Public television companies which want to pay presentors more than the €181,000 a year earned by prime minister Jan Peter Balkenende should raise the extra money from their own resources, MPs said on Thursday.

MPs agreed that five presentors and three radio djs can earn more than the prime ministerial standard, because of their exceptional talents.
However, the extra cash must not come from taxpayers’ contributions to the public broadcasting system, MPs said. Instead tv firms should use money raised from membership fees and organising events.
MPs want the prime minister’s salary to be the standard for public sector workers – from hospital bosses to civil service chiefs.
Top presenters such as Paul de Leeuw and Matthijs van Nieuwkerk are known to earn more than €400,000,