottom line requirements — otherwise, they'll be directed toward the exit sign.

Individuals with rational thought processes might assume NBC's brass would curry savings at the top, where salaries are most exhorbitant. So will NBC News chief Steve Capus be going after NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams' $10 million annual cheque? Nah. How about Today newcomer Meredith Vieira same $10 million pay? Hells no. So, if not those outrageous expenses, then who?

"When somebody puts themselves into the talent ranks, they get judged differently," Capus says. "They may be a hard worker, but there are other factors that come into play.

Such as: "On-air performance, or ratings, or how they carry themselves in the field, or what we think is their potential for growth."

If that sounds as if it includes just about everybody in the news division, Capus insists that's not the case. He says it's not going to be a bloodletting, and that it won't compromise the quality of NBC News programs.

So, to sum up: Capus wants cuts based on: 1) Talent not bringing in ratings; 2) Talent not adding much to "the quality" of NBC's programming. It's a pity we need to be the first to point to our item from last week, where MSNBC's Tucker Carlson and Rita Cosby got name checked. Not surprisingly, they both fall into Capus' categories.

NBC's on-air talent is not immune from salary cuts [Gail Shister, Philadelphia Inquirer]