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Channel 4 paid out £5.2 million in bonuses last year, according to reports.

The broadcaster's annual report in the spring stated that the executive board, which includes Andy Duncan, Andy Barnes, Anne Bulford, Rod Henwood and Kevin Lygo, received a combined £495,000 in bonuses.

According to Broadcast, around 90% of the Channel 4's staff received a bonus, with average payouts of £6,000. Around 40 of the network's staff received over £20,000.

A spokesman for Channel 4 told the publication that the 2006 payouts "reflected the company's exceptional performance in achieving its highest ever share of total TV viewing and of total TV advertising revenue," and that it needed to offer "competitive remuneration packages in order to attract the best staff."

Culture secretary Tessa Jowell has confirmed the government will allocate £14 million to Channel 4 to help it meet the costs of digital switchover.

The extra funding, which will come from a portion of the BBC licence fee, will have to be approved by the European commission before the government can proceed. This 'top-slicing' funding option was first raised in the 2005 white paper on BBC charter renewal.

The government's proposed review of funding for public service broadcasting will also now be brought forward so that it begins immediately after Ofcom has completed its review of the provision of public service broadcasting.

Jowell, who announced the move to the Royal Television Society yesterday, said: "Despite the profound changes ahead for the television sector in the coming years, I remain convinced that the case for public service broadcasting will endure."