Topping the list is Oprah Winfrey, who earned a cool $315 million during that 12-month period. Though her daily talk show still accounts for the bulk of her income, the queen of all media has cashed in with a diverse range of other projects, including a magazine, website, radio channel, regular TV specials and films. Come fall, Winfrey's production company, which made stars out of Dr. Phil, Rachael Ray and Dr. Oz, will roll out a series from interior designer Nate Berkus, a frequent "Oprah" guest. In the coming months, she will add to her media empire a lifestyle-themed cable channel, the Oprah Winfrey Network, in partnership with Discovery Communications.
Tied at No. 2 are former "American Idol" judge Simon Cowell and daytime shrink Phil McGraw, both of whom banked $80 million over the course of the year.
Cowell made much of his bounty from "Idol," the top-rated series he decided to walk away from this past spring. Also padding his ever-expanding résumé and wallet: fees from the "Got Talent" and "X Factor" franchises along with profits from his lucrative record label. Come 2011, the Brit, whom TV fans love to loathe, will add another potential cash machine when his latest singing competition show "The X Factor" (finally) crosses the pond.
Rounding out the top five are veteran shock jocks Howard Stern (No. 4) and Rush Limbaugh (No. 5).
Stern raked in an estimated $70 million care of his lucrative Sirius XM deal, which pays him $100 million annually, less the production costs for the show (they come out of Stern's pocket). But his five-year contract expires at the end of the year, leaving many to wonder whether the famously volatile host will remain at the satellite radio company. On a second-quarter earnings call with analysts in early August, Sirius CEO Mel Karmazin indicated that a definitive answer on Stern's future would likely come ahead of the company's third-quarter results.
The recently remarried Limbaugh made a cool $58.5 million during the same period. Heading into his 22nd year in national syndication, he remains the country's most listened to talk radio host with more than 15 million tuning in each week. Compensated handsomely for that continued attention, Limbaugh's show contributed $52 million to his already thick wallet. His highly trafficked website and publishing added another $5 million and $1.5 million, respectively.
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