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NBC gives Donald a Trump-sized raise to $160M
Playing the presidential card has paid off for Donald Trump.
The real-estate mogul and reality-TV host — who kept viewers and the NBC network guessing until the last minute whether he would make a serious run at the Oval Office — got a sizeable pay raise to renew his contract to host “The Celebrity Apprentice” for another two years.
NBC Universal, which was acquired by cable-TV giant Comcast this year, agreed to pay Trump and co-producer Mark Burnett an estimated $160 million over two years, according to sources familiar with the contract.
Trump, who was in Scotland yesterday touting his plan to build a new golf course, couldn’t be reached for comment. But sources said he will personally pocket $65 million a year, a substantial increase on his previous deal with the Peacock Network.
“They stepped up,” said one source close to the show. “It was an increase over last season.”
With this new deal, Trump becomes the highest-paid reality-TV star, eclipsing the “American Idol” judges and the Kardashian clan.
Trump co-owns “The Apprentice” franchise with Burnett but receives a big fee for serving as the star of the show.
According to Forbes’ Celebrity 100 List, Trump pockets $60 million annually on his entertainment ventures, while Burnett earns $45 million from a variety of shows he produces, such as NBC’s “The Voice,” ABC’s “Shark Tank” and CBS’s “Survivor.”
By comparison, Simon Cowell was paid an estimated $45 million for his turn on Fox’s “American Idol.” (News Corp. owns Fox and The Post.)
Last month, Trump, who had insisted he was serious about pursuing the Republican nomination despite skeptics who considered it a negotiating ploy, announced he would forego his political ambitions in favor of his lucrative TV career.
Trump played his possible presidential run for maximum effect, boosting ratings for “Celebrity Apprentice,” until the fourth-ranked NBC, which is struggling to find new hits, finally pushed him to make a decision about his primetime berth.
“The Apprentice,” a big product-placement vehicle for Madison Avenue, has been on air since 2004. It will enter its 11th cycle next March, when it is due back on air in its usual Sunday night slot.
Sources said the show has already lined up a slew of deals with the likes of Procter & Gamble and General Motors for next season.
The season finale of “Celebrity Apprentice,” drew a 2.9 rating and 8.36 million people in the 18- to 49-year-old demographic. It was the second-highest rated show of the night on May 22 but fell 15 percent from the previous year’s finale.
The finale featured country star John Rich beating actress Marlee Matlin to receive a $250,000 check for a charity of his choice.
“Celebrity Apprentice” is licensed in 89 countries.
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