84 Million Reasons Why It's Good To Run Viacom

All those layoffs at Viacom finally paid off-for CEO Philippe Dauman. Dauman, who also owes a big thank you to Snooki, the Situation and the rest of the Jersey Shore crowd, was the highest paid CEO in a study by the New York Times published Sunday.

Dauman’s take was $84.5 million in 2010, up from only $34 million the previous year. Much of that increase, the paper notes, came in a bonus for signing a new contract.

Overall, the Times reported that while unemployment remains high, it is a good time to be a CEO. Pay for CEO’s jumped 12% in 2010.

Other media moguls were on the Times’ list of the 30 highest paid CEOs, including Michael D. White of DirecTV ($32.9 million), Brian Roberts of Comcast ($28.2 million), Bob Iger ($28 million), and Rupert Murdoch of News Corp. ($16.8 million).

Missing was CBS CEO Les Moonves, who like Dauman, works for Sumner Redstone. According to the NYT, Moonves made $43 million 2009 and would likely make the list again, but CBS hadn’t yet filed documents disclosing his 2010 pay.